The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-08-05
ANDERSON RACES AND
WHAT THEY SUGGEST
FINE WORK By NEWBERRY FIRE
DEPARTMENT.
Our Equipment Most Defective, and
Yet We Continue to Lay Four
inch Mains.
(By John 4. Aun.)


If the people of Newberry generally
the citizens and the property own
ers and taX-payers-could have at
tended en- masse the fremen's races
at Anderson on Tuesday, the NeWber-
~ fire department would have more
support and encouragement. Not that
tournament is of more importance
than the protection of property-that
which a fire department is organized
for-but in the enthusiasm of the mo-
ment, when Newberry, against heavy
odds. took off the second prize and
narrowly missed the first, those whose
property the department protects
might have. in the excitement OF the
moment. realized what they ought to
realize when the "boys'' are on the
watch during the day and during the
dead hours of the night, and when the
town is depending on them and on
them alone to protect it against fire
and a blaze which might at any time
reach the proportions of the devasta-
ting fire Of three years ago, When
Newberry narrowly missed being Wlp-
ed off the map.
The Newberry horse hose wagon
came home with the second morey.
Columbia won first. Columbia won
fairly. The writer has never seen a
more honest race, or race in which
the Judges came nearer trying to do
their duty and doing it. But if New
berry had had the equipment which
the city of Newberry ought to have
furnished it's team, first money would
have been taken easily, with several
seconds to spare.
This is no reflection on Columbia,
because Columbia had a good team,
and they did splendid work. But New
berry's team did work which won the
spontaneous applause even Of the Co.
lumbia supporters. There was not a
"'bobble' or 'swobble" The only
trouble was that the horse did not pull
the wagon to the hydrant in time. The
water was erratic, and the official
time shows that the Newberry horse
got to the hydrant in four-hfths OF q
second less time than the Columbia
horse-but the fact remains, as all
who saw the races can testify, that il
the Newberry team had had the right
horse-which means the horse that
Newberry ought to have furnished its
team-that NeWberry would have TAX
en- first money easily, and, as stated,
with several seconds to spare.
Newberry's team was made up as
follows: Driver, ". J. Swittenberg;
butt coupler, James L. Aull; wrench
man, R. H. Wright; coupling breaker,
Spurgeon Campbell; pipeman, ". c..
Waldrop; slackmen, T. P. Wicker,
James A. Burton, Jr., J. Henry Bax-
ter.
Mr.. Switterberg drove "Joe," the
Nevherry horse as possibly nobody
else could have driven him; "Joe" did
his best; Mr.. James Aull and Mr..
Campbell made the prettiest jumps
from the wagon seen on the track;
Wranchman Wright gave the water
Immediately, and Pipeman Waldrop
sustained his reputation at the nozzle
as the best pipeman in the State-and
vet first money was lost. "Joe," while
he did all he could, simply didn't get
to the hydrant in time. Had he got
there the fraction over half second
sooner Newberry would have carried
' off the honors.
The judges gave the following
times: Columbia, 35 -; Newberry,
SO; Anderson, Lyon Hose company,
SO 1-2; Anderson. Pioneer Hose COM
pany, So 3-4; Greenwood, SO.
The tournament has it's lessons for
Newberry, because it calls to mind
what Newberry ought to do for its
fire department. The department some
time ago bought a wagon, which it
used in the Sumter and the Anderson
races, and for which it paid $3.50. The
Herald and News undertook to raise
this amount by subscription to reim-
burse the company. SO was raised,
which the department appreciated, but
it was a serious reflection upon the
city that a volunteer department such
b. as Newberry's should be allowed to
pay more than half for the only tour
:1ame1t wagon i has ever owned.
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