The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1905-12-29

An alarm Of fire! How much this
,ureests to the mind-the fright, the
.onfusion, the destruction Of property.
n. possible loss Of life-the putting
.rnes and the shouting men! How
me- blood tingles as after the clang Of
he fire bell comes the sharp sound of
me engine gong, its iron voice CRYING
targon of warning! What excite
ment it causes! Truckmen hastily
drive their wagons to the curb; street
cars are brought to a halt and pedes-
tians leap nimbly aside. Then down
the street, under clouds of rolling
black smoke. comes the fire engine
The plunging horses are going like
mad and the glistening body of the an
paratus sways from side to side with
the terrific speed. Leaning far out
from his little iron seat, the daring
driver urges the maddened horses to
even greater speed. With a roar and
clang the engine flies by. Then
comes the sharp, staccato sound of a
single horse at furious gallop, and
the fire chiefs gig flashes by. In the
distance there is the wild ringing of
the bell on the aerial truck. Three
magnificent horses plunging along at
top speed and behind them the mon
ster hook and ladder careening along
with its sides lined with men! Far
down under the ladders, hunched up In
bis seat OF iron, is the tillerman, who
steers this monster apparatus. Upon
him depends the safety Of all his COM
rades. No use for the driver to han
de bis horses with the hands of a
master II the steersman lose his head
Tor single instant. In the tillerman's
must be man with a calm head
y :. ,serves Of iron. Amid the sway
tny AID lurching, the crashing and
yeiH- &, his eyes never waver from the
driver. A sharp turn to the right, he
holds his tiller steady until the ladders
have Strengthened out on the turn, and
then he tugs with might and main to
twist the rear wheels into their new
path. Then the long dash-straight
away, with his watching, waiting for
he next turn, and above him the tire
less bell, crashing out it's warning.
1t is an inspiring sight-this watch-
ng frer1en answering an alarm, but
how Ly realize the intricate agen-
les Itch start these great machines
Utmost on the instant Of the call? Let
IS step into a fire house and become
acquainted. The first thing we notice
liter glancing at the shining appar-
ltus and the great alarm gong. are the
looks in orderly array in a desk. The
most important book is the house jour
lal. which contains a record Of alarms
# fire received. whether this particu-
ar company is called or not, and the
.xact moment they are received. The
Of the officers and men are
llso recorded here, the hour and min
lite Of their leaving quarters each day
or meals, and the time Of their return
Ind an entry is made of any event
to the workings Of the de-
oartment which might have to be re-
ferred to later.
Tracing an Alarm.
Let us trace an alarm. This leads
Is into the mysteries of the fire alarm
telegraph system, without which the
science Of .f1re-fighting to-day would
De utterly inadequate. A barn is dis
covered on fire. The owner runs to
The nearest box. He opens the door
and pulls down the lever on the in
side once. Then what does he hear?
Only the buzzing Of machinery at
first, then ting" on little bell in
side. A pause and then. "tng, ting,