The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-24
THE HOSE WAGON RACES
Rocky Mounts Engine Wins Long
Distance Prize
ELIZABETH CITY FIRST FOR QUICK STEAM
Raleigh Capital Reel Company Wins the State
Championship, and Raleigh Rescue
Wagon Gels the Third

To Goldsboro belong the chief honors
of the first day of the Firemen's Tour
nament; for with her two hose wagons,
plucky crews and swift-footed horses she
took first and second prizes in the horse
hose wagon races, and broke all world s
records with the remarkable time OF
80 Is seconds. The Eclipse wagon and
the black horse. and Messrs. Nathan Ed
wards and Henry Jones at the hydrant
and coupling composed the combination
that broke the record.
Yesterday was red-letter day in Rail
eigh. Big crowds had come in the day
before and the day before that; but the
morning trains kept on, bringing more
and more, until the city was positively
running over with strangers.
A big excursion of Greensboro and
Madison folks got in yesterday and
added to the big crowd a large lot of
good-looking, good-natured and happy
humanity with Firemen's Tournament
in their bones.
Inere were many lively scenes in the
streets. Perhaps the most amusing ana
STRIKING was one group of fire laddies in
White duck uniforms, whose delight it
was to peramblate in threes and fours
with small gayly colored parasols held
dalntily over their heads. 1t was to
laugh to see them, and the girls laughed;
they did, and the boys were happy; they
looked it.
The parade was scheduled to start at
nalf past nine, and long before that hour
the route OF march was packed with peo-
pie of all sorts and conditions, and every
window and other point Of vantage was
taken and held against all corners y
was only short time after the hour set
that the long parade was started
The line of hose wagons, hook ami
ladder trucks. reels. steam engines, and
other apparatus, extended for more than
a mile, and it was one of the largest and
most complete parades ever seen in the
State.
The order of march included a platoon
of police, Chief Marshal j. E. Pogue and
his twenty-five mounted assistants, the
officers of the association in carriages.
the State officers, the mayor and city
officials, visiting mayors of other towns,
making twelve carriages, the Wright
Band and the following pieces of appa-
ratus from various towns and cities: en-
CINE, two hose wagons and hook and lad
der from Greensboro; hose wagon from
Salisbury: hand reel from Concord: reel
team from Monroe; engine from Rocky
Mount; two companies from Southern
Pines; two hose wagons and two hand
reels from Durham; hand reel from Spen-
Ger; hand reel from Tarboro; engine from
Elizabeth City; two hose wagons from
Elizabeth City; engine and hose wagon
from New Bern; engine and hand reel
from Charlotte; engine, two hose wagons
and two hand reels from Raleigh.
Several of the wagons were beautifully
decorated, and all of the men wore uni
forms. 1t was a beautiful sight,
Wright'S Concert Band of II pieces
made fine music, and the fifteen or
twenty thousand people that looked on
cheered and cheered and waved and
waved as their favorite companies passed,
until one wished that he were a fire.
man, to be thus honored and feted AMI
cheered and waved at.
An interesting feature of the parade
was the Durham company, headed by a
small negro boy with large bull dog.
Another feature was the Spencer reel,
which was gayly bedected with flowers
and flags. Two small children were
seated on the reel, while suspended
above them was a cage containing a
rooster. One of the best decorated
wagons in the parade was that of Char
lotte which was ornamented with white
and green ribbons. The Hook and Lad
also beautifully decorated, and Assist
ri
vase of flowers in the carriage in which
he sat-
The Tarboro boys wore white duck, and
looked very neat and spick and span.
The Durham firemen were attired in blue
uniforms with white trimmings and
made fine appearance.
The chief and assistant chief of the
Durham Fire Department were the quests
of foreman and assistant foreman of the
w. L. Womble Hook and Ladder Com
rany in the parade.
ENGINE CONTEST
The irst contest yesterday was for
steam engines. Five prizes We're offered
For long distance throwing of stream,
first prize $4,000, second prize $4,000.
third prize $4,000: for quick steam. first
prize $4,000, second prize $500.
There were five entries: Charlotte,
Greensboro, Elizabeth City. Rocky Mount
New Bern, and the Rescue Steamer, of
Raleigh.
Rocky Mount won first prize for long
distance. with 217 feet, inches. She did
not enter for quick steaming. Her throw
of water was loudly cheered, as it beat
her previous distance record
Elizabeth City's new Silby engine won
second money for long distance, throwing
a stream 213 feet, inch. The same en-
CINE won first money for quick steam
making it in 8 minutes 4S 1-5 SECONDS.
Greensboro's General Greene took
third prize for throwing water. with
stream that measued 205 feet, inches
In the quick steaming contest the Gen
eral secured second money with time OF
minutes. AZ seconds.
Fr 'ong time it looked as If Green's
boro was entirely out of the race Tor
long distance; but suddenly she seemed