The herald., 1897-02-21

tire company and board of commission
ers of this unique department, which is
complete in every respect,
1t is hardly justice to call this a one
horse organization, yet in one way it is,
for Baby" the trained horse which
speeds the individual company to the
blaze at the first stroke of the gong, is a.
feature, and a very essential one, of the
equipment.
There We're two excellent reasons for.
the organization of this unique adjunct.
to the regular fire department of the
city of Boston. In the first place, Mr.
Warren has from his earliest boyhod
been an enthusiast upon the subject of
fires.
Never was an alarm sounded but he
responded among the first, and rs he
grew older, he became more enthusiasts
tic, if that was possible,
The second reason was that in the
course of his work as reporter for an
outlying district Of Boston it was neces-
sary for him TO get to a fire at the
earliest possible moment and secure the
details in the most thorough manner.
For a time it was all well enough to
trail along in the wake of the spark
spouting engine, and arrive at the fire
with the throng of ordinary curiosity
seekers, but that means eventually
proved too slow for good results from
newspaper standpoint, and a short time
ago he decided that some means must
be devised of getting to fires as quickly
as the firemen themselves The public
does not know what the newspaper lv-
porter is soon taught, that the laggard
at fire has sorry time Of it in getting
information.
To become a member of the city hra
department was out OF the question but
not to be baked by such trifiing mat
ter as that, he resolved to find a way Of
his own, and with that end i'm view set
about task that required brains and
patience.
His first work was to fit up his stable
so that there should be as little delay as
possible in getting his horse and wagon
out and under way at the first alarm.
This was a comparatively easy task
To the shafts of light democrat wagon
a complete harness was fitted. The
traces were fastened TO the Whipple-
tree the breeching straps made fast,
and the shaft put through the leather
stirrups of the saddle The brea sIplate
was fitted with snap catch ana ring,
as We're both girths ana the ends ot the
reins Not single buckle was used.
PulTeys were then fixed i'll the cell
ing of the stable, through which passed
cords which held the harness and shafts
in position, so that the whole arrange
ment could be dropped down on to the
horse and fastened in place i'm few
secOnds time
An outfit Of rubber boots and blan-
kets was procured, and is always in
place. together with a lantern in the
body of the wagon. while cord Whicn
hangs Just over the seat, connects With
the stable doors. which swing inward,
so that once in the wagon ana ready o
start a pun on the cord will open wide
doors sVft a. g.f,sI I1st-
tus' to get out and under way in regu-
lation style.
To procure an intelligent horse which
could be Taught to thoroughly UNDER
stand his work and come from the sta
BILE to take his place between the shafts
and under the harness at the first stroke
OF the alarm, was not so easy, but after
number Of disappointments, Mr. War
ren finally found one that proved Very
intelligent, and which lie now uses
Ihe horse soon became as much Of a
fire fend" as her owner, and after a
Few lessons would as soon as the stall
doof was opened, take her place between
the shafts and wait impateutly for her
owner to fasten the harness.
tiHed on the wall of the tsable is a
hfe alarm indicator, which, On the nr7i
stroke Of the alarm. automa ticalIy rec
lstefs the number Of the box and the
time at which the alarm was sent in
This alarm Indicator is also connected
with the door of the horses stall. ana
Wnen the gong strikes. the stall is au-
tomatically opened, allowing the horse
To get out and place herself between the
shafts.
The most difficult thing was to get a
Taper or signal placed iu the etaIla
Upon that point the Boston fire dcpar--
ment is strict in every sense of The word
Several times Mr.. Warren tried to ger
permission to have the much coveted
Taper placed in connection with his
stable but was finally Obliged to- con-
tent himself with the indicator and the
general alarm wire, but on his own re-
sponsibilty he put tapper in, connect
tfg he house with the stable, so that
when the alarm is sounded over the
wires it is transmitted from the house