The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-04-25
did not propose to worry or get ex-
cited over It, Happy apathy.

strain of the boy not entirely extinct,
hence did not mend my pace until the
fire was reached, furthermore staying
with 1t until the last spark was
drowned out. 1t was quite a blaze,
too. although the local papers de-
| voted only a brief space to the event,
for within couple of hours $50, 1000
| worth Of property slid skyward In
volatile matter. The property thus
erased consisted of a large saw mill,
on Lake Union, and an extensive ac-
cumulatiOn of finished lumber. 1t was
spectacular fire. and only needed
the darkness of night to make 1t more
impressive. Hardly anything that
man constructs burns with greater ex-
peditiousness than a saw mill All
the material is inflammable and in this
instance with incalcuable raptdity
flames searched out every portion Of
the building. Biilows of dense, black
smoke rolled out Of every door. WIN
dow and crevice. made lurid by tongues
of fire that leaped high above the
doomed building. There was a total.
absence of noise, excitement, haste or
confusion. The fierce cracking Of the
flames or falling Of walls and timbers
were the only sounds. 1t was appar-
ent at once that the building was
doomed, and the efforts OF the firemen
were concentrated to conilning the
flames to the mill. The fire was hand
led methodically, and without turmoil.
1t is an almost everyday occurrence
for these fire fighters, and they get
used to the work. The department is
organized thoroughly. and on mill
tary system. Every man knows hi
duty and his place, and he goes about
that duty as uncOncernedly as one
takes his meals. The engines Changed
auto and horse hauled hose wagons
dashed up into the very heat OF the
fire, hose was unloaded with apparent
Indifference yet with precision and
promptness that would put volunteer
fireman to shame. pipes leisurely at
tached, and in a moment or two heavy
streams of water were beating back
the progress Of the ancient enemy.
Commands were given by the chief
and his assistants hardly above the
ordinary tone OF voice. and groups Of
men handling the pipes disappeared
in the smoke, or took positions where
they could direct the streams to the
best advantage. There was total
absence OF the old speaking trumpets.
the flourish of spanners. the loud Or
defs, generally accompanied by or
nate oaths, so common to the old
time volunteer system, orders and
oaths that often made little impress
sion on the fire laddies, who felt them
selves to be as good as the captains
over them, and very often persisted
in doing as they pleased until the Or
ders were emphasized with punch in
the jaw or rap over the head. This
mode of insistence sometimes had Its
drawbacks, too, as a jealous official
in his excitement might tap men,
Der of a rival company. and 1t was OF
no uncommon occurrence that this un-
due familiarity has precipitated a riot.
In which the guardians OF property
forgot the object of their presence on
the ground in the effort to sustain the
reputation of their several organiza-
tions as men fighters as we'll as fire
fighters. Well. we'll, we'll; there ] go
again, lost in the memory of happen
ings of fifty years ago. when 1t was
evidence of discretion on the part Of
crowd at fire to keep out of range
of brick bats and carelessly handled
streams of water. Cities now pay
husky young fellow. to protect pro-
perty, and a man who knows the bus
mess to direct the boys in carrying out
that object. And the present order
of things Is advantageous to both pro-
perty and underwriters. to say moth
ing to conducting to longevity among
firemen, and reducing the number Of
honorable scars and black eyes.
Now back to the place in this mar
rative where | fell of. There are fire
stations scattered all over the city.
but in the residence districts they are
some distance apart, and some time
was lost assembling an adequate
amount of apparatus to properly
handle the fire. When the fremen
fairly got at it they attended strictly
to business, and the flames were con-
fined to the mill. A dozen streams
were pouring a deluge Of water on the
burning building from dozen differ.
ent points Of vantage. Leads of hose.
like the bodies OF great snakes.
stretched out and wound about in
every direction. tangled up In appar-
emily endless confusion, but at the
discharge end Of every lead squad
of quiet. earnest laddies was direct
ing a volume of water into the fur
| mace. One would have thought that
a sufficient quantity Of water was be-
ing turned into the building to wash
1t into the lake, yet in the face Of this
cataract.the flames made steady head
way, almost as though oil was being
used instead OF water. Heat and
smoke would drive back the firemen
at times. but like a column OF veter-
ans momentarily worsted, the boys
would take a breath or two and
,,tsWiss.sS~yI}SSN,|i-to the volcano. and II
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