The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-10-13
Niger Must Go, but "Uncle"
Reuben Will Remain at
His Post.

~ Reuben Simpson has watched
from an intimate viewpoint the
evolution of the Salt Lake fire
department from the days Of volunteer
firemen and hand power engines.
Now he is to see the passing Of the
horse as factor in fire e,fighting, at
least so far as the central station is
pieces Of motor driven apparatus, due
here any day now, will be the signal
for emptying tho stalls.
|, This would all be matter OF fact, and
no doubt so cbronicled in Uncle Reu-
! ben 3 memory, but for Niger, the old
est of the fire horses. Niger must
90 with the rest. His thirteen-year
reign as the speed king of Salt Lake rs
thoroughfares during times of fire peril
is at an end.
Future of Niger.
What is to be done with him' The
custom has been to sell horses no long
He is in class with "Upcle Reuben, +"
Il fire-figbter for life. Lead Niger
from his stall and he limps. His feet
look lame. Ring the gong sounding an
| alarm and he springs to his position
between the thills Of the big truck
with the guickness of released spring.
The limp is gone. The very swellings
on his legs seem transformed into ropes
Of beautifully gliding muscle and Mig
ger is Off to another fire.
The ingenuity of man, represented by
the modern gasoline engine, is rospon.
sible for the. retiring Of Niger. No
one can be found willing TO acknowl-
edge that he is not vet the gamest,
wisest and best fire horse that ever
spurned the pavement Of Salt Lakes
streets with steel-shod hoofs. But what
is TO be done with him7
Attitude of Bywater.
Fire Chief William II. Bywater has
said that he will not sell him. Will
some one higher in authority than the
chief present to Niger q collar of ser.
vitude in exchange for the war harness
in which he has fought with his mighty
strength and wonderful animal intelli-
gence for the safety of life and proper
ty in this city9 Or, will those who
have the authority to so order cause
that he be made "to lie down in green
Niger Joined the fire department
when he was 4 years old. For the con-
sideration of $125, he was sold to the
city by Henry Spackman of Cache val
ley on May J. 1900. lie was Jet black
400 pounds Of equine beauty and
strength He is still a glossy black and
his spirit Is rs ungrayed as his coat.
Wonderful Record.
There was Niger before him-the
first horse to serve in the department.
The time came when younger horses
crowded him from the harness, and he
was given by the city to the late Cap.
tain William Gilbert. who was pen
stoned by the city after suffering a go.
we're injury while on duty. He died
several years before his master, having
known not the touch Of an alien hand
on his bridlereiu in his old age.
The present Niger has never fig
ured IN wreck of serious nature. Tho
record of his escapes, due in most in
stances, it is said, to his faithfulness to
training in moments OF peril, is written
| in the numerous scars on his legs and
body. Whether ho raced nock.and.
| neck with veterans or colts. he never
| destination. Not piece of apparatus
| in the equipment Of the department but
| that he has served on.
Tells Thrilling Tales.
"UncIe Reuben who stood with
Niger for the picture herewith pre-
sented, is 70 years Of age, while Mig
ger is II, ItUncle Reuben was born
in Ottley. Yorkshire, England, and
the mnehinist's trade in his native
town. Within a year after he joiped
the fire department III 1873, he was
made IN engineer on the first steamer
that the department ever owned. He
has one son and four daughters. { His
1 wifn 10 still LIVING in fhoir oomfort ahi-