The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-01-13
FIREMEN OF A CITY.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN
ALARM COMES IN.
Alertness with Which the Several
Companies of Fire Fighters Re-
spond--Methods of Noting Alarms
A Peep Into the Department.

An alarm Of frel How much this
suggests to the mind-the fright, the
confusion, the destruction of property,
the possible loss Of life-the putting |
engines and the shouting men! How |
the blood tingles as after the clang or
the fire bell comes the sharp sound Of
the engine gong, its iron voice crying
a jargon of warning! What excite
ment it causes! Truckmen hastily
drive their wagons to the curb; street
cars are brought to halt and pedes-
TRANS 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 APP
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 roar and
a clang the engine flies by. Then
comes the sharp, staccato sound OF
single horse at furious gallop, and
the Are 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
his 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
die his horses with the hands Of a
for single instant. In the tillerman's
seat must be a man with calm head
and nerves of iron. Amid the sway
ing and lurching, the crashing and
yelling, 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
the next turn, and above him the tire
less bell, crashing out its warning.
1t is an inspiring sight-this watch
ing firemen answering an alarm, but
how many realize the intricate agen
cies which start these great machines
almost on the instant of the call? LIE
us step into a fire house and become
acquainted. The first thing we notice
after glancing at the shining appar
%,,o ho oI a thl
books in orderly array in desk TIL,
most important book is the house jour
nal. which contains record of alarms
of fire received, whether this particu
lar company is called or not, and tn
exact moment they are received. Tn
movements of the officers and men ar
also recorded here, the hour and mir
ute of their leaving quarters each da
for meals, and the time of their retur
and an entry Is made of any even
pertaining to the workings of the d.
partment which might have to be re
ferred to later.
Tracing nm Alarm.
Let us trace an alarm. This lead
us into the mysteries of the fire alarr
telegraph system, without which tn
science of fire-fghting to-day woul
be utterly inadequate. A barn Is di!
covered on fire. The owner runs I
the nearest box. He opens the doc
and pulls down the lever on the IL
side once. Then what does he hear
Only the buzzing of machinery &
irst, then ting" on little bell II
side. A pause and then. 'ting, TIM