Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-12-20

time he stood Oh II burning roof in weather
SO cold that the spray froze upon him till
he was cased in ice, and during the floods
OF 1888 he was repeatedly submerged in the
river while closing a gas main. The fire
men think he bears a charmed life. He is
but forty-four and as active rs ever
Pittsblrg also boosted the famous dog
Jack who won such fame some thirty years
ago. The boys of Niagara company stole
him from farm wagon because he was
such clumsy and pathetically homely
mixture of bull and hound that they
thought him good material for fun and
practical jokes. The dog seemed to realize
that he had found his right place at last,
and by II single act he made himself be-
loved hero. While all the lremen were
out, an excited citizen came rushing into
the engine house yelling ''Fire." Nobody
was present but dog Jack. But he knew
what was wanted. 1t did not take him
two seconds to rush into the cupola. seize
the bell rope iii his teeth and pull When
the firemen dashed curiously in Il few mo-
ments later they beheld man rushing
frantically about the room while dog Jack
tugged away at the bell rope.
Too much could not be done for dor
Jack after that He was fed on the choicest
foods, and handsome silver collar worth
fifty dollars was bought for him. In but
single day dog Jack had arisen from a de-
spised, lazy eur to the most important
member of the company
The dog is conceded to be the most in
telilSent OF all domestic animals, but the
horse is IL good second, and ii is remark
able how rapidly the horses learn the ways
OF fire company. If they are not as
anxious to do well as the men, they GER
tainly make IL good pretense of it. The
iire bell is to them like the trumpet to an
old warhorse--they smell the battle afar
OIL. Every city has its favorite stories of
famous fire horses.
Among the noted volunteer firemen of
recent times may be counted King Hum
bert OF Italy and Richard Croker, boss of
Tammany, but the old system has passed
away and u description of it would fill ten
columns like this, not to mention the fights
between rival companies. In the New
York OF $4,000 row Was of more interest
to some companies than fire, and while
lt was point of honor to avoid an en-
counter in going to fire or fighting il
they quite made it up in returning. Now.
adays the fremen, especially in smallar
cities and large towns are the gentlemen
OF the place, and in the new west one has
To travel long ways to find Il city. LARGE
or small that is not proud of its fire de
partment.
In conclusion few dry statistics NAV
serve as dessert. The buildings DESTROYED
in Chicago in 1871 were Il, $50. and in Lon
don, in 1868, l34o0, The great fire OF Boston
1872, destroyed s10G00,000 burned over
sixty-tiye acres and consumed or ruined ia
buildings. In 1870 Constantinople had a
eonfiagration of 81, 0oo, 600 and 500 build
ings. In 1851 San Francisco lost $500
buildings, valued at $1,000, 600. In 1852
Hamburg had II fire which consumed 747
OF the finest buildings in the city. In Mos
COW 9o 500 buildings We're destroyed, valued
at sloo, OoO,oo and in Rome (64 A. D) ten
OF the fourteen city districts were DESTROYED
'aa ut least 100000 people made homeless;
j. II. BEApLE.