The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-22
HIS HONOR MADE A MISTAKE.
He Found That Old Hose and a New En-
CINE Would Not Work Together.

He Found That Old Hose and a New En-
CINE Would Not Work Together.
'"There is one town out west" said a
general agent for fire apparatus to a
Sun reporter. that the mayor owns.
There's no advertising for bids in that
municipality. If the town needs any
thing the mayor just gets it, and you
bet your life the council approves the
deal. His honor is honest and econom-
ical and the taxpayers don't lose any,
thing by him He came into my office
the other day, got some apparatus, and
when the question was raised as to how
the contract was to be made out the
answer came quick and decisive that it
should be made out to the mayor per-
sonally, and it was so done Being re-
lieved of the necessity of advertising he
saved about ten per cent on the deal
But his absolute power came near losing
him his popularity once.
They had been struggling along
with an old hand fire engine, and his
honor got tired of turning out at every
fire and pressing men into service to
work the engine. He went up to Chi
'cago and bought a steam fire engine.
lit was surprise to the council but, of
course, they approved the purchase. 1t
was a great day for the town when the
engine arrived and was hauled through
the streets. The old hand engine was
sold to neighboring village and then
the fire company of the mayors town
laid awake nights, secretely hoping
b,4 Ia l.
the purchase the biggest dry goods en-
porium in the town caught fire
"A span of horses from a neighborinc
livery stable were hurriedly harnessed
TO the machine, and by the time il
reached the fire steam was up. The
owner of the store came out and begged
the mayor not to deluge the store any
more than was necessary in putting
out the flames. There was a great deal
of trouble in getting the hose attached,
for it was the feeble stuff that had been
used on the old hand engine for years.
The mayor had forgotten all about
hose when he bought the fire engine.
At last the connection was made. and
the mayor himself started the engine
1t was proud moment for him. and he
pulled her wide open. If that hose
burst IN one place il did in fifty
Not enough water came out OF the
nozzle to drown a canary bird. and the
crestfallen mayor had to stand feebly
by and see the dry goods emporium
burn to the ground and witness a bucket
brigade saving adjoining buildings,
while the glistening fire engine blew
OF steam and Quoted down 10 innocu-
Gus desuetude. II took long time for
his honor to regain his lost prestire-a
less powerful man would have gone To
the wall-but he rushed to Chicago and
said to me: 1 want five hundred feet
of the biggest toughest and most ex-
pensive hose you've got. Make the bill
out to me snd receipt il. I'm going to
pay for it ont OF my own pocket He
did so, and the act of generosity put
him back once more on the throne of
popularity. indianapolis sun.
The commissioners of the District
of Columbia recently gave notice that
all the thesters of Washington must be
fitted throughout with electric lights.
White Haven. Pa. has muuicipsl
lighting plant and claims TO light lis
streets at less expense than any town
Gin the state. Italso furnishes lV-caudle-
power lights TO citizens at 20 cents per
lmouth-