Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-10
MADE 6RfTONS GASP.
Chief Hale OF kAnssAs Cisy's ksre Dep~rs-
uaeMs Abroad

Cnfes Hale OF kAnsas Cisy's ksre Depart
naens .Asr0Aa
Rarely does IN American get q
chance 10 shock staid old Lordon.
But there was one man ia chicago
the other day who lately gave the
town authorities and dixaitaries
spasm OF astonishment that they will
not >ooa forget.
sprinkle OF gray in his inky hair. He
has deeply sparkling eve that never
olinSS and is as quick aud alert as
the tight snuxly kuit and wlry
musci 5 on his iron legs aud arms
His mouth is that of q diseiplinacian.
ard yet is capable OF the warmes.
possible smile. He is Chief Georye
&. Hale of the Kansas City Ore de-
partment. He mas out recently re-
turned from the International Fire
Congress at London. where be and
his niue agile men with their trained
IRE horses water tower, swinging
harnesses and As core OF other odd
devices were not only :nade the lionS
OF the hour but also awarded a baud
some gold medal each Us the bes. Dire
lighters On earth.
Chief Hale briefly rela,cd TO re-
porter for The Inter ocean his ex-
perience i'll the tight little i>laad
'Ou June IL. he said. the contest
came or There was only one com-
lany entered against us-one of the
metropolitan tire brigades of London.
They went first. l watched them
jump out of their hunkS button up
their coats, and buckle on their great
belts. l had brass poles provided for
my men to slide down on. The f.u-
gllsh firemen looked at these sus-
piciouSfy ana then scrambled down
the less dangerous stairway.
They went into the next build
ing for the horses aS the SAM airy
laws of Dondon do not permit horses
to be stabbed in buildings containing
sleeping apartments. They had TO
put on the harness ana slip the
tongue OF the engine IN place. Finally
when they came out the great crowd
went mad with enthusiasm.
when the Judge announced the
time, one minute and seventeen Sec
ondS crowd gathered about and be-
gan to banter me. Eli. America.
what do YOU think OF that one old
man cried clapping mc soundly on
the shoulder Itold him it was good
work. knew We copld get out i'll
less than minute. but wanted to
increase the English agony as much
As possible. We got all ready At
the clang OF the bell we tumbled out
OF bed. down the poles We ripped
Clank went the harness on the horses.
and thew rushed to their places ui,-
aided. There was 4 rumble and we
were out. Spick and span Every body
looked at their watches, aud when
the Judge announced eight aud occ-
half seconds the people fairly gasped.
Then they broke loose in Il regu-
lar hurricane. \ half dozen grabbed
NE aud pulled me along. What's
the natter yelled. apprehensive OF
violence. They didn't answer
was pulled and hauled up into the
royal box aud introduced TO Sir Some
body and Lady So aud so, the lord
mayors3of London. Dublin. York, and
score of provincial mayors in gold
cord and powdered wigs We were
dined later by the Lord Mayor OF
London
The London fre brigade did not
show up again. We were invited to
give daily exhibitions We did. You
should have seen those English
crowds. They were thunderStruck
with our exhibition of climbing with
pompierS. They said we were better
than a circus. Two OF my meu--
john Egner and Herman Greggs-
used TO be circus tumhlerS. You can
imagine the ordinations OF the
Britons when one of them would rush
up ladder twenty feet, throw HIM
self into midair, turn Il couple Of
>oinerSaultS, aud light on his feet
grab Il nozzle and turn a handspring
and then tear up the ladder again "
hiet Hale and his men were the
only Americans present at the com-
petition Representatives from Rus,
STA, Portugal, France, Germany, and
Belgium were also in attendance Mr..
Hale further gave exhibitions IN the
Royal Agricultural hall at l>linglon
and Victoria Park. London. and in
Glasgow. He says that while the
foreign IRE departments are crude.
buildings are constructed with more
care and with view to greater pro-
lection from fire in Europe than in
this country.
When first arrived in Loudou, -
Chief Hale said. Il poticed large
number of what looked like sandwich
ears around through the city at night.
Later l discovered that they were
portable lire stations They are
pushed around to certain place al
sunset, and remain there all night in
charge of three men with por.ab
extiuguishers and fire escapes. Al
midnight you will see two OF the men
suoozing inside and another ON the
outside smoking a pipe. with his eye
peeled for fire."
George c. Hale is among the fore,
most tire chiefs of America, partly on
account Of his bravery and partly on
account OF his valuable inventions.