The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-28
HORSE ANSWERS
0LD-T|ME HABIT
Dashed Into Fire Engine House
When Bell Sounded and
Wouldn't Bulge.
WANTED RACE TO FLAMES
Whole Company Had to Drag
Him Away After Putting
on Binders.

Answering to the call of what was
evidently old-time habit, horse be-
longing to Charles Miller, of North
Adams Street, ran into the Brook Ave-
nue. engine house yesterday afternoon
and settled himself down in harness
to go to the imagined alarm.
The horse, big bay animal, had
just been purchased and still wore a
tag on his tail. He was passing the
engine house when the town clock
struck four. He thought it was an
alarm of fire, and. deeming 1t his first
duty to go to 1t, he backed into the
engine house
Captain Gill and several of his men
pushed the obstreperous horse and
rider away from one door, but not to
be outdone, the horse made for an
other door, which faces on Brook Ave-
nue.. Heroic measures were resorted
to. Captain Gill called out the entire
force, and the men attempted to push
the animal away as he backed against
the chain which extends across the
doorway to prevent the regular horses
| from running out. But they pushed
and tugged in vain. This newcomer
meant business he meant to get in,
and he bucked his tail against the steel
chain, and the barrier broke.
Snt Down on SinEletree.
| Immediately behind him stood hose
wagon, with the harness for the reg
! ular horses strung above. This seemed
natural, and he backed himself against
the singletree and stood beneath, like
a well-trained animal, ready for the
gong. When the gong didn't sound ne
| sat down the Singletree.
Captain Gill called his cohorts, and
| after persuasion had failed they tried
to pull him away. He was turned half
way around, and then he calmly sat
| down on the tongue of the hose wagon
and neither heaven nor earth could
| move him. AS he took his seat fire.
men ran to the other end to supper,
it so as to prevent 1t from breaking.
But the animal was not to be moved
This was his place. He had heard
fire alarm, and he intended to answer
possible to get the wagon out, but the
! tiremen wouldn't come, and there he
stuck.
No Laughing Matter.
Captain Gill laughed at first and told
the owner that he would be respon'
sible for the damage done. But 1t soor
ceased to be laughing matter, and
fearing every minute that rea
alarm of fire might be sounded, Cap
tain Gill resorted to heroic measures
Two loops of rope We're cast arount
the forelegs of the obstreperous ami
NAL, and while he was still sitting OF
the tongue of the wagon, the whole
company got hold of the other end OF
the rope and dragged him out. HI
paved. bit at the rope and snorted
| But the odds We're against him, SO afte
serious tugging the fremen managed Il
get him out.
Then Mr.. Miller. who had just pur
chased the animal, caught hold of TIL
bit, and blindfolded. the horse wa
led away.
"If an alarm Of fire had come in,
said Captain Gill last night, eve woul
have used the new horse, for ther
would have been nothing else to d.
Tht horse was determined to go to
fire, and he would have gone. And /
would have been up to us to have lie
: him go"
Horses rarely forget their training
and fremen who heard of the incider
were of the opinion that this hors
was once in some fire department. H
certainly knew how to do his duty an
was willing to answer the call.