The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-14


Loves His Horses. susan and Toby and
Bob and chief and Blueskin. and the
Nickel.Piated Gal In the Front Room
THE SUN told yesterday how a delega-
ton Of schoolboys went TO the Jersey City
fire headquarters to request the oficials
to rescind an order transferring Fireman
.Jacky- Hayes from No. Engine Com
pany. and how the commissioners were
too busy to listen to them. The boys went
to add emphasis to a petition which they
had presented several days before. over
more than two hundred names. This
petition was as follows:
GENTLEMEN We, the undersigned, chill
dren living near Engine House No. 8, re-
specially request that you kindly re-
store John Hayes 10 his old position with
No. 8 Engine 'Jacky" Hayes is a friend
OF all children. We love him. and the old
engine house doesn't seem the same with
out him"
aJacky- Hayes Ia 90 years old and gray
haired, but he enters into the games and
sports Of children with boyish spirits. He
spends a part OF his salary making them
happy and gets in return value received
in the pleasure which he derives in look =
ing on.
-Jacky- has been in the Jersey City Fire
Department for twenty-four years and has
been an engineer all the time. He had
served with several companies before he
went to the Mercer street house in 1891
and has always had clean record. Nobody
seemed to be able to tell why he was shifted
against his wishes to No. 7,up on the Heights,
about three weeks ago. For the good OF
the service" was all that the head Of the
fire department would say In response to
the inquiries of his friends. Since the shift
other influences beside the petition OF tho
children have been brought TO bear on the
officials and they have consented to re-
consider the transfer.
Ever since he entered the service 'Jacky'
has made il a practice TO give the children
who lived near his engine house an annual
excursion. last wear he took thirty-four
Of the youn gsters from the No district up
to Bronx Park and when they got back TO
jersey City stuffed them full OF good things
at the Montgomery Hotel In other years
ne has taken them to Central Park. Coney
Island and other places OF interest In this
way, "a he has gone from one engine house
10 another. he has made friends all over
the city, many Of whom are now grown up.
sJaclSy" was eeen yesterday in his new
quarters He is not much over S feet
tall and might himself be taken for big.
strong lad were IL not for his snow-white
hair ard mustache and mature features.
He came 10 this country from England
when he was very young He has never
married
Yes said he. Il miss the young ones.
had 20. 30 know all Of them around No. :.
We used to spin tops and roll hoops and play
patent string game-ends out In The road In
front Of the house. and ! had more fun
than they did. Yes, yes, ] guess III mirs
EN- more than they'll miss me. But they
haven't clean forgot me by a long shot.
There was Billy Eagen and Johnny Connolly
and Ripper Short and Tex Ayres and half
a dozen 81 others walked way out here
this afternoon and wanted me TO promise
20 ~ over To the city with EN- on my next
day oh I'm making lots Of new friends
up here. though. and III e, along all right
AZ yho~; but It's kind Of hard. you know 3.
TO break loose that way, specially after
you've t,een fiked - long
-Oh. yes; SURE I'm goin to give the
boys and grs up here a picnic Ia the spring.
met the same az I've always done. only
III invite my friends from No. along too
! COULDN'T give the plcnlc up. oh, mol ] get
more fun out 81 II than from anything else
I do The young onss and my horsss aud
the nickel-plat"d gal inside aFe oil I've got
90 care TOT. bat ! oan- for 'em whole Vol
ia like 90 o. lsark dosn town where nv
old No. = horsrs, b,issn and Toby aIid Bob
aud ibi-f aud bu"-kin. are but III soon
Id" everybody up h.'. Just the sAins