Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-10-02
SQUILGEES NO.
Meet for Drill Tonight at 7:30
o'clock.
HEREIN FAIL NOT.
By order of the Foreman.

Then strange sequence OF circum.
stances ensued. Just as the company
met at Hornbeck's shop, an alarm of
fire was raised, and the "lurid glare"
at once proclaimed the hour for duty
had arrived. The line of the impro.
vised engine was promptly manned
and it went tearing up Main street to
Fourth, where a huge bonfire had
been built, and, strange to say, i'm.
mediately in front OF Mr.. Williams
store. Itwas followed by The cart with
the hawser on reel. The orders to
Halt" to "reel up" down suction"
"Man brakes" were given in regular
form, while the hosemsn (only one re-
spending for duty Jack Baldwin, the
wag on all occasions, speedily ran out
his hose, and when the order to "play
away" was given began throwing a
stream on the fire from big horse
syringe which he had carried in his
coat pocket, replenishing it from pail
of water placed by preconcerted ar.
rangement before him.
The effect upon the bystanders was
astounding. Everybody shouted him.
self hoarse, and by everybody il meant
nearly our whole population of men,
women and children, and the farce
went on till Mr.. Williams stepped
from his store. and calling to Mayor
Urban E. Hicks, placed in his hands
with his compliments. the receipted
bill for Columbia Engine, the machine
then in transit for This city. The
Mayor, by wave of hand, secured At
tention, and announced that Mr.. Viii.
liams had just vested in the town Of
Olympia all right, title and interest in
the engine with the fervent hope that
it would be the means Of good service
to the community and pride to the
company that would man il.
A stiffness fell upon everybody for
fully q minute, when Mr.. Beach
stepped forward and called for Three
rousing cheers for Charles E. Viii.
liams, the Foreman of the new COM
pany that will rise Phoenix like, from
the ashes OF this fire." The cheers
were cordially given, and no more de-
voted followers ever belonged to clan
than obeyed the orders OF Mr.. Will
liams for many successive terms after
the new company was organized. The
poor old Squilgee engine, in the hila,-
ity which ensued, came very nearly
being q sacrifice to the service for
which it was ostensibly dedicated; be-
ing left for the night in front of res
taurant kept by a widow lady named
Mrs. Howe, who took mortal offense at
the presence OF such grotesque object
at her doorway, and built fire under
il, and the Squilsees were called on
their second and last "run" to rescue
the apparatus and |" house" it in Mr..
Winsor's stable.
This took place in May, 1865, and it
was not till November 4th following,
that the engine was delivered by the
Port Madison steamer Resolute. It
was found to be a splendid machine,
with Gin. cylinders and Sin. stroke,
calulated to be manned, at full capac-
ity, by 60 men, 30 at a shift. Though
powerful and thorough in service. no.
body who ever handled the brakes can
lay his hand on his heart and say she
was not q man-killer. This fact was
not apparent, however, to the inexper-
| fenced, for she arrived without foot
OF service hose, and it was fully q
month before one section was OBJ
tanned from San Francisco, and her
operation was delayed for that length
of time. No thought was bestowed
| upon a hose carriage, and for many
months at drill or call, the spectacle
Of rush of an enormous engine, with
Alexander Farquhar, the most stall
wart man in the company, at a Wheel
barrow and single section of hose,
following closely on At Jack Gilpin
pace. But the labor was not all in
handling the machine. 1t was, after .
minute or two at the brakes. that the
spirit would fsg and the muscles relax
| and only revive under the inspiriting
chorus sung under the lead OF "John'
Concluded on Second Page.