Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-01-04
IN A FIRE ENGINE HOUSE.
INGENIOUS DEVICES WHICH SAVE
TIME WHEN FLAMES THREATEN,
Only Few Seconds Needed After
the Alarm is SOunded-Knowing
Horses-The Firemen's Quarters.


the Alarm is SOunded-Knowine
Horses-The Firemen's Quarters.
n VISIT to an engine house il
\ full of interest to every oh.
~ server, and his interest
swells to enthusiasm as he seei
on every side the appliances which en-
able the firemen to respond instantly
to an alarm and begin at once their
beneticent labors. Attention is first
attracted to the harness suspended
from the ceiling and hanging just over
where the horses are hitched on each
side of the tongue or pole of the en-
gine and hose carriage. This harness
is light and simple, yet very strong
and supplied with every means for
Immediately fastening it upon the
horses. The collar is not put on the
animals neck by series of tugs and
twists, but, hinged at the tor, it
fastens at the throat with q strong
spring catch, just as the bracelets,
which were SO extensively worn by the
ladies few years ago, were clasped
around the wrist.
The bride IS always worn, and, ex-
cept when feeding, the bit is kept
constantly in the animals mouth the
traces are never unlocked from the
whifiletrees, and there are no breechen
straps to be fastened; consequently,
the process of Harvesting is an ex-
tremely simple one 1t is only neces-
sary to let the harness fall upon the
horses backs, snap the collar together,
clasp the lines to the bride and hook
the belly strap. Whenever two parts
of harness have to be fastened to-
gether the use of the time-delaying
buckle is carefully avoided, snap
hooks and spring clasps being substi-
t. ted to effect the saving of even few
,onds. The harness is suspended
pm the ceiling by ropes . I'D weights,
! uch the same as windt are hung
in houses. When the rises are in
position beside the pole is arranged
by clever device that when the driver
on his seat lifts the reins, which lie
loosely on the dashboard, the weights
are released end the harness falls di-
rectly on the horses backs.
In the rear of the apparatus are the
stalls, the front end of which is hung
ON hinges and fastened to powerful
spring SO that when the pin in the
hasp is released this door is immedi-
ately thrown open and tie sagacious
animal OF his own accord runs at
once to his place in front of the en-
gine.
The striking OF tie large brass gong,
whice is prominent feature in every
engine house, accomplishes much
more than merely calling the men and
hol ses to their stations The electric
current in its circuit to the gong
passes through a magnet which is fas-
tened high up on the wall back of the
stalls, and thereby releases a weight
to which wires are attached leading to
the halter ropes, and to the brass
pins, which fasten the stall doors AS
soon as this weight drops, the pin is
jerked out of the hasp on the door,
which is Immediately thrown open by
the pin before described; at the same
instant, the halter rope is unclesped
and the animal has no difficulty in
making his way out of his stall.
Then ensues the process of hitohing
up, after which the men take their
positions on the engine and reel. But
suppose the four large doors to the
house are closed; they must be un-
locked and opened. Not, however, by
the slow process Of unbolting each
door and swinging it wide separately.
A more instantaneous method is
adopted. AS the driver on his box
let's the harness fall upon the horses
by the simple act of lifting the reins,
30 also he has at hand easy means for
throwing open the heavy entrance
doors. Just beside lis seat, to the
right, depending from the ceiling, is
rope, one pull of which unbolts the
doors and releases the heavy weights
hung in the wall, which are attached
to them, SO that the doors swing apart
as if of their own volition.
The second floor is the home of the
men. The front room is the sleeping
apartment, where single iron bed
steads are placed in rows alonside of
the side walls, leaving a wide aisle in
the centre. Near the front and rear
of this room two brass poles project
from the engine room below, and q
mole is cut in the floor of sufficient
size to allow plenty OF room for man
to slide down one of them to the first
floor, for if any of the men are in the
upper room they cannot spare time to
run down by the stairs at the sounding
of the alarm, but adopt the seconds
saving method of vertical descent.
Ordinarily the opening through the
floor around each of the poles is
closed by two semi i-circular doors
bolted to the ceiling OF the apparatus
room, but the same device which
loosens the halter ropes and pulls the
pins out of the hasps os the stall doors
also releases the fastenings of these
coverings and they fall open of their
own weight. Many of the engine
houses are fitted up with gymna-
sium, library and reading rooms, the
furnishings of which are presented by
appreciative citizens as testimonials
of their interest in the welfare of the
brave men who are ever ready to
face danger and even risk their lives
to protect persons and property in
peril. The rooms as well as everything
else around are models of nsatness---
good order must and does prevail in
an engine house. There is place for
everything, and everything can always
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