The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1900-11-02
THE RUN TO THE FIRE.


But it was the most terrific work that
l ever experienced. The model-room
of the patent Office was practically
eaten out by fire before we could get
there with our nozzles. 1t was a ire
mendous loss to the government. We
could do nothing to save the model
room, and it was all that we could do
to save the building which is the
home of the interior department.
"The other government department
buildings have been free from fires,
excepting the old navy department
building on Seventeenth street. That
fire occurred so long ago that 1 have
forgotten the date. Besides, it didn't
amount to much, for we put it out in
a very short time.
"Did YOU ever hear of the burning of
the Smithsonian institution? That oc-
Cured about dinner time in February,
1866. or 1867. Talk about cold weather!
That was a hummer! We worked in
snow foot deep and with blizzard of
wind sweeping around us. We poured
icicles on the fire. The water seemed
to almost freeze as it left the nOzzles.
We had an awful time with the hose,
too, for it was almost frozen. And il
the water hadn't been running through
it very fast it would have frozen in
the hose. We saved the walls, but that
was ali. 1t was impossible to save any
thing else. The wind helped the flames
and completely baffied all of our efforts.
If it hadn't been for the bitter cold and
the terrible wind we might have done
better. We certainly worked hard
enough.
"There were three other notable fires
in which cold weather prevailed against
us and our work. Wallis opera house
burned down. 1t was on the corner
of Ninth and Louisiana avenue, close
to Pennsylvania avenue. The site has
since been occupied by Ford's theater,
and is now the common vaudeville play
house. That was an awful night of
hard work in winter weather.
''Then there was the burning of Kin
coins hall, the home of the Y. NJ. c. "A.
That fire occurred in midwinter AID
kept us hard at work all night, but il
went up in smoke. Some of the firemen
succumbed to the cold and were obliged
| to give up. There were many frozen
| fingers and toes and ears. and some of
the men never recovered from the eff
fects of the work of that night.
''In the winter OF 1856 the Nat; lnal
/ theater burned. We were all prs ylng
! that no fire would occur that night,
! for it was blustery and coda sort of
/ damp cold that penetrates even; to the
bones. But just after midnight We were
called out, and we worried all night TO
save adjoining property. The theater
was doomed when we got there. But
| it was on Pennsylvania, in the heart
of the city, near two prominent hotels,
and surrounded by business houses.
| We saved all of that property. But it
was a night of exhaustion and terror
to all of us on account of the weather.
'Well, I'm glad it is all over. But,
to tell the truth, l really enjoyed the
work. the excitement of it and the feel
| ing that we were heroically endeavor-
| ing to save life and property for our
| 1ellOW men, IHeTe Is great zeal OF
| pride in the breast of true firema
He feels that he is public benefactor
all the time; and let ne tell you that
| have seen many a fireman do deeds
which would give him a nero's crown
lif done in battle"
Then, turning from the subject of a
fireman's life in the early days, Mr..
| Clark said: ''Some evening l Will tell
you about my experience as page boy
in the house of representatives i was
there when some of the greatest men
| in the land were members. Ex-Presi-
dent John Quincy Adams was one of
| them. l was there when Morrill,, of
| Vermont; Sumner, of Massachusetts;
Breckenridge, of Kentucky, and Brooks,
of South Carolina, came to congress.
Brooks was the man who assaulted
Sumner with cane. All four of the
men whom have named were physical
| giants. Sumner was the handsomest
of them all. He was a natural athlete.
If he had taken a different course in
life he could have whipped a regiment
of Sulliyans. Corbetts and Sharkeys.
LII tell you about those men some even
] ing soon" SMITH D. FRY.