New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-25
FORSAKE FIRE HORSES
Drivers Will Be Taught to 0per'
ate Auto Engines.
DEPARTMENTS SCHOOL OPEN
Fifteen Firemen Take Their
First Lesson in Running
Powerful Machines.

Fifteen engine drivers OF their own &C
cord. left eff washing harnesses yesterday
orning 10 go up 20 56th street and Twelfth
avenue to take their first lesson in the Fire
Departments new school for chaufeurs
established by Commissioner johnson and
Chief Kenlon In the big repair shops along
the river front. They are the pioneers in
the march OF progress which IN five or six
years Will probably leave New York's Fire
Departn ent a hcrseless organization.
These experts In fine horsehesh were all
anxious TO quit their horses and master the
gasolene wagons; that's why they answered
Commissioner Johnson's invitation 10 go UP
and receive instruction from Captain James
J. Henry. supervising engineer Of the re-
pair shops. They found on arriving that
learning 10 run an automobile was not a
matter Of a single day. or OF a week, even.
And what is more they found that 10 AZ
themselves to repair their auto-fre engines
wher they got a kiuk on the road-to be
their own mechancians, IL other words
they would be obliged 10 take instruction
from Captain Henry for one whole month.
There are going 70 be at least fourteen
auto-fre engines installed in the department
before snow flies, and trained drivers must
BE produced. After the fifteen who started
in yesterday have finished the course an
other batch Of candidates will enroll. AT
least five hundred graduated chauffeurs viii
be needed in the next year-three for every
auto-fre engine.
Most OF the candidates for the Job con-
fessed 70 Captain Henry yesterday that
they were young, even though they didn't
&. md
good drivers who wanted 10 learn TO be
engineers on the FIRE wagons Eel! down on
the JOB almost before they started In to
learn. u will be that way with would-oe
chauffeurs too. II they can't pass the ex-
animation at the end Of their twenty days
study OF mechanical parts and tive days OF
road practice they will be sent back TO their
harnesses, eventually 70 be discarded from
the department
Now, sit up there and throw In your
clutch" said Captain Henry TO a stocky
Young driver whose eyes shone with ex-
element when the Studebaker racer had
been cranked. The pupil avkwardly did as
he was told The clutch. shot IN AMI the
car darted ahead.
Shut her Off" cried the Instructor.
Whoa" muttered the husky driver IN
der his breath.
Now try your reverse clutch.
The order was carried out after an en-
barrassing pause. and the car went back
ward with increasing speed as it APP
preached the walls.
stop"
"Geddap" was the audible command Of
the candidate at the throttle.
Then he blushed a trife and came to him
self. j. was "a round wheel he had in his
hands. and not a bunch Of leather reins.
and that pedal under his right foot was 10
be used instead OF the lash. For the joint
health Of the ambitious students and the
racing studebaker which they are TO master
CAPTAIN Henry has blocked up the car so
that the driving wheels are off the ground
So now a trlaing thing Ike overworhng the
acceIerator pedal will only generate some
unusual air currents. Three old cars will
be fixed up in this fashion. and fourth
car will have its motor cut In two for the
edlfcation Of the learners.