The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-07
FIRES AND FIRE, FIGHTERS
not OF the same character. In Europe,
as rule. the membershlp OF fire de-

not OF the same character. In Europe,
as q rule, the membership OF fire de-
partments is composed of military vet
Grams. who carry into the work OF
fighting flames the same spirit OF pa
triotism and discipline which charac.
teriZed their service in the army. 1t Is
the opinion of students that the Euro
their American brothers in intelligence,
capacity and daring.
1t is generally conceded that the fire
departments OF the United states are
the most perfect organizatIo of their
kind In the world. Foreigners say this
is true, because there are more fires in
the United states than anywhere else
In the world, and that the efficiency OF
the American fire departments has de-
veloped from necessity. The first thing
the average foreigner does after land
| ing in this country Is TO look around
for fire. lie has read so mucn at
home about the prevalence of con
| tlagrations in our great cities and the
! wonderful deeds OF our firemen that
/ he wants To see them at close range.
! He Is rarely disappointed and Is Will
I ing to admit that the feats rerformcu
/ by American fire department teams =.
! the Paris fire congress some years aSJ
/ We're nothing exceptional fro.l the
| American point OF view. At that tine
4 q Kansas City (MoJ company won the
/ world prize BY nitchiug up. driving
/ quarter OF q mile TO the scene or
theoretical fire, making hose conEee-
| lions, scaling the walls OF a buIiulns
and rescuing three persons fron ne
/ sixth and seventh stories, all within
the space of three minutes and iorty-
/ two seconds. The fastest foreign crew
in the competition required ten miii-
utes to execute the same manueuvrss,
/ while Turkish tiremens team Was
awarded the boopy prize. These rur!.s
personally carried antiquated hose stid
other apparatus, and are said 10 have
finished the required program after tile
official timekeeper had retired from
the scene
The fire demon is not always Tough,
according TO the approved methods OF
the big cities. The fighters seize upon
, the weapons that lie nearest ana some
times win against terrible odds. Every
body is familiar with the old method
of blowing wide burrows In the path
/, of a prairie fire, or OF burning an area
; in its path to check its advance. but
not all know the heroic measures OF
!. the Isolated forest ranger when he
fights fire on the government reserva-
has been found TO be the best agent
in putting out fire In an oil we'll or
tank. 1t remains, however, for Call
Iiforna wine maker. to hold the record
! agency. When forest fire threatened
l his plant. he took a hose and played
5 1000 gallons Of wire on the encroach.
: ing flames. The wine was worth so
:. cents a gallon, but II saved the clever
!. manufacturers many thousands OF dol
+ lars.
10 u EeCItal OIL INC IeEOlC
!. deeds of firemen would be to give a
o history OF the fire departments of most
: American cities, and add to these the
Q Q record. Of a few private citizens ms
9 members entitled to place in the Hall
. of Fame and Carnegie hero medal
n The recent heroic sacrifice OF Deputy
i Chief Kruger. Of New York. is upper L,si
:, America. Still fresh is the recollection
"a of the thrilling rescues of the Windsor
= Hotel fire in New York in 1899. One
- man carried three women, one by one
. along narrow ledge along the wal
q from one seVenth-story window to an
= other. Another though I'll, took thu
J. last three women alive from the Ito
m York department swung himself gu
IN over the edge of a high roof, anc
Sc while two of his men held his feet
n. caught the wrists of 2oO-pound man
l. ley from the roof above Firemen o
ut the fire boat New Yorker boarded on
id after another of the three burning Ger
man vessels at New York wharf
ch few years ago, and saved all but tn
as engineers, who refused to leave thei
ST posts.
i. The pages of history might be ful
re of such as these-if they had only bee
he written down. But to the average fire
"a. man the fact that .he is regarded as
b. hero is of small Importance. Duty
at his watchword. and even If his life b
We asked as sacrifice in the fulfilmen
re 1t is all right with him. lie has live
ne up to the full extent of his obligation
ne and has enriched the world with an
ed ether example or courage and deyo
ut tion to q cause
on
Sc To-morrow-The Seattle Exposition
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