The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-25
"SAVE THE HORSES"
HAS WON THE DAY
COMMITTEE WILL NOT ACT.
VETERANS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
WILL BE SAVED BY CITY.

Fire Committee at Meeting to De
Held To-day Will Not Accept Any
Bids offered for Fire HOrses-Cry
of Public That Horses Be Kept in
Service of City Has Been Heard.
Matter Has Attracted Consider
able Attention and Has Been Sub
ject OF Editorials.
In the face of a strong public senti-
ment the Fire Committee of City Coun-
Gil will to-day fail to accept any bids
that may be offered for the four vete-
ran fire horses that were advertised for
sale.
Early last week the Morning News
published an interview with Fire Chief
Mcguire in which he declared it was
shame to sell the faithful old horses.
He pictured them being driven in rain
and hail, and being beaten by negro
drivers who a few short years ago
would not have been permitted to
brush them off.
This yelled protest of the fire chief
attracted considerable attention and
citizens generally talked for the old
horses. But it remained for Mrs. st.
J. B. Graham to find Mayor Myers and
formally protest against the sale of the
veterans. And Mrs. Graham has won
the day. Her action was commended
on every side, and it has been prac-
tically agreed that the horses must be
retained in the service of the city.
Papers Praise Savannah.
Since the subject has been under
discussion a great many newspapers
have had things to say in favor of
the old horses, and Mrs. Graham and
Fire Chief Mcguire have been COM
mended for their work. That the
horse is the friend of man can be
gathered from the articles that have
been written with the Savannah incl
dent as a basis.
One of the most interesting of these
editorials appeared Saturday afternoon
in the Atlanta Daily News. 1t was
run double measure" and occupied a
prominent place on the editorial page
of that paper. The article follows:
Through the appeal of Savannahs
fire chief, reinforced by the humane
four of the veteran horses which have
grown intirm in the service of the fire
department will not be condemned and
sold to some chance master, as was
at first contemplated by the City
Council
Fire Chief Mcguire feels that warm
attachment for the horses which is
born of long association, during which
time they have shared his toll and
danger. There is a vein of sentiment
in his heart which reflects credit upon
his head, and the interview in which
he expressed his feelings on the sub
ject met sympathetic eye.
Appeal Was Not in Vain.
This good woman Immediately began
a systematic appeal to the Mayor and
members of Council with the result
that the order has been rescinded, the
advertisement withdrawn and the
| horses will be retained in the service
| of the city to do such light work as
will keep them in health without tax
| ing their strength.
The whole state will applaud this
| humane act. The intelligence, almost
| human, developed by the noble ami
mails selected for this important work,
makes them the object of peculiar adj
miration. They soon endear them
| selves to the whole community. 1t is
a species of ingratitude which cannot
be too strongly reprehended when, in
| their old age, they are sold to unfeel-
! ing taskmasters to work out the rem
| nant of their days.
1t is universally conceded that in
| the animal kingdom mans two best
! friends are the dog and the horse.
| In point of utility there can be no
| question as to the superiority of the
| latter, while in point of intelligence
! he is at least the equal of our canine
friends.
The combination of beauty and
| strength, of courage and intelligence
| displayed by the horse have been the
theme of song and story for thirty
| six hundred years. In the sublime
poetry of Job his neck was clothed
with thunder" and with the martial
| instinct beating in his blood he scent
ed battle from afar. From Bucephalus
| to Flying Childers, from Dexter to
Dan Patch, they have been held in adj
| miratiOn and esteem.
Tributes to the Horse.
The affection with which the Bedouin
of the desert regards his faithful horse
! stabling him in his own tent, making
| him his companion in the. hours of
ease as well as in the wild foray upon
the luckless caravan. has done more
| to cast a kindly glamor over those
! predatory tribes than all other of their
| few redeeming virtues combined.
The great French naturalist, Button,
has written a tribute to this noble
animal which ranks with Hamlet's
! tribute to man. 1t was from a pen
which could win where it wandered
and dazzle where it dwelt," and from an
! observer who had studied all his habits
and characteristics.
The great heart of Robert Lee, which
warmed so tenderlY toward his tat
tered legions, was scarcely less gem
tie in it's affection toward faithful old
! gray Traveller.
1t would be idle to call the roll of
historic horses. 1t is enough to re-
member their patience and fidelity
their adaptability to the various needs
of man. And when this is remembered
how can we fail to regard them with
| sympathy and affection?
Savannah. through it's City Council.
becomes the knightliest of our cities i'm
| providing that the veteran fire horses
shall crown "a youth of labor with
an age of ease"
5000 81. Louis and Return.