The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-17
THEIR SLEEP WAS broken
The Riot Call Causes the Members Of
the Police Force to Hustle.
MAYOR POTTER ORDERS CALL.
Ele ven strokes On tho Fire Bell Sounded
twice In Succession startle tho Night
Policemen Morning-How They
Answered the Unexpected summons.

the Unexpected
The night policeman. tired with his
long aud lonely tramp over his beat had
just dropped Into bed. HIS muscles re-
Taxed and in a moment he was wrapped
in the arms Il Morpheus. No opiates
were necessary to induce sleep In his
case, and as he siumbered peasant
dreams were manifested by the fieeting
smiles that suffused his countenance.
All ut once the deep boom OF an ad-
jacent fire bell broke in upo his dreams
driving away the pleasant p~hantasies OF
his brain and bringing him out OF his
rance with a start. Carefully he counted
the strokes of the bell which rang out
slowly and solemnly until eleven strokes
had been coun ed. With a gasp Of dis
may the anxious policeman waited an
instant and then came the ominous
notes OF the big bell again.
Eleven twicel" he exclaimed In aston
isment. why, that's the police call?'
ana without Ri instant's loss OF tim e out
lie bounded onto the floor and was
dressed in an incredibly short time.
or For the Station.
Then he started for the station, run
ming at the top Of his speed. As
he tore down the street thoughts
of a mob In maddened riot passed
through his mind, ard already he
could see in his minds eye human
forms beaten aud battered out Of all
semblancs to humanity lying stark
and stiff In the street. AS he nearet the
station his speed less r somewhat and
he bebeld his comrades who. awakened
by the alarm, had hurriedly deserted
beds and work to respond.
n - $500
Rroal of despair burst from his lips, for
there, seate about the guard" room,
were the other officers who hai preceded
him, broad grins on every face n sar-
castle utterances from every throat at
his delay.
Then he realizet that the whole affair
was a "bluff," and dec down in his heart
mot audibly, OF cou Sc. but under mis-
br eath-he anathemat! Fed the originators
OF tn. aft ,ir.
He had companions. however. In the
same "box" VITA himself and soon was AS
sharp In sarcasm and "a ia laughter
as his brother officers when his more
dilitatory comrades entered.
How It Happened.
This is what happened this mornin &
and throughout the city there could be
seen the hurrying Of officers as they
frantically tore Iowa the streets towards
their respective stations.
Acting under instructions from Mayor
Potter, Chief S,eere of the fire depart
ment mounted "A chair in his Office at ex-
actly 9:49 o'clock this morning. aud with
his usual calm and placid exterior
pulled the police coll from the large
gong In the Office. Immediately there
was a scurrying of firemen throughout
the city, and hoses were hitched in a
twiukling, while callmen dropped their
- .,I ava.I r. NhA HEA A q N nHa A.
the conclusion Of the eleventh blow the
firemen realized the matter was,
aud smiled To themselves as officer after
officer passed by the stations completing
their toilets as they ran.
At the Central station the alarm took
everybody by surprise. Officer Beard
was right on hand. he having been used
to sudden calls Tor several months past.
Reused From n Reverie.
Officer Huntley, who was doing ''sta-
ton" duty. was reused from a deep
reverie by the jangling of the bell, and
hurriedly knocked the ashes out of his
''briar wood" getting himsel: in readi-
ness for a response should the suspected
fire prove to be in his district.
Then there was a blank of three. quar-
tiers OF n minute, when u quartet of re-
porters burst into the st ton and anx-
ious V inquired where the racket" was.
At just five n one-hnlf minutes after
the ringing in OF tue alarm Officer Nick
erson passed di2niledly into the station
and was followed by Officer "Cbarlie"
going fishing, mot for kittens"
he said. but for tautog. He left his bait
and answered the call, not without some
sorrowful thoughts, however, of his lost
pleasure. Then came a file Of officers.
some with the perspiration standing out
- III. .---.-r
response, and others cool and calm, show
ing that with them the motto, 1.-The
more haste the less speed" held good.
Torn from Domestic Duties.
Sergeant Smith was among the first.
He had been taking up q carpet when
sun by the alarm and in his
pocket he carried tacks and other para
phernalia of the house cleaning season.
Officer Pioneer was hailed with hur-
rahs as he meaDdered into the station
and when he informed the assembled
officers that he had been called away
from the making of a chowder, the ex-
element reached it's greatest extent.
Dfgnifed Officer Frank Martin strolled
into the station his face wreathed in
smiles as he realized the joke, and his six
feet and more OF flesh shook as he oh
served his fellow officers wiping their
reeking brows
The Policemen Were Prompt.
As q whole the sounding of the alarm
proved very successful. At each of the
stations the responses were prompt and
quick aud each man was soon ut his post.
The call has been rung I'm but once be-
fore aud that was during the admins.
tration of Mayor Smith. That call
proved n failure as there was n mistake
in the number of rounds. The call at
that time was eleven strokes sounded
three times in Z ccession but by some
mistake only two rounds were pulled in.
rhen the call was changed To two sue
,essiye rounds sucn AS WAS ranx i'm this