The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-08

/ AeeFOA4Oo OO1llptuJ d1lO Cu56I4uS 1u5D11J
when the word was given to ''break her
down. This contest was held in an en-
closure In the park near the steam engine
contest and all preparations had been
made by the committee having the mat
ter in charge to give the people good
opportunity to see everything.
| At the entrance was a long wooden
drawn in their turn, and a place several
yards across and about four hundred feet
long was rope d off in which the contest
was to take place. About midway was
another platform on which the hosemen
took their position with the nozzle. At
the upper end was another long platform
upon which blue paper was spread and
here the water from the hose struck and
was measured. Men, women and children
crowded around the ropes, all eager to
see the fun and cheer their favorites on
to victory. Old men grew young again
and shouted and waved their hats in the
air and advice of all kinds was shouted
to the foreman OF the various companies.
The play was about ten minutes, at a
standstill, and everything went off as
smooth as clock work with one or two
exceptions. when there was an unavoid-
able delay of a few minutes on account OF
bursting hose or something getting into
nozzle. Every decision was fair and
square and no partiality was shown to
any one company, every man feeling that
he was treated fair and honest and stand
/ ing by the decision Of the judges without
the least murnur, something remarkable,
when one stops to consider the good ma
tured rivalry that exists among thu sever
al companies, AT the close the winners
were heartily cheered and congratulated
by the other contestants and a general
hand shaking all around followed.
AT ten o'clock the crack of the pistol
announced that all was ready and the
Neptune, with the Veteran Firemen of
Newburyport was the first to take her
place on the stand. Shortly after the
pistol was again fired and the veterans
began to break it down in good shape
Their play was 20s feet 81 inches.
The next was the Portsmouth veterans
and the way the New Hampshire boys
went in to break her down was a caution
and many of them could see the first
prize going home with them, and If the
hard work and words of encouragement
OF their foreman would have awaited any
thing they surely would have been the
winners, but although the "boys'' 'broke
her down. good and hard they only
reached 1875 feet Il inch.
The Brunwsick boys then went onto
the platform with their famous old Mag
ara, and she did not belle her namesake,
but proved herself winner The fire
lad lies did not make any boasts of what
they were going to Go but got right down
to work and showed what they were good
for. At the words "break her down.
every man moved like piece Of we'll
oiled machinery and the way the water
flew from the nozzle was caution. A
cheer went up from the vast crowd as the
judges gave her play which was 232 feet
and inches, winning first prize Of $500.
Torrent No. l, Lisbon, followed but did
not show up very well, making the
smallest play, her record being 1856 feet,
81 inches.
The General Bates of Lisbon Falls then
lined up for his turn and after a very
pretty exhibition reached second place to
the time Of 219 feet, one-eigh6h inch, win
ming second prize, $3.50.
The famous Red Jackets of Cambridge,
Mass then fell in line and everybody
looked to them to capture all the glory OF
the contest, as they were a fine body of
men and their reputation had preceded
them. They played finely, but were up
against strong companies from the old
Pine Tree State, and after hard strug-
gle managed to win out third place, their
play being 215 feet 1 Is inches, and cap
turing the prize of 500 besides.
Hydraulion company of Bristol, r. l.,
came next and although they did not
make record for play, getting only 191
feet, g 1-8 inches, they will carry back
with them something that will be a fine
momento of their trip to Portland Old
Home week. They were declared to be
winners of the beautiful silver water
pitcher, presented by f. Delavina OF
Portland to the fire company coming the
longest distance in New England on this
occasion.
The veterans Of KennebunK then Incl
up and broke down their machine IN
great shape aimd much cheering and
words of encouragement from the crowd
and carried off the fourth prize of $50,
their play bsing 2l2 feet, ~ inches.
Then came the J. w. Plaisted with our
Portland Veteran Firemen. Great things
were looked for here, and many of the old
boys who ran with the machine in
years gone by shook their heads in a
knowing way as much as to say, "Wait
until our turn comes and we will show
you something. But things did not
seem to work right, or else the mascot
was off on vacation, for their best play
was 1919 feet s inches.
They were folio we'd by the Kennebec of
Brunswick, who gave a tight rub to the