The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-04
FIRE FIGHTERS
HAVE THEIR FUN
How They Live and Enjoy Them,
selves When Off Duty.
OWN GOOD CLUB ROOMS
MUSIC, READING. STUDY AND
GAMES PASS TIME.
OWN GOOD CLUB ROOMS

Did il ever occur to you as you
watched fire laddies" climbing TO dir
~ heights that some unfortunate be-
/ ing might be rescued from an awful
death returning TO the ground carry
ing the person in their strong arms,
that these determined men enjoy a
song or Jig" as heartily as anyone?
Or have you ever wondered what
these men do when not fighting flames.
counting danger, often times risking
their lives that those Of others might
be saved? There may be people who
would answer Il suppose they sit
around headquarters smoking, playing
cards or telling stories" To such per-
sons visit 10 the fire headquarters of
salt Lake would be an agreeable reVe-
idtion. They would learn that the fire
/ lighters do not lay around swapping
stories" They do tell stories; they do
enjoy a pipe or cigar, and find enter
tallment in an innocent game of
/ slough or poker, for matches" But
/ they ind time for much besides these
| tritiing amusements.
It's not at all improbable that as YOU
I climbed the stairs To- the second fooT.
OF the local station the melody OF male
voices would greet you as their
owners proclaimed.
Il wish l was in Dixie. Hoorayi
HoOray,
In Dixie land I'd make my stand.
Yes I'd tight fire in Dixie land
Hooray! HOorayr
Music of Piano.
The visitor would hear too, the music
OF weli-played piano swelled by that
OF a dozen harmonious and probably
mandolin or two. The sight that
would greet him upon entering the
club rooms" is anovel one. Imagine a
big six-footer playing a piano with a
sklllfui, dainty touch! Then imagine
bunch of big husky fellows scattered
IN the chairs, in easy attitudes, on the
tables, or, yes. even on the floor. some
blowing Justify into mouth organs, q"
others lending their voices to the roll
licking chorus. Then imagine in an
other room a long table around which
! are gathered more men in blue shirts
and trousers reading and studying!
fhen you have a picture Of the scene
enacted every day in the dremen's club
rooms at the station. You may be a
/ bit skeptical when told that some
study while the singing is at its height
IN an adjoining roOmi II YOU grew
| bold enough TO ask one of the readers
now he could enjoy a story or solve a
mathematical tangle with the noise. or
! music, rather, going in the next room,
he would look up with a smile and an
s"er i've been learning it for years. %
How Rooms Are Furnished.
The mems quarters are furnished in
a MISUNDERSTANDING wear but -confortab Bile
manner. The walls are covered with
neat paper. the floors with carpets,
while pictures on the walls chairs, ia
. bles, desks and other little features give,
I the rooms the appearance of any COM
! Portable home. And the men use them
as such. Their days and nights are
spent IN them. The stairs leading from
/ the room below enter the general
shall We say sitting room? 4 desk and
( chairs are the articles OF furniture
| here. This IS used as all Office, card
and smoking room. The next is more
deliberately furnished and might be
called the "parlOr." In this is located
the piano. hence ii might also be called
the music hall" II is here that the
/ boys spend most Of their time. There
are several fair musicians among the
men. As soon as one has played every
song in his collection another steps
| in" or sits down" to take his turn
at the instrument. NOcaHsts are not
! scarce. either, for there is always
someone present who can sing for YOU,
whether you ask for The Toreador's
Love Song" or who Built That Ark ."
Read Much and Study Hard.
Another nicely furnished room is
used as a study and reading room.
Hundreds Of books are included in the
/ library, works of many noted authors,
stories from the pen of every well
known writer, school books for those
Of serious turn of mind and maya
zines Many Of the men are studying
from correspondence schools, intend
ing al some future date TO leave the
/ hazardous fire-fighting for some pro-
fession. Some have been studying for
/ months and are able 10 secure work as
engineers, mechanics or even a diploma
IN the arts There is a handban
court and a gymnasium for those who
cannot find suffi Client exercise in climb
! ing ladders or scaling house-tops Aft
err an exciting game of handball the
persplTlng contestants can plunge into
baths. 1t might be explained that the
vlctors get the bathtubs first. Ito the
n.y. A's'itiAeso the SksluuSt - a ldIIlll-
lar phrase in the quarters.
Places for Eating and Sleeping.
TWO other rooms are included in the
quarters kitchen and a d6rmitory.
In the first stove and all the cooking
utensils are kept. In the other neat
cots are arranged in rows. From the
meagre description given it can be seen
that the hremen have a cosy home over
the station, where they can be COM
Portable and at the same time near
their wagons when the alarm comes
The scene when the alarm is sounded
is an interesting one. The men may be
engaged in a card game, or concert, "
as described, or sound asleep. It's all
the same when the "clang-clang' of
the alarm bell sounds. Each man
makes a run 20 the rods extending from
the floor 10 the rooms below. and in a
shorter time than il takes to tel it
are in their respective places on the
wagons, ready for the wild ride TO the
FIRE. Coats and hat are donned while
the journey is being made. From
happy hearted. singing boys. the fire
men change into the set faced. fearless
men we see performing daredevil deeds
at every fire.