The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-29

bags, made of Ravens duck or other
cloth equally wide and good, consisting
OF not less than three yards each. with
proper strings" These bags were to
be marked with "the initials Of the
owners Christian name and his sur.
name at length" Upon an alarm Of
tire sounded from a watch tower every
member Of the company was to repair
forthwith with his bags, and hat on,
to the house or store most in danger
and endeavor to the utmost in his power
20 save the effects therein by carefully
conveying them to some convenient and
proper place, to prevent embeZzlement
OF same" These members of the Heart
and Hand company were distinguished
among other fremen by their badge.
which made them the aristocracy, so
teer hremen. Each member of the
Heart and Hand had the right TO use
its distinctive badge: "a round hat
with black brim and white crown.
with capital Roman letter II with
heart in the middle" Thus embel-
hshed and crnanented any one of the
40 members Of the Heart and Hand
obtained free entrance to and egress
from a fire.
One of the rules of the Heart and
Hand company provided that "every
member shall keep his bags, hat. and
one copy of the rules and orders in some
convenient part of his house, to be east
~ come at IN case of fire" It might
be inferred from this rule that members
OF the Heart and Hand company took
with them. On signal Of alarm, copies
OF the rules and orders to guide them
In their task Of sewing property from
embezz]ement But such was not the
case, for these rules and orders, though
uniformly kept with the hat and bag
of each member, were to be left in time
of danger in the house. It was made
the duty Of the president of the COM
pany to appoint at intervals of three
months two members to inspect the
hats and bags Of the members, and
particularly TO see that leach MEM
Der had his fire bags, hat and rules and
orders in proper order and suitabls
place" II he didn't fine of two shil-
1ings was imposed, and This fine had
to be paid on demand 70 the secretary.
Any member of the Heart and Haad
company who failed to discharge this
recuniary obligation on demand in
CURED smother fine of not less than one
nor more than eight shilliBgs.
At the end of each year, at the December
meeting, all unappropriated fines were
applied to such purposes as a majority
of the company may judge proper"
One such purpose uniformly Judged
proper was a ball or reception at
which there was dancing participated
IN by the female relatives and friends
of the fire fighters and property pro
sectors Of the Heart and Hsnd company.
On these festive occasions, in the month
Of January usually, each member OF
tie Heart and Hand company wore his
black-brimmed and white-crowned hat
with the capital Fl. upon it and with
q heart in the middle" but he left his
bags along with the rules and orders
at home, and it is recorded in some Of
the quaint chronicles OF the time that
some members of ths Heart and Hand
took longer time TO get home
after these festal celebrations Of jan
nary than they did to reach a fire in
which property belonging to burghers
was in peril. The Heart and Hand as
served IN its time, it is prob
hble. very useful purpose. for in those
Gays an alarm of fire brought to the
pot a number Of piokpeckets, rowdies
and marauders who utilized the excite
merit to steal whatever was portable
and Of value. There were no fire lines
in those days and no cordons of police
men, and the volunteer fremen were
TOO busy with the flames to look after
lhe pickpockets and robbers.-N. Y. |
Sun.