The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-05-04
TO REVIVE 0LD-TIME SPORT.
SUMTER PREPARING FOR FIRE
MEMS TOURNAMENT.
VIII be Held June 2t-23-Timc Re-
called When Gamecock City Was
Headquarters of State Volunteer
Fire Departments and the Scene of
Many Exciting Reel Races.

Sumter. April 2s.-In the days when
hose wagons for fire protection drawn
by horses was az much a novelty in
the smaller towns as an automobile
Sumter was the king" of the volun-
teer department cities of this State.
Not that Sumter has not now fine
fire department. but in that time
there was such an overflow of enthu-
siasm about the reels" that the
Gamecock City gained quite a reputa-
tion for classy fire horses and up-to-
date equipment.
II all came about because Sumter
could put II over any town in North
and South Carolina when il came to
q show down along a 300-yard
stretch. Sumter always managed to
have fast horses. and the boys" that
manned the wagons were "on the
Job" Ask any of the grown-ups over
here now. and they will tell you all
about the way Dutch" Bultman used
TO step down off the rear running
board" when the horses were pulling
away at a lively clip. screw the butt
on the hydrant, and further up the
street Harry Reid released himself
from one side OF the swaying wagon
and attached the nozzle, then In few
moments the water was sent through
the hose. II was all done In a hurry
too. Right there is where Sumter
got her rep"
In order TO make interest even
more lively there were two rival
teams in town. mo. 2" and mo. g."
Now betting Is not such great big
sin when it's on a reel race and that's
what the fellows In Sumter would
stake their last dollar on. Not only
would they bet on Sumter teams
against out-of-town performers, but
they would even bet on one or the
other of the local teams. Each Of
the reels had It's Supporters. and many
a black eye might then have told a
story of a hasty word spoken about
one or the other team.
When the Sumter boys went out of
town to a tournament they always
carried a big crowd of "rooters" with
them. And when the team came
back home there was something
brought beside the fellows that left
town. In fact IL there wasn't some
thing In the way Of prizes there must
have been a trick about 1t, as people
I'm these times say. Even the names
OF the horses that pulled the hose
wagons stick to this day-ask any of
the boys and they'll tell you-"Harry
b. and Douglas" were a famous
team of mo. s. And that. too, was
when the department-as far as the
race-running goes-was in it's prime.
Then came a day when all the 9TH
er teams visited Sumter. My. that
was a gala occasion. Just as some
OF the good fellows do now when a
friend came TO town. everybody clos
ed up his place Of business. Not like |
other towns Is Sumter. When there's |
something doing In town everybody |
gets into the game and people forget |
all about their business affairs. Least
wise. that's the way II used to be.
That day-well. II was eight years
ago. doesn't seem so long ago either.
except TO younyster-all teams
came to Sumter. AS near as one can
recollect. Camden was on hand; Fay
ettevllle. N. c.. an outfit from Flor
ence; Columbia sent two or three |
teams; maybe Charleston; Green's
boro. perhaps Georgetown and some
others. including some of the hand
reels OF the old time fire depart
ments. That was the kind of reel the |
boys pulled themselves and the hose
ran off the reel.
In the hose wagon race Sumter did |
some" stunt that day. The 800 yards |
run. as recollection goes. was made in
80 seconds. Now that means the |
horses ran 800 yards. the connections
were made at the hydrant and at the
nozzle end and the water was sent |
through the hose. In just one SEN
tence now: Sumter lowered the
worlds record! Now. as he is writing |
Just from recollection alone. some
body may place the writer In the
Ananlas class. but 1t wasn't on that
occasion II was on another. So
what's the difference, Sumter did
lower the worlds record and no one
can deny that. IL they do the files |
OF the News and Courier will prove
the alleged fact. However, II is n
fact.