The Washington times., 1905-09-25
|RE.F|GHTER PETS
HIGHLY PRHED
Almost Every Company Has
Its Mascot.
INTERESTING INCIDENTS
Dogs of Rare Intelligence That Fol-
low the Machine Whenever
Alarm Is Sounded

Almost every engine house in Wash
ington Is protected from evil by the
presence OF mascot This latter is
either dog, cat. parrot, owl, or other
animal or bird of some kind.
Dogs and cats seem 70 be the favorites,
however. Almost every fire depart
ment home OWES 4 mascot Of some
kind. with the exception OF engine
house No. I3 truck house + and F.
parrot was the mascot OF truck d at
one time, bu: has now been removed,
! and engine house Ne. had an owl as
a mascot The owl has now been given
away, and there now dog, '-roodles."
rules supreme. ''Toodles'' is a little fox
terrier CT rare intelligence She viii
E wink either ear upon command All her
owner, Engineer {. W. Buhler, has to
do is 10 tell her to sit upon her hind
legs and wink her ear. When he says
right, Toodies she will promptly
wink her right ear. and the same way
with the left. She also can balance a
piece OF candy or cake or the end Of her
nose, and upon command will toss the
sweet in the air and catch IL in her
mouth ard eat il. which she thinks is
-he best part OF the performance
No engine house has wsnderful
car in ''Sharkey." The pet is black as
night. and only has part Of what used
TO he beautiful flowing tail. II is now
quiEe short. But ''Sharkey" met with
the accident which deprived her OF part
OF her tail in line Of duty, and her dis
figurement has not lessened the love
the men es No. have for her
Sharkey and Toodles.
Sharkey" and ''Toodles'' are great
pets with the fremen, but they are not
by themselves in the way Of wonders
In their Ene of stunts
Mig the black bull dog, of No l6.
IL known by every fireman in the city,
and his fame extends throughout the
District. He Will follow Private j. r.
Bolger home when ne goes 10 his din
ner. Private Bolger resides near the
navy yard. ara BE gees home on the
cars. Mig is known by all the con-
ductors on the navy yard line, and they
say that he is wonderful athlete. He
can get on and off the cars while they
are in motion. Mig gets his name
from his color as he is inky black
Mig was picked up in the street when
he was pup, four years ago. by Cap
tain Harper. OF No. 16- The house was
then a chemical station, but has now
Mig is shown in the picture as sitting
Sa water plug, but his favorite pas
time Is climbing ladders and lamp posts
he can climb a ladder fifteen feet high
and Will turn around and walk down
In climbing the lamp post he jumps UP
on the post and locks his feet around
IL never misses a Ere for he
sleeps in the seat OF the hose cart and
when the gong IS sounded he IS ready
for the run He is not like most dogs
that run barking al the heads OF the
horses, but he keeps to the side of the
hose carriage and does not get in the
way or the horses. which accounts for
the fact that Mig never has met With
accident in the four years that he
has served" IN the department
a fire Mig will follow Captain
Harper or Private Bolger into the burn
ing building until he gets his fill of
smoke. then he is content TO come out
and guard the hose carriage and ii is
hard lines for anyone but who has a
right 10 approach the wagon for Mig
protects the wagon with his life, and he
can put up strong argument Mig
is black. but he has no use for the col
ored people. and every time one comes
his eyes on him and watch him until
he leaves the building.
An the men 81 No IS take great
is paid by the men chipping in small
amounts to the general fund for the
providing Of food for the favorite.
Though Mig" of No. l6. is famous
Ring" at Truck G.. who is close sec
ond- Ping is very much like his IA
iher. Mig" in color, size and general
features He has a little mere white
on him than his famous parent, and
elat is how he gets his name. The
White on his body encircles his neck
and makes q complete ring and that 5
why he was so named. Ring" like
Mig" is quite agile and climbs ladders
like a regular
Whenever the gong rings Ring" il
the frs. TO leave the house. and he leads
the way suSt in front OF the horses,