Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-31
A NOVELTY PARADE
STREET EXHIBITION OF THE
FIGHTING OF THE FLAMES"
SHOW UNIQUE
ottunwa Fire Department Takes Part
Finest Of Fire Apparatus In Line
Dogs and Ponies Please-The Big
Show Itself.

/. Dogs and Ponies PIease-The Riq
i Show Itself.
| Over $4,000 people saw "Fighting
the Flames" at the performances Civ.
en- in Des Moines Monday and Tuesday
nlents. 1t Is probable that this num-
per VIII be nearly equalled at the ex-
nioitlons to be given in this city to-
night and. tomorrow night. The Des
I Moines papers pronounce this show
70 De one OF the greatest novelties of
the age and state that all records for
attendance have been broken by that
estapilshed by this amusement enter
prise.
. The Parade.
The great street parade held this
afternoon was certainly a distinct nov
city in the line of free street exhibit
tons. It included portions, of the OF
tumwa fire department and the regular
parade of the Talbot show.
! This consists Of three fine steamers;
one each from the great works Of
Latta, Aherns and the Amoskeag Com
pany; one monster hook and ladder
TRUCK, one water tower-the first ever
seen here and consequently, novelty;
three hose carts-one beauty, made
by Osterman Of New York, and two
automobiles, a Mercedes and a Pope
Toledo, all ready to respond to an
alarm of fire had it been sounded dur
ing the parade; differed and crewed
with veteran f1remen who have made
their records in the great fire depart
ments OF New York, Brooklyn, Chicago,
Saint Louis and Kansas City. The
novelty, did not stop here. There
was the representation of Gentry's
famous Dog and Pony circus, with
some ten miniature chariots, filled with
pretty children, their teams made up
of the cutest and most intelligent Of
dogs and ponies. For footmen, the
most intelligent Of the trained monkey
troupe of1ciated. Then there was the
inevitable steam caliope, followed by a
crowd of among the best clowns and
pierrots that ever took part in a pro-
cession. There was a number of
Islands; not the ordinary wind-jammers,
but artists led by the famous director
Cicio. One band alone consists of 20
instruments.
The fire chief of Talbot's Fighting
the Flames" William Mcconnell, was
accompanied by local Fire Chief Liv-
ingston, and they shared the head of
the procession, or the place of honor
The local fire department occupied the
right Of the line and was preceded by
monster Fighting the Flames" band.
+ "Fighting the Flames"
The exhibition will be given on the
lots opposite Caldwell park on which
the organization has built vast
amusement city, containing an audi
torium capable of seating 10000 peo-
pie and stage 450 feet long. The
fire drama requires. the services of
five hundred actors, two hundred
horses, q complete fire department and
great three.ring circus.
The big show plays here tonight and
tomorrow night only, giving no mat
inees in Difference to the Grand Army
of the Republic.
It requires train of thirty-two sixty
foot cars to transport the show. BY
this the public will be able to Judge
the large size of the entertainment
The big enterprise is a replica of the
famous Fighting the Flames" at Luna
Park, Coney Island, N. Y, that has
held all New York spell-bound for the
past two seasons, only the Talbot
show is very much larger and contains
an infinite number of new and start.
| ling features.
| The stage is set to represent a
street, or rather city block made UP
Of houses peculiar to the locality. Some
Of the buildings are full rs feet high,
while the street Is exactly $50 feet
long. Every object delineated is full
sized; not like the stage of theater
where objects are dwarfed to meet the
circumscribed area Of the stage. In
an arena 30 vast, with the scenery in
exact scale with the buildings depict
| ed, an actual fire department operat-
ing at full capacity and Elusive fire eff.
fects not trammelled by existing fire
ordinances, an effect is obtained that
is startlingly real.
Down this street passes the multi
tude Of great city. Every phase of
life is represented: street cars, cabs,
automobiles, elevated cars; delive.y
wagons and all kinds Of vehicles pass.
The Fire.
, A fire breaks out in paint store;
wild alarms are sounded; the popu-
lace crowd In from every direction
and all is hustle and frenzied excite
ment as fire engine after fire engine
passes; a whole fire department is
quickly gathered and the battle be-
tween man and his dread enemy
FIRE-begins. The conflagration
quickly spreads until the whole street
is enveloped In flames. Mountain high
they soar, carrying with them brands
that fire the entire ward Huge bill
lows of flame flare across the street
and ignite the big hotel, in whose win
dows can be discerned frantic men
and women imploring succor. The life
saving pompier corps responds gallant
ly; safety nets are spread into which
the sore distressed jump to safety; the