The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-05-22
GOOD OLD DAYS OF
f|RE-F|GHT|NG ARE
ONLY MEMORIES
Nothing Can Compare With the
Way No. IL and No. 3 Used
to Dash Madly By.
IN THOSE TIMES HENRY
A. LYON WAS A LEADER
And the Other Day, at the Age
OF SO, He Went to the
Exempts' Convention.

Ding dong, ding dong. ding dong,
went the bell in the watch tower
wonder where in tunke tn FIRE is
exclaimed the bystander.
Must be a humdinger or old Pete.
the Waterman. wouldn't work SO hard
at the bell rope said the other.
Wen wait to see the engines go by
and follow
This conversation took place at the
corner of Market and Broad streets
way back in the sos. That corner occu-
rted the same relative position it ocen-
pies today.
In d very short time hundreds of the
townspeople we're waiting at the same
corner to see the No. Il and the No. 3
dash madly by. Next TO lighting fires
these companies excelled at dashing
madly by. They could dash madly by
a given point at phenomenal speed.
When they were gone there was left in
their wake a current of genuine, simon
Iure. unaderterated excitement.
That was. OF course, before a paid
department for lighting fires had been
dreamed of. 1t was also before the
steamer was invented, Likewise, air
ships, automobiles and stock juggling
were unknown, so the populace might
he forgiven their furry of pleased an
ticipation when the alarm bell rang out.
On this occasion they had not long
to wait. The clatter-o of the beel had been
heard by No. IL in their fire house
in Mulberry street and by No. 3 in
Ferry street. That is. such a small
percentage of them as stayed at the fire
house. The others came from their
work with such dispatch that the two
companies with their 'gooseneck' n
s'piano decker hand propelled engines
narrowly escaped collision at the cor
ner. This fact was noted and appre-
ciated by the waiting crowd. J..
cries of the Populsce.
go to it, bo," or something to that
effect shouted u supporter of Nc. 3,
and
Give EN- the water cure" or an
equally effective shaft, was hurled back
bs a No. II enthusiast.
Meantime the fire which had been
discovered in the Quimby Carriage
Company's plant on the site of the
present Broad street station of the Cen
trail Railroad of New Jersey was burn
ing merrily. No merest fraction of a
second marked the difference IN the
time of the arrival of the two COM
panies to the scene. In a few moments
"a twinkiing for those days-the
lines of hose were connected with the
three Broad street cisterns.
Once started, the members of the
rival companies worked with furious
energy. A trife more furious energy
being exhibited by the No. IS. the No.
lis were washed" to the intense
amusement of the crowd and the ever
lasting glory of No. 3.
Meantime the fire burned merrily and
further on.
Chief among those performing Won
ders of work. for No. 3 was Henry A.
Lyon. He was about 80 years old and
had been an enthusiastic volunteer for
years. In spite Of the miracles of labor
performed by Mr.. Lyon and his com
panions and rivals, the carriage COM
pany plant burned down, 1t is on rec
ord. however, that the town was saved.
1t was the custom of large fires in chat
day TO burn themselves out. This fire
was no exception.
But the opportunity had been offered
for another test of strength and skill
between the rival companies. So it
was regarded as a success.
Lyon at Convention.
A few days ago the annual conven-
fion Of the exempt firenen of the State
was held in Phillipsburg. Conspicuous
among the members was Henry A,
Lyon. He is now 50 years old, and one
OF the oldest of the volunteer fire.
fighting veterans. The claim is made
for him that he is the oldest. Mr.. Lyon,
however, modestly' valves claim to
such eminence, inc is satisfied with
such eminence as comes from being
cone of the oldest survivors, He lives
at Is Cottage street.
Mr.. Lyon entertained fellow delegates
at the convention with stories OF the
old fires. Prominent in his remi-
nicenees was the Quimby e~oniagra-
ton.
"Ill never forget how we washed
the that day" he said with a remi-
niscent twinkle in his eye" Oh. yes,
rhe building burned down, but W. had
a grand timel'
Until the organization of the paid de
~partn7ent, in the late eighties, Mr.. Lyon
was identified with the volunteers. He
grew to the rank of captain of No. i,
the company known as Minnehaha,
which first boosted a real steamer.
But the old days were the happy
days" declares Mr.. Lyon when asked
for an opinion on up-to-date ire-fight-
ing methods.