The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-20
Famous Topeka Fire Horse Re-
leased From Active Duty.
Pr0udest and Best Animal in
History of the Service.
HOW HE MADE GOOD.
Eek Showed Action on First
Day of His Career.
Has Been With Fire Depart
ment Twelve Years.

Some people have an idea that the
race horse. pacing around the smooth
track surrounded by cheering thou
sands, is the proudest horse in the
world. Others glance with envy at the
high stepping, well groomed horse car
rying the army colonel and vote for
him. And still others will declare that
there is no prouder horse on earth than
the state fair favorite. the beauty of
the horse show or the pu1ler of my
lady's" carriage.
All who have their ideas centered in
the above group are wrong-entirely
wrong. They have forgotten the fact
that there is another set in horse So
ciety that holds it's head above all 9TH
ers and has nothing to do with those
of the common herd-this set consists
only of the members of Fire Horse Five
Hundred-or those who do duty on the
busy streets of the city when every
thing else must stand aside.
This condition can be proved right
here in Topeka. There isn't horse in
the Topeka fire department stalls who
will stoop to kick at the greatest fav-
orite who ever graced the state fair
grounds or even the steeds that carry
Colonel Hughes and Clad Hamilton IN
the municipal parades.
that he is the lion of horse society.
Doesn't he receive the greatest care in
his finely equipped stalls at the fire sta
tionS? Do not people come for miles to
take one look in these stations and adj
m1re his muscle and his determined
eye? Whenever there is a parade in
Topeka doesn't he always occupy the
prominent part and doesn't he hear
fattering remarks on all sides of him?
And finally-is there another horse in
tn Ia l. h. 4
down Kansas avenue, has the whole
avenue to himself Where is there an
other team that demands immediate at
tentions and flies down the left side of
the street without the interference of a
cop who f1ouriSheS his club and yellS
Jay driving?" Do the street cars, the
railroad trains, the pedestrians, the
wagons. carriages, automobiles. trucks
and cabs flee in terror and respect to
the curb when any other team but the
fire team comes down the street? Not
much. The fire team is the main show,
the headliner and the center of attrac-
ton.
''Rex'' IL Years in Service.
The .proudest fire horse in the service
Of the Topeka fire department is old
Rex. . Rex has been in the local ser
rec for II years and his career ended.
today. He has been taken over to
North Topeka in the corral near sta
ton No. where he will be used as an
extra" His active days are over.
Rex started in the service with the
chemical wagon at headquarters. He
was first led into the station II years
ago today and when the firemen saw
him they threw up their hats and drop
ped to the ground-all in the same
second When Chief Wilmarth had as
cended the stairs and was out of hear
ing one of the fremen recovered and
turning to the other men who were
holding their sides and rolling on the
floor in laughter he yelled:
Someone hunt a plow-let's give the
old nag taste of home sweet home.''
But old Rex paid little attention to
them and taking his stall quietly he
paved the ground for a minute and
throwing up his head he glanced at
the ceiling, then peeked at the array
of harness hanging above his head and
shook his huge frame in disgust. His
pride was hurt by the laughing men
who poked fun at his "countrified'
frame and his green" look.
1t did not take long for the fremen
to change their minds. The driver in
charge approached Rex grabbed him
by the mouth attachments and led him
In under the hanging leather. The
harness was released and with a quiv-
er Rex felt the cold strips fall on his
back-a few hooks and jerks and he
was in full harness.
The average horse when first taken
to the fire station rears into the air
and fights the harness which falls so
suddenly on his frames Others will
jump around in their stalls and receive
the harness with a fun force on their
heads. But Rex stood up under the
new experience and with open mouths
and looks Of appreciation the firemen
glanced at one another and nodded their
heads in approval.
Stood ''NViId Blow Test.
The second test was to sound the
gong in what is called the wild blow
by the hremen The wild blow is
a peal from the big fire gong in the
center of the station. that comes either
from a crossed wire. bum" battery
or a test strike by one of the men, 1t
does not count out the box or the To-
cation Well, when the wild blow
was sounded Rex was given a bfff on
the back, his tie was released and he
was pushed up into the harness. The
leather fell and with another horse
beside him Rex was in readiness for
action. Outside of a slight startle at
the gong Rex did not make a false
move.
This won him home with the fire.
men. The average horse when releas-
ed at the sound of a gong will leap up
into the air, wheel about and start for
the back door of the station as fast as
he can 60 This is simply a sample of
their scare. But Rex paid little atten-
ton to harness, gong or jumping fire.
men and stood in his place before the
wagon as proud and stately as one of
the old timers.
These tests were tried a number of
times before Rex was given a perman-
ent berth in the headquarters station
and in Is minutes he was the favorite
horse in the house. The old steamer
team, the truck trio far behind and the
hose couple across the way glared at
the newcomer with jealousy.
THAT afternoon an alarm came into
the station. It was a box pull and
a "22' at that. and with laundering,
deafening sounds the big gong
changed forth the number. At the
first clang the tie was released and
without a moments wait Rex leaped
from his stall into his place under the
harness.
rI,l,nr, canne his third new sensation