Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-26
Des Moines In q good town, by agree
ment the second best town in Iowa to
live tn.
An Anc,en1 AND woNoRAsLe DAY.

i've III
An ANCIENT AND HONORABLE DAY.
It used to be an important gather
ing-the fireman's tournament. In the
old days Of volunteer firemen when the
Hecla and the vesuvius and Volcano
and other hose companies We'd as to
which should throw the first water this
fireman business was something to fill
a boys heart with emulation. 1t was
something for grown people to cheer
over and bet their money on. Huh, in
the old days when hundred hose
teams came roaring into the town
where the tournament was to be held
there was something doing.
We began to get ready for the
tournament year ahead. In fact we
were always getting ready. 1t was
some sporting proposition. We secured
the country with a fine tooth comb for
men who could reel off hundred close
to ten seconds and carry their speed
UP to the two hundred. In these heroic
days the professional rested from his
labors and came. In from the bushes
where he and pal were working up
enough excitement between rival COM
! munities to enable them to make a
trimming. to become a resident of one
and drew a salary and go" with one
Of the prettiest girls in town while
he waited for the tournament. It
wasn't uncommon for seven -tenths OF
the running team TO be professionals
| whose main luggage was a pair Of
! spiked shoes in a hand grip and whose
| occupation consisted OF wandering
| about on the face of the earth seeking
| farm hands whom they might devour.
There was never much trouble over
! protested men. One team was as deep
| in the professional mud as another in
its mire. So lank, sinewy legged racers
who might have met last at trim
ming in Podunk, o., grinned at each
! other out of their harness and nobody
SehAo AOllii1iS " lloUOuS. ~, There was
some class to a fremans tournament
ii those old days.
| 1t was q sight to see when they
lined UP for the hub to hub half a
dozen teams Of thin. high stepping men
Strung in front of the high wheeled
| carts as they ser for the pistol
''What'u we tell 'em for you. that
you're COMM" says one leader to an
other. Tell EN- you bet $50 and lost
it, replies the other slipping out Of
his harness and feeling for his ''wad."
put up" The track was lined with
bowling crowd as they flashed down
the line The street was damned the
second they flashed by. Yells of exulta-
ton greeted the victors. The losers
came glumly back dragging their carts.
Excitement? Most exciting thing you
ever saw.
And the ladder climbing. Zip. Came
a hsuky little chap away from the
mark. Biz! He went up that ladder
like squirrel with dog after it. Up
goes his hand as he touches the tor
rung and he slides down the ladde,
rails into the arms OF his admiring
friends and companions. There goes
another. Watches click as the split
second stop is pressed by nervous fin
gers. Shouts. hurrahs, glum silence
again.
The coupling contest. Flashes of
1.-the bodies hurled like tigers at the
gap in the hose. Catlike movement
of HANDS so fast the eye can scarcely
follow them. Hands in air. So many
seconds and fractions Of second
Again, and again in succeeding fash
Ing Of bodies and nimble hands The
judges say the last coupling which
should have won on time lacks the full
number of turns. Protest. Support
Loud talk. Offers to fight and one
attempt at combat quickly suppressed
All over with the coupling contest.
And soon down to the foot race be-
tween the Two champions OF the two
leading teams, a made race on a wager
Each carries wheelbarrow load Of his
supporters money. Inches between
them all the way. Won by a hand.
breadth. More hollering, more glun
silences. more anxiety to fight. AL
over.
When f1remen were firenen, in The
old amateur days, when flremen fought
for honor and native town, when they
struck until the last armed foe ex.
PRED. there was something doing al
day long. To be sure more property
burned than in these days Of chemicals
: and motors and the like, but think o,
the fun We had!
|