The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-10
CANNOT BE ALARMED.
School Children Always Ready
for 3 Fire.
MARcH OUT IN GOOD ORDER
Chiss nuas Tests sAs sysssn- Damage
By the xsrshsr. assel BIsss--A
Rsssaenes Burned.

sTt Is surprising" said Chief Hunt. or
the FIRE department. last evening 10 a
Post-Intelligereer reporter. what has
been accomplished with the fire drfll IN
the Seattle public schools Il Is worth
any ones time 10 see the children come
out OF the buildings after an alarm has
been turned In First the fire brigade
rushes down. grabs the hose and gets
ready for actien. Then to the sound OF
music the pupils march from their rooms
and o1t OF the building. Just think OF
Il, only two INMATES, and In some cases
less time. Is required TO accomplish this.
II started cut today to inspect the pub
lie schools and went first to the Mercer.
Teachers and pupils were unaware OF
,whaa was coming when the principal rang
the big Ere bell. All heard was slight
confusion. then one boy came down the
stairs as II he Was shot out OF q cannon.
A second later others came behind him.
ard before I fairly realized what was
going on the firemen were ready for
work and the doors were fastened open.
Now / heard music and the tramp.
tramp that told me that he children were
marching. There was not the slightest
disorder IN the line OF march. Out they
came. hats and cIoaks and lunch baskets
on their arms. When the building was
empty found that only two minutes had
elapsed from the tapping OF the BELL.
This wonderful display caused me to
take more extended notes when reached
the Pacific school Just seven seconds
after the signal the first boy was down
stairs and had the doors opened. In one
minute and thirty seconds every child
was out Of the building. Here. however,
they did not stop TO put on their hats.
etc.. and take their lunch baskets
AT the Minor school l caught the
teachers and pupils at a great disad-
vantage. Prof. Babcock was changing
teachers and pupils from one room to
another. and had not had time to give
out the route 70 be followed in case Of
fire. He desired to warn the teachers of
what was coming bur as wanted to see
what could be done under the most try
Ing circumstances. prevailed upon him
to ring In the alarm. There are 47o pu-
pills there. and in just two minutes and
twenty-five seconds the building was
empty.
In that school the boys accomplished
the prettiest piece of work saw during
the day. for just forty seconds from the
tiHse OF the alarm the firemen went up
three LADDERS. a distance of forty feet.
and had their hose ON the roof. At the
Rainier school the first boy had hold OF
the hose In six seconds. and the COM
pany was ready for work In eighteen
Only one minute and forty-five seconds
were required to empty the building OF
$50 pupils. with hats. etc. / found In
this school, as we'll as at the Mercer. that
100 feet OF the hose was unfit for tse.
AT the South school the teachers were
warned of what was coming. 1t took
one minute and fifty-five seconds for SIS
pupils TO get out OF the building, and
eighteen seconds for the IRE company to
get all ready for action"
Tho remainder OF the schools will be
inspected in the near future.