The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-03-26
HORSES FOR FIRES.
SELECTING AND TRAINING ANIMALS
FOR FIRE ENGINES.


Of the praise which has been showered
upon the New York fire department for
the excellence of its system, the splendid
animals that haul the heavy engines and
trucks have their share. Any one who
has watched one of the crack engine
companies tearing through the street in
response to an alarm cannot have failed
to notice how the horses strained every
muscle to cover the distance as quickly
as possible, with scarcely touch from
the drivers whip. Some of the horses
show an almost human intelligence in
the quickness with which they respond
to the alarms sounded by the big gongs.
Nowhere can that be seen better than
in the house of Engine 7, at Chambers
and Center streets, where two horses, 10
and Charley, hold the record for the
quickest time in getting into harness.
Horses and men have to show off fire.
quently for the benefit of visitors. The
foreman sounds the gong in one of these
exhibitions, but does not release the
horses at once, as the regular alarm does
by electrical apparatus The two big
horses whose stalls are on either side of
the engine, strain at their halters and
jump i'll their eagerness to get to their
places. The moment the foreman re-
leases them by touching an electric but
ton they spring forward and duck their
heads under the collars suspended with
the rest Of the harness from the cell
ing and ready to be fastened about their
necks.
Sometimes the foreman snaps the col
lar beforehand to test the intelligence of
the horses. Then 10 and Charley poke
their heads through the closed collars
and struggle until they get their heads
through them. At an actual alarm of
fire the horses will start on the instant,
and they vie with the fremen in their
eagerness to get to the fire.
AN IMPORTANT ANIMAL
1t is plain that the horse plays Just as
necessary a part in the autonomy of the
fire department as a human member.
The more intelligent the horse is the
quicker the engine or truck which he is
helping to haul will be at the scene of a
fire. Horses that enter into the spirit of
thewor as heartily as the firemen are al
most invaluable, for every moment saved
frequently counts for much in saving
life and property 1t follows that the
training Of the horses which are added
every year to the department is as i'm
portant as the training Of the firemen,
who must learn to handle the hose, az
and scaling ladder with expertness. AL
though that branch of the service is
heard Of seldom by the general public,
Chief Bonner gives it the strictest atten-
tion, and the recruits in horsehesh have
to go through an ordeal just as severe as
that which their human allies must IN
dergo.
The training stables in West Ninety
ninth street are in quiet neighborhood
and the new building is used also as the
departments horse hospital Foreman
Joseph Shea, who is also Dr. Shea, has
charge of the stables He was GRO.
uated as veterinary surgeon and has
been connected with the department for
eleven years. His position is one Of the
most important in the department. Ee
looks after all the sick. horses in the
engine houses, and is kept busy at the
hospital with the horses laid up there
He buys the green horses for the depart
ment, accepting them only after they
have shown their ability to do the work
required
The commissioners allow 500 for the
purchase Of each horse, and DR.. Shea
makes his selection from the biz lunches
Of western horses IN the Bulls Head
market. He always selects horse Of
good size. generally blocky, with plenty
Of muscle The horse that has speed and
strength i'll good proportion is the horse
that DR.. Shea is looking for constantly.
TRAINING NEW HORSES.
There are 500 horses in active service
IN the department, and about fifty re-
cruits have to be added each year. They
usually go up to the Nincty-ninth street
stable on trial. half a dozen at time,
and Dr. Shea has a month in which to
accept or reject any one or all Of the lot.
In that time he can tell whether the
horse is likely to be Of any value.
AS soon as the green horses arrive
they are housed comfortably in the third
story of the stable. Three roomy box
BULLS are lHcTc, tOO, ttIlil tt1S1I uOOlS HILL
cate hard usage. "Some of those green
horses one of the stablemen said,
"don't seem to know anything else but
how to kick, and they do that with
vengeance" All of the new recruits do
not take kindly to their new quarters
. and still less to the training. In the
ground story the green horse gets his
first lesson. He is usually four or five
years old and barely broken to harness.
A part of the story is partitioned off for
a tender or hose cart. The customary
big fire gong is on the wall, and all OF
the alarms from Morrisania to the
Battery are sounded. In stalls beside
the tenders the raw recruits are broken
I ia, two at a. time. At first they must
become accustomed to the sound of the
! big gong. Most horses are SO confused
By the changing that they are absolutely
! frtractable for awhile. Some never get