Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-20
YoRkvILLE's FIRE HORSES.

The wonderful Sagaclty ana training
of the fire horses of the large cities, Is
a never failing subject of interest Tor
magazine readers, and no wonder; but
does II not seem strange that little
town like Yorkville should have fine
horses, that are equally as well trained
as those of New York, and not one man
or woman out of a dozen Is hardly
aware Of the fact.
But 1t Is true. Yorkville has as
fine a pair of fire horses as are TO De
found anywhere, and they know their
business as we'll as the best horses OF
New York city, or any other place In
America. Anyone who doubts TINS
statement, needs only to go to the fire
wagon house on East Liberty street
and ask Mr.. Jim Beckham, who Is In
charge there, to show them full con-
firmation of it's truth.
The fire wagon house Is not as pre-
tentious as is to be found in some or
the larger towns, maybe. 1t Is really
only a plain frame shack-a very COM
mon-place affair; but it shelters first
class wagon, equipped with plenty OF
good hose and other accessories, ana
the horses easily come up to the high
est requirements Of the important bus
mess for which they are needed.
Fortunately Yorkville does not have
a great many fires. The total number
of alarms does not average more than
half a dozen a year; but during the
little more than three years that the
town has been maintaining thor-
oughly equipped fire station, there mas
not been a single instance where more
than a few minutes have elapsed from
the time of the sounding OF the alarm
until the fire horses were taking the
fire wagon to the scene of danger at
dead run.
People who have seen the fire outfit
rushing through the streets with
whirlwnd speed so quickly after an
alarm, have wondered how 1t Is brought
about; but there Is no need to wonder.
They may easily have their curiosity
satisfied by a visit to the fire house
at any time, for whether by day or
night they will always find Mr. Jim
Beckham, who is in charge, on the spot,
and he always takes pleasure in show
ing the splendid training of his horses,
more especially perhaps, because all
they know is due to his own excellent
work.
The fire house is so constructed that
the fire wagon stands between two
horse stalls, and the harness is sus-
pended from above on either side OF
the wagon tongue. There is a chain
across the entrance to each horse stall,
and that comprehends a picture OF the
interior of the place as it stands.
Both horses know the fire alarm as
well as they know the sound of oats
and corn pouring into their respective
managers. The fire alarm gong Is the
same as that on which the town clock
strikes the hours. The alarm is given
by jerking a rope. The striking of the
hours is on the same principle as that
of any other clock. Every time the big
clock strikes the horses may be seen
to prick up their ears and become all
attention until they ascertain whether
it is an alarm or merely the time OF
day. If one stroke follows another In
quick succession, then they become all
excitement, rushing to the chains across
the entrance to their stalls and quiver-
ing with eager expectation until they
are allowed to come out and get be-
meath the harness on their respective
sides of the wagon tongue. If, how
ever. the first stroke is not Immediate
ly followed by another they go back to
their corn and oats as though nothing
had happened to attract their atten-
ton.
But it does not require the sound OF
the alarm bell to bring the horses to
their places to be hooked up to the
wagon Very often Mr.. Beckham gets
information of a fire over the tele-
phone before the alarm is sounded, and
he has the horses trained so they un-
derstand him thoroughly. Throwing