The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-28
GUY THE DARLING
WICHITA'S HOOK AND LADDER
TRUCK RIDICULED.

Museum and Show 1t to the Children
Insulting Welcome is Given to the Noble
Apparatus by an Editor-Details of the
Roast.
The sad. sad truth is that the sweet
little hook and ladder truck, which
Wichita sent Saltwater, and parted
with in fearful sorrow, has been ridi-
culed. Worse even than that. It has
been guyed.
The Saltwater people met the noble
truck. hung with fond recollections and
nice little black buckets. with sneers.
One man climbed all over it and then
| sought out the mayor Of the town and
wanted TO know where he intended to
hold the steam. He said he didn't see
| any boiler a all.
AS matter of fact he didn't. There
is no boiler TO ii. 1t is an effective hook
and ladder truck and would enable a
baby to crawl all over the buildings
IN saltwater II they were piled on top
Of one another.
However, it did not satisfy the peo-
! pie Of Saltwater. 1t arrived there last
! Thursday and was welcomed by a
| great concourse. AS it trundled into
town deep sub-bass groan spread
! through the multitude and if the noble
| old truck had had life it would have
| turned around and ran all the way
| back to Wichita by itself in disgust.
! People made all kinds of sighting
remarks about it. 1t is proposed that
museum be built to keep it in, so it
may be shown TO the children and they
may understand how fire was fought
| thirty years ago.
Probably the worst thrust was the
| welcome, insidious and underhanded,
given it by the editor of the leading
paper there-the Saltwater Gazetts.
He said:
To-day our citizens are called upon
to rejoice and be glad. From the WIN
dows Of business houses can be seen
bunting and banners and ere the day
closes sweet strains of music will fill
the air and reverberate from wall to
wall. The small boy will be Joined by
the larger in his attempt to arouse the
sleeping gods by the use Of firecrackers
and torpedoes during the day and rock
cts and roman candles during the
night. The true and honest farmer
Will wash and scour his tanned and
sweaty brow and perhaps change his
socks, and bring his family to town in
the farm wagon, where he will meet
his neighbor and they will swap stor-
les and tell of the immense fields OF
corn they have raised this year, and
rejoice in anticipation of herds of fat
cattle and droves of fat hogs. All this
rejoicing indicates prosperity. and pros
perity means advancement. This day
VIII be remembered by our advance
ment and ambitious citizens with pride
because saltwater today receives from
Wichita In exchange for money one of
the very first and dearest apparatuses
that she or any city Of Kansas ever
knew. We have had high apprecia-
ton Of Wichita, because we feel that
her Eagle" has ever been a friend to
Oklahoma. We are at a loss some
what to understand why Wichita
would sell a hook and ladder or fire
engine or any appliance of any descrip-
ton used to extinguish fire after hav-
Ing used II since 1873. We are told that
a procession of the oldest and first set
tiers of Wichita, headed by a brass
band accompanied this apparatus to
the depot and that an extra police |
force was necessary to guard the |
streets of that city. Those old gray
haired pioneers were SO much attach |
ed to a friend of their boyhood days |
that a hook, bucket or even a nail or !
anything that could be taken was Gag
erly sought as q treasure or relic, in |
remembrance Of day gone by. Now
that Wichita has our money in return
we have her friendship, kind remem-
berances and object Of her first love,
and who can compare or dare estimate
a modern fire extinguisher with all the
Improvements and appliances used in
connection with this grand old relic OF
the eighteenth century? II must be re-
membered that the Populist party be-
Eeve in new opinions, new party, new
ways and all things being made new.
provided the Populist party makes
them, and a representative of our town
Of the Pop persuasion purchased these
recollections, rememberances and
paint, and now asks himself. what
use have we for this relic?" II is pre-
sumed a museum will be established in
saltwater In which 1t will be given a
stall and proper attention and care.
We are safe from raging fires and no
doubt the leading fire insurance COM
Danies doing business in Saltwater at
present will lower the rates now charg-
I'd providing the question OF where is
your water" is not raised: but then
We are able to meet that perplexing
question by pointing TO the % cent soda
fountain purchased by the McGraw
administration. But Saltwater is rap
dlS growing in wealth and knowledge |
md each year some new and modern
is added TO her wealth
md numerous institutions. Her ad-
-ancing and energetic citizens may
make an effort TO procure something
lew on or about the ii rst OF May 1896.
It which time we will be pleased 10
end our effort and support in procur-
ng the same.
Hoping all present and especially
hose from the country may enjoy the
occasion. and in days 10 come remem-
'er with fond recollections the first
look and ladder outfit that our beauti-
III city could boast Of was the same
ne that gladdened the hearts Of the
ioneers Of Wichita in long long years
one by. while the
Band played Annie Rooney"
ON SUNDAY INFERIETY.