Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-07-03
JAPAN,s FIRE eRicArs
The FIrcmen of the MfIxado's ItcAim Go
Through Queer Exercises.

Through Queer Exercises.
No country is SO much exposed to
fires as Japan. In one week 5000
houses were burned down in Toxic
alone. and in the next week $4,000
houses were destroyed in that city,
while Sir Rutherford Alcock states
that Toxic loses as many houses as
constitute the entire city every ten
years. The houses, with the excep- ,
ton of the tiles ON the roof, are con
structed entirely of wood. and the
windows are formed of fine and
often beautiful lace work. covered
with paper.
Some buildings in Japan are
matched, while the roofs of others
ARE formed of little slatelike flakes Of
wood; but these SO readily take fire
If sparks fall upon them that the
Japanese prefer taking the risk Of
injury from falling tiles during the /
earthquake to being in even greater
danger from fires than they necessa-
rily must even now be. 1t Is strange
that in these days when so many
young natives have come 10 Europe
TO study the sciences, that their ac-
duired knowledge OF chemistry has
not caused them to adopt some means
/ of rendering the wood of which their
/ houses are constructed, and even the
paper of the windows, incombustible
They have, however. in the large
towns most efficient fire brigades, and
have even the newest and best fire
engines of European or Am i1can
make. but these are of much ! ~ use
than might he imagined, for the sup.
ply of water is limited, and the en-
CINE without water is mere mock
cry. Over every house door is placed
sign indicating that there is one
well on the premises, or sometimes
we see two or more signs, indicating
that two or more wells will be found
IN that building, and thus the firemer
: know the sources of their water sup
1 ply, and from these wells alone cal
water be had.
The scarcity of water renders /
Q necessary that all buildings surround
1 ing any that may have taken fire b.
4 pulled down, so that the burnin!
4 mass be isolated, for there il no hop
Q of preventing the spreading of tn
z conflagration by the water from tn
. engines, and it is this necessity whicl
= causes the fireman's drill in Japan I
= appear SO strange and grotesque I
!, the European. Each fireman is flu
~ nished with sort Of hook, intende
"A for use in pulling down the houses
but the question arises as to whel
al the man is to stand while engaged
n his work of destruction. A ladder
by held upright by a number Of me-
ar who hold it firmly by these hook
ne and it is up ladder thus held TN
m the fremen 60 to pull down Il
IRE houses which are TO be destroyed
Oh case of fire.
The chief exercises of the men co
.'n sist in ascending the ladder m
Is leaning out from it III n horizont
N manner, using the hook while hol
ing on by the feet, and in all sorts
10 acrobatic feats which seem calculate
,st to aid them in their work. Som
:. times q man asccnds the ladder N
he stands in an inverted position on Il
III top round. At other times he grass
we one side of the ladder with his han'
and throws his body out horizontal
lg. 30 that he may have free use Of h
ie, feet-and it must be remembered tn
the Japs can do much more Wi
their feet than we can with ours
~ but the chief exercise consists
"a holding by the feet and using Il
10 hook with the hands.
NO The firemen are arranged in corr
he each of which is headed 10y q
nd bearer of large lantern in the for
lit of some curious distinctive devic
from which cut papers, religio
emblem, depend, and we have se'
eat a corps slowly and solemnly marc
GUS ing to fire, headed with this
Al sigma, just az though il We're takil
'ns part in funeral procession, inste
-, Daa of hurrying as becomes those CO
% % cerned in subduing that fearful g
IN ment, fire. London Graphic.