The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-13
WHY THE SYSTEM Is PERFECT
Something About Wichita's Fire Depar
ment Not Generally known.

ment Not Generally known.
There are very few people in Wichita
who really know anything about the
most excellent fire department we have,
or the means used to keep up the high
standard for which il is so justlycele-
brated. The people know that We have
most excellent department, that IN
case of fire the response is quick and
the work effective To do this and to
keep up the standard, drill for both
horses and men is a regular thing.
At No. / house on an evening at
O'Clock you may see the horses put
through their practice. The gong
strikes and the two big gray horses
which draw the hose wagon plunge
from their stalls TO their places under
the swinging harness; click, and the
harness falls and they are hitched.
You may watch ever so closely and IT
is done so quickly that it is impossible
TO see just how il is done
It is a we'll known fact that horses
will learn the cavalry bugle calls be-
fore man. Take two raw recruits
horse and man-and the horse learns
his part of the work first What is
true of the cavalry horse is also true of
the fire department horse, and it is alb
Solutely true that those horses at No.
! hose house can tell the time of day.
II you don't believe this go I'D there
some evening a few minutes before
o'clock and watch the horses. AS the
hour approaches they grow impatient,
stamping the floor and pulling on their
haiters. AS the men move about taking
their places the horses grow fairly wild,
and when the gong strikes and the
halter pins slip they come plunging
a. - L.
distended and the muscles of their legs
twitching.
1t is very exciting. but not so much so
as their regular exercise on the streets.
An Eagle reporter was invited to share
in this few mornings since, and If he
ever gets forgiveness for it and his &C
cident and life insurance policies are
not cancelled, he Will certainly never do
1t again. In response to the invita-
ton OF the fire boys the Eagle man re-
paired to hose house No. 1 at the un7lal-
lowed hour of half past four a. m. Ev-
erything was quiet along the street
and about the house, but the big black
dog who resides at the house, and who
was sitting in solitary state In front,
gave tongue asthe reporter approached
One of the boys put his head out of the
upper window and requested the black
dog to be quiet, and not waken the
neighborhood. The dog compiled with
the request and the fireman came down
to keep the reporter company.
keeping an eye on the large clock
the Eagle man watched the minute
hand crawl slowly around, and as IL
reached the stroke of five the fireman |
arose from the chair in which he had
been seated, pleasantly chatting, and |
over TO the desk pushed an cleo |
trio button.
Something Immediately, or rather
happened all at once. The
horses came tearing from their stalls;
from above down the steel rods, came
the men. Click, and the harness were
nltched and everyone in his place ex-
;ept the newspaper man, who had bare
~ time to jump on the rear platform of
the hose wagon, and then, oh, my.
Talk about a bicycle ride before
breakfast. A ride on the hose wa
gon at o'clock in the morning, espe-
clany when it is drawn by those big
gray horses, is the most exhiiirating
thing in the world. 1t is absolutely In
-oxlcating TO go tearing up Market
street for nearly a mile soothed and ex-
,ited by the alterations of the rythmic
melody OF beating hoofs and changing
songs. If you don't believe it Just try