The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-08
A GIRLS THRILLING RIDE
Constance Nerriiield's Experience on
"a New York Fire Engine.


terlng The company was awake in an
instant TO fight the enemy. picture
upon The wal, showing great lurid names
leaplng out of an upper window ana lap
ping the face OF a building, might nave
spurred them on. II they had had time
TO notice IL.
In less time than It took the bell TO give
its second sound, the big slumbering
horses were wide awake and tugging al
the rope which held them: then, as the
rope was lo0sened. they sprang out and
forward and under the suspended har-
ness. Inyislby, as done by some unseen
hand the harness lowered itself and
closed around their forms. and 1t took
only one touch of "A fremans hand 10
secure it around their bodies. II was all
very quickly done,
Meanwhile. the driver had sprung to his
seat, and high by the side Of him. /,
woman, had been tossed, not gently. but
with q big hard hand: and as the men
clambered on the back, putting ther
rubber coats and pulling down their hell
NETS of asbestos. the engine flew out Of
the door. and, fairly bounding as II
struck the cobbles. was on its way l,
clinging to the seat with one hand and
my hat with the other, sat by the side
of the driver, scared TO death.
The day before | had received an as
signment from the editor OF this newsp1-
per, IL read: Spend a night in an engine
house and visit n New York fire"
Trembling a little as | read the letter
for / did not wish 10 lose my position by
refusing. and secretly glad that | had an
excuse tor doing that which | had often
wanted. but lacked the courage 90 do 1t,
/ applied to the Fire Department ano
got permission 10 90 10 the next midnight
fire. with the permission came the COM
mand that I must not make russ sni
the threat that J would be dropped az
the first corner If / hindered the nre-
men.
Resolved at any cost not to show the
white feather, I found myself at the en-
CINE house next night at lu prepared 10
wait until tho summons called out the
department That 1 should not have 10
wait very long well knew, for the de-
partment is called out TO more than
hundred thousand fires a year. and no
house but has its call two or three times
a night.
AT II o'clock the engine-house quoted
down. The hremen slipped quietly up the
stairs. leaving the man at the signal
with his newspaper, quietly reading While
! sat back of him. waiting for the call
Behind me were the big horses, Win
great solemn eyes partly closed. do@ihs
,
the alert. The big harness hung menac-
ingly from the ceiling and the engine
was ready. II would take but second
TO put an IN operation.
Yet it was a shock when the signal
came Before / had waited utteen min
utes. there was "a doafcnng crash over
my head II seemed 10 me. even 40 that
excited moment. surely sweeter than any
but Cabriers silver horn VIII ever be
The bells are all attuned. they tel me
and the sound they send forth Is true ana
clear.
As the helI pealed. a funny thing hap
pened. Down through hole In the cell
ng strange. half-dressed men came slid
ing. one behind the other slippnF down
"A shining bra 80 rod which extended up
ward through the building. AN I'M
rronaptu staircase" explained the cap
tain. az he hurried into his seat One
after another the men came sliding down
until an landed in safety upon the hoor
As ] stood looking at them. the foremost
one ran forward and grabbed me, ana oe-
fore / could speak. another dark-coate0
ftl ow had ho'd OF ne and they were
lifting me up: third one grasped me 10y
the arms and pulled me into the seat
and then / saw the great Stamping hor7e'
were pranCng into the harness ana me
driver was gathering up Ills reins to be
on. How long did DO an take from the
time of the a'arm2 Less than half min
ute they told me afterwards.
out into the street We flew, the driver
bending forward and urging the horses.
Lean forward" he said 10 me. cor you
vii lose your balance'
Would you stop to pick me up?'
asked gasping.
So knowing that / would not be pick
ed ND if ! fell. and fearing the awful
grind OF the terrible vince $. 1 chung 10
The seat and waited On. on we sped.
How long would the drive be- Round
the corner we turned. an awful moment
when the engine stood upon lis two d.
wheels. And on we few again. Gang
ciang clang. went the terrible gong pack
of my head and the smoke came lowern-
forward I'm great black Clouds as the IN
creasing steam sent il forth oh what
a ride. In that awful trip / thought OF
n The things / had ever done AND hoped
10 do. l thought how grand f. would be
10 ride ever thus more powerful than
your fellows over the wor d
"Whoa-upi Look out! You'll fali'
The warning came too late. Who'll
unprepared for a sudden stop / plunged
forward and over the low dashboard. \
quick hand from the driver saved me. -
thought you wouldn't ca'ch me II ieH,
said. laughing Historically.
"On'y d.d ID by accident was the
laconic response.
Two doors I'm front Of ms stood "a brick
building out of the se,ond-story windows
Of which came thin ray cloud. Ike
a thread. growing little thicker as we
looked.
But before ! had time TO speculate upon
it, they had uuhitcted the horses ana
we're leading them away and the sparks
from the engine were beginning TO fan
around nc
Better get down" called ont a gru1
voice from under a helmet: and I thought
so myself
As 1 climbed down saw dusky figures
moving about upstairs in the building
and from tie smoky % indOw a great axe
protrudcd showing that the lrcmen had
got 10 work In minute fame eao@
forth but IN he fame I could see the
rave fellows working. extlngIlsher 81
hand, while others were rum g mp the
adders, which were being quickly brough
ROW - org wagons. for IL was 20
a big FIRE.
IS long IS 7 could I sat there IN the
parks: then 7 climbed down upon fho
wheel and slipped 20 the ground. WAN
10 20 back with u.s." called out the fire
man.
NO. thark YOU" sold 7. I'm 'lr'd
Then / looked az my watch and saw
that % had been exactly six minutes since
the alarm sounded in The engine house.
Perhaps l should have mentioned the
FIRE cog. little black and WI sootte
animal. Nellie. who follow ed rs f1i'hfu'l0
az the way: and encouraged The hors
by barking at their heels. The capfa
tod me that Nellie had never missed
fire. her worst experience being the dav