Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-02


quainted, let us not fool away any more
time here. Come, Wsterloor'
"Wateilooloo, you mean," said q
bright young lobster dealer who hap
pened to be passing by at the time, and
who is known as the wag and raccoonter
of Toad Hill.
By this time the hired man had re-
turned and said that the telephone was
not working, SO the fire department
could not be reached. The trustee then
went to the engine house personally, and
had not been arrested by the police for
burglary, the engine being the private
property of Mean Temperature hose
company No. 81.
But it was now apparent to number
of all night people that there was fire
near by, and word was sent by the Jersey
Street Vestibule Horse Car line to West
Brighton that the fire fend had broken
loose in the residence of Trustee Teeter,
of the village of Bilgewater, S. l. The
trustee having given bail, went home to
see what he could do toward saving his
home and family.
At this moment hose cart was heard
on Westervelt avenue, running at high
rate of speed, and soon the beautifully
clicked hose of Recalcitrant Hose Com
pany No. hove in sight, but lost some
time by stopping to ask a pedestrian for
few dollars to buy new uniforms for
the company.
The hose company soon after arrived,
but the engine of course had not yet
reached the disgusting episode, or holo-
caust rather. The fire now began to make
sad havoc amid the beautiful house
decorations of the trustees high priced
! home. First it meandered through the
cellar and used up the winters kindling
wood. baked the Rhode Island green
ings. worms and all, skinned up the hol-
! low trunk of the dumb waiter, made a
pass at fine oil painting of lobster in
the dining room-by Prang-raised a
! blister on the face of the clock and
scorched one of its little hands, seemed
to laugh mockingly at the aquarium,
cooked a gold fish or two, and then went
into the pantry and exploded pie.
/ Anon the cry of fire was borne along
the North Shore, and one of the Brighton
whistles blew a low, sad blast which
walled through the shrinking night like
the dying song of some old master whose
death is due to painter colo after paint
ing too large town and getting himself
overhet.
Now we can hear the pulsing beat of
the hoofs of those who are coming to
the rescue from Tottenville pulling an
! engine. The fire has eaten out the whole
interior of the structure, having Quilted
the entire house, and wound up by chas
ing the trus ee himself for two squares
As the roof falls in the Wet Spell En-
CINE company, of Tottenville, and the
Rise Up William Riley and Come
Along WithMe Hook and Ladder Truck
company, of Eltingville, reach the
ground and begin to couple on to the
hydrant, meantime emitting the shriI
cry of fire. 1t is now almost breakfas
time, and several people who have beer
untiringly watching the fire excus.
themselves and go home, not being NOR,
than mere calling acquaintance of tn,
trustee.
Some delay is experienced in finding
the wrench, but at last it is secured, anG
desirable connection made with al
eligible hydrant.
No sooner is the apparatus ready thar
an opprobrious epithet is hurled at tn,
company by one of the rebelious fremel
of the village of Bilgewater. hittins
him back of the ear, and quicker thai
one can calculate the remark ''scat" tn,
hose is turned on the rude person ant
held there till the fire has gone out.
We as village of 1000 people ma,
learn valua BILE lesson from the abov,
little incident. In the first place W,
must not foo with fire, and in the sec
ond place we must not fool with volun
teer fire department. While the tw,
companies, for instance, squirt water a
each other the damage is done, so ais
: while the official and the fireman SQUAD
BILE the rates 90 up on insurance.
/ once belonged to volunteer fir
company. and recall with much pleas
ure the day ! resigned. never looket
well on parade, and my hat was to-
heavy and too hot. always got
severe headache and then fire brok