The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-24
PROMPT RESPONSE
OF FIRE COMPANIES
Test Alarm Sent In by Mayor Bailey
and Chief Hickey.
CRYSTALS, THE FIRST ON THE SCENE
The Alarm Was Sounded from Box "a
at the City Hall Soon After .
O'cl0cI Last Night and Was Very
SntisiactOry..Six Companies Re.

That Scranton has an excellent fire
department was demonstrated last
night in the prompt and ready for
action style that the companies re-
sponded to the alarm sent in soon after
. o'clock from box u at the corner
of Washington avenue and Mulberry
street
There wasn't any fire. but the fire.
men did not know that until they an
rived on the scene. Chief Hickey and
Mayor Bailey conceived the plan of
sending in an alarm from the box at the
city hall to time the arrival nf the com
panies and observe in what shape they
came. For fear the scheme would
reach the ears of some of the fremcn
and give them an unfair advantage
over the Others fewer than a dozen
persons were taken into the confidence
of the mayor and chief, and these We're
ones who would not betray the secret
CRYSTALS WE'RE FIRST.
In exactly one minute and thirty sec
unds after the key was turned in tn"
box the Crystal hose carriage stopped
at the curb. and ten seconds later the
same company's engine arrived The
Chemical Engine came fifteen seconds
later. ana the Nav Augs closely fol-
lowed second alarm was sent in at
924 and the Ccntury's came In just
three minutes. The Reliefs, of Peters
burg. came in six minutes after tn"
truck came half minute after the
second alarm, hut was responding TO
the first alarm.
At S.5i Mayor Bailey was alone IN
his office reading an article captioned
"Tha Mayors Lambs in Harper's
Weekly, when II Tribune reporter
walked in. Chief Hickey was upstairs
listening to some common council eio-
uucnce. The mayor sent for him anu
he came down Immediately. Secretary
Reamish came in at o'clock rubbing
the sweat off his brow after leaving
word at the adjoining houses for the
people to keep cool and not get excited
Mrs. Bailey and Miss Grace Bailey.
the MAYORS wife and daughter and
Miss Youngs. of Syracuse. who is visit
ing them, Miss Pratt. Wallace huth.
Secretary Bcamish, COuncilmer Fred
Durr and Adam Schroeder. Philip W..
Roll. who clerk. in Mayor Bailey's
store, and Dr Sitterly We're the only
ones present when the box was opened.
Notice had been sent to the members
of common council but none of them
came down until after the gonss be-
gan To blow.
AGREED ON THE TIME.
NJ. J. O'Tooc. Of the Times: John
Power OCOnnor. of the Truth. and Il
Tribune reporter had watches set on the
same minute and second. They noted
the time the companies arrived and all
agreed almost to the second on the
time. TO the first alarm in the district
in which box "a is. the Crystals. Chemi-
Gals. Nay Augs and Hook and Ladder
companies are expected TO respond.
The Century's, of Pittston ave-
nue.. and the Reliefs, of Peters
burg. respond to the second
alarm. which is a repeating of the box.
and on the third alarm all the compa-
MES in the city turn out.
At nineteen minutes and thirty sec
onds after o'clock Mayor Bailey
sounded the alarm. From every direc-
ton boys. girls. men and women, on foot
and on bicycles came speeding. Hardly
had the bell on the court house tower
begun to toll than the hoofs of the
CRYSTALS team could be heard coming
up the asphalt on Linden street. Their
hose carriage arrived at 9.2l. The team
on the engine galloped along after and
stopped at the curb at 9.2l:lO.
The handsome black team of the
Clinical Engine in charge of Driver
Tom Campbell, with Engineer j. w.
George on behind. came under the wire
at 9.2l:25. The Nay Augs arrived at
g22:3O. and the Hook and Ladder team
came upon the spot from West Lacka-
wanna avenue at 9.24:30. This was
commented upon by everybody with
words of praise. considering the big
wagon that had to be hauled.
FAST RUN FROM SOUTH SIDE.
Expectation was at high pitch to
see how long II would require for the
Neetfooted team of blacks OF the Cen
tury company to arrive in response to
the second alarm. Chief Hickey sound
ed it at 9.24 and amid great cheering
the Century's arrived at 9.21. Three
minutes later, at $50. the Relief's came
down from Petersburg.
If there is anything to beat a show
ing like that let it be produced. 1t
| WAS a noble ana inspiring sight to see
the horses and the men CG!na along
through the dark at breakneck speed,
bent upon the one object, to save life
and property. The almost human intel
! liyence of the horses was discernble in
the eaeerness exhibited by them in COW
ering ground and the apparent pride