The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20
TRUE FIRE DOG he.
Niger Of Engine : Has DARING Acts
and Life Saving to His Credit.

Niger the mascot OF Engine 7, came
limping into the FIRE company's house
in Beekman street one cold day, just after
Elsie, the former mascot. had been killed.
The piece OF glass that made him lame was
extracted from his foot and the dog has
gratefully remained with the firemen ever
since.
He has developed various qualities that
make the firemen proud of lin. When
well-dressed person comes into the engine
house the dog is content to sniff at his
clothes and keep sharp eye on him. But
If tramp or poorly clothed person enters,
the dog at once begins to bark.
One Of the dogs favorite pastimes is to
run lust in front of the horses of the Murray
street patrol as they pass the engine house
on their way to an East Side fire. For q
block or two he will race along barking
fu,iously. and keeping just beyond reach
of the big hoofs. Then he comes back as
soberly as Judge, as though he had never
known what it is to run luadly in front of
the fire horses.
The dog will not sleep on the bare floor
When he cannot find a Newspaper to lie on
he sleeps on a chair Ho is fond OF romp-
ING with the house cat and with The men
The minute the gong sounds and the
men go sliding down the pole, Niger follows
them TO the pole hole or whisks down
stairs like streak. Once he fell through
the pole hole and lit on his back. but with a
frernap's grit went to the fire just the same
II is in active service that the dog las
particularly distinguished himself, II TIE
man at the desk cries we go" when the
gong sounds the dog is all impatience.
He cannot wait until the steel collars are
snapped on the horses, but jumps about
nirping at their heels and barking loudly.
| THIS seems TO worry the horses and ii ia
Frequently necessary to remind the dog
| bv a cut from the drivers whip that he
must MT do So
All the way TO the fire. the dog runs just
| ahead Of the horses. adding his bark to
| the alarm of the bell. Amid all the con-
| fusion OF the worst fires. the dog cannot
| be separated from his company. Wherever
| they go, he goes.
the only way they can lose him tenn
| porsrily il by going up fire ladder. Even
| then ! he dog Usually manages o make his
way up an inside stairway and join them
| above.
In this way ne has rendered them many
| ynh,al Ie services. He has d a rl.m'er
| cf men ont cf buildings after they wer"
| unalIe to find their way IN the dense smoke,
Nothing seems TO frghien the dog. Hot
water and falling glass never feaHH hun
| During the fire IN me sho' tower q the Vol
we'll Lead Works, last spring, he heat was
| so intense that quaint les Of lead melt ID
and fell on the men below: But the cog
made his way through melting lead, smok"
| and heat to he very top OF lhe lower
In January last The plant ofthe Boston Ex.
| cclsjor Conn " on Fourth avenue. cargl I
| fire and Engine Company did ihlrty-slx
! hours duty. The temperature was near
| zero ard the cellar filed with water TO
! der tn Of several feet.
| when the hremen went into the cellar
tho dog went too. swimming about In he
| /, v water uni ii they came ouI.. with !cic|es
hanging all over him, ne was tied to 'a'i'
| in a tallor shop TO thaw out
Presently. though, he was back, again
He had broken the table TO free himself
Then he was fastened beside heater, but
he escaped again and the firemen let him
| do a. he chose. g..
Niger was also ar 'he Allen street fire
| whers he water tower became mound OF
! ice and tn. building was covered WITH 700
| He STAYED with bia company there also
| urtil rho q ra was out