Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-09
FIRE DRILL FEATURE
Real Blaze Adds to interest OF
the Display.
VISITORS AS SPECTATORS
Veteran Firemen From Other Cities
Witness Thrilling Spectacle.
LOCAL BOYS ON THEIR METTLE
Variety of Stunts Performed in the
Presence of Many Thousands
of People.
LOCAL BOYS ON THEIR METTLE

A fire drill. with real fire in minia-
ture to add to the occasion. was the
central feature of today's proceedings IN
the convention of the International As
soctation of Fire Engineers. The ex-
hbition was held in Louisiana avenue.
eastward from 9TH street northwest. and
fully 1000 persons crowded every avail
able foot of the wide adjacent Market
space and It'll street and overlooked into
Pennsylvania avenue beyond The fire
chiefs, guests of honor. remained with
In the fire lines and they manifested
deepest interest in the various tests of
fire apparatus under actual working con-
ditions. In every respect the demon
stration was conducted just as though
confag. alton of large proportions was in
progress,
II was precisely o'clock when Miss
Lena X. Belt. daughter of William I.
Belt. chief OF the local fire department
turned in an alarm from box 124. located
at the corner OF It'll street and Louisiana
avenue. AS under ordinary conditions the
horses were in their stalls and the men
lounging about quarters, but 1t was
matter of seconds only until engine com
panies Nos. z, 6, IA and IL. truck com
pAnies Nos. l and 3, the water tower,
Deputy Chief Engineer Wagner, Bat
TALON Chief Engineer Sullivan and two
fuel Wa CONS were on the way TO the scene
of the fire" The deputy chief engineer
drew up on the run in just forty eight
seconds from the time the alarm was
sounded. and the first engine company
was timed IN sixty seconds fiat. A second
alarm was sounded by Albert II. Haight.
aid to Chief Belt, and this brought engine
companies Nos. l, 3 and Ii. the second
battalion chief engineer and truck COM
pany No T.
Stacks Reich Smoke
Fires were kindled beneath the boilers
as the engines raced toward the exhibition
ground and the stacks were belching
smoke as the big machines wheeled into
position. The fire ladies of the various
companies, with the precision of long
prartica Ieaped to their stations and
lines of hose were run out and coupled in
less time than is required to tell the
story To the inexperienced eye the first
moment OF preparation seemed ike con-
fusion run rampant. but order came from
seeming chaos if by magic, and soon
the steady "zoom, Zoom. zoom of the
engines filled the air and stream after
stream of water spurted from the noz-
Eles The first test showed twenty-1our
streams in a battery, with the force OF
seven engines behind them In this and
all other tests the water was turned
toward 9th street, and even with the
Tremendous force necessary to MAINTAIN
ment was drenched for fully three-fourths
Of the length of the block
Spectators Given Shower Bath.
AT first the spectators lined both sides
of the square all the way to 9th street.
but one or two of the streams wobbied.
after a fashion which fire streams have.
and some hundreds of people were treated
10 an in promptu shower bath. Several
boys perched on awning frames, could
not run to safety, and they appeared
much like the traditional drowned rats
as they slipped to the ground. and with
all further Interest In the exhibition gone.
scattered to their homes for dry clothing.
Similar incidents occurred throughout the
exhibition. and laughter mingled with
shrieks OF dismay as unexpected deluges
siowered over the heads of the multitude.
In the second test the lines were coupled
to the hose wagon ppes. with seven
wagons drawn up in battery formation
across the avenue, and II was demon
strated that one man could thus control
a. heavy two-irCh stream, where three or
four hose men would be required for an
una tia caed pipe. The third exhibit con-
sisted in twelve hose lines from four en-
gines being attached to the water tower.
Two two-and-one half-inch streams were
thrown from the turret pipes. and a
third Of the same size from the pipe at
the top OF the tower. which was elevated
seventy-fye feet. For the fourth event
truck companies Nos. l. and 4 dashed
into line. the ladders were elevated forty
feet and water turned on.
Slight Accident to No. g.
In the midst OF the first test on the
program a slight accident occurred to No
engine, and a loud noise from the blow
Ing off of steam caused first a general
scattering in the vicinity and then a rush
backward TO see the cause of the diff
Guilty. Water was being thrown high in
air from the hose wagon turrets. when
some one in the crowd raised a cry of
Fire. and the battle against an mag
mary IRE was turned into small hut
none the less real, fight against flames
Sparks from No l engine, standing at
the corner of Tth and Market space had
ashItd an awning at e fifth floor of the
United States Realty Company's building
Firenen " IN hand chemical tanks raced
up the stairs. and the fire was extin
Euished with no loss save the destruction
of the awning
Inc hith event was not included in
the ohciel program, but it was in the
nature Of demonstration OF tho fer
rlhc power contained in a thrse-incb
stream Six lines OF hose connected TO
two engines. were attached to a three
Inch turret pipe on the wreckiny ware,
OF the local fire department and from
the nozzle veritable cataract OF water
aeiuged the pavement all the way to
9Th street.
Race in Ladder Raising.
The committee on exhibits appointed
ut the opening session of the conxen-
ton yesterday had charge OF The sixth
event, a race in ladder raising with
truck company pitted against a mod
orp siXty-five-foOt "Seagrave" and n
q, AT,a