Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1914-02-26

/ c'llsiltS holding IN tor dear life. the
| peaceful Inhabitants of Colon fleeing
from it's path.
Kirk and his guide fell in behind and
| logged to the scene of the contlagru.
ton.
\ three storicd building was already
half Quilted. Out of it's windows roar
| ed long. fiery tongues. The structure
snapped and vOlieyed chorus to the
| srllcn monotone Of destruction. The
street was Uttered with the household
belongings Of the neishborhond On
all sides was Il bedlam which the ar
rival of the tiremen only augmented.
| The fire captains shouted orders to the
bnglers. the buglers blew fepbly uEon
their horns. the companies dtplOycd In
obedience to the blglers Then every
body waited for further directions.
Again the trumpet sounded. where
| upon each fireman began to Interfere
with his nei.hbor. a series of u,lurrels
arose as couplings were made or
broken. Then. after an interminable
delay. water began to How as If by a
miracle: but. except in rare instances.
ii fniled to reach the flames. A ladder
truck. drawn by another excited com
pany. now rnmbled upon the scene. it's
arrival adding to- the general disorder.
Meanwhile the steady trade wind fam
ned the blaze to ever growing proper
lions
why the devil don't they get
cnser?H Kirk inquired of his Jamaican
companion.
"Oh. Lard. my God. it is too 'ot. sar.
greatly t"" ut. Ii would take stout
cart tn do such II thing"
Nonsense. They'll never put 1t out
this way Hey" Kirk attracted the
attention of II nearby nozzlenan.
WALK up to 1t. 1t won't bite yon. g
But til" valiant tir. fighter held stub.
bornly t" his post. while the strenm he
directed continued to describe II grace
ful curve and spattcr upon the side.
walk in front of the burning building.
You're spelling that old wnnlnn's
bed. Anthony warned him. at which
Il policeman with drawn club forced
him bntk AIS III resentfnl of criticism.
For perhaps ten minutes there was
no further change i'm the situation
Then IL great shout arose. as II was
seen tllnt the roof of an adjoining
building had burst into flame At this
the fanfare of trunpets sounded again
Nirinrn rushed down the street. drug
ging IL line of hose and drenrling the
onlnokers. But. despite their hurry.
they halted too soon. and their stream
just failed to reach the bazing. roof.
by now the heat had grown reuily in
tense. and the more hardy heroes In
the vanguard retreuted to less trying
positions. The voice OF the crowd had
arisen to roar rivnling that of the
flames
''lf he'd get up under that wall he
could save the roof and be- out OF the
heat can't stand this. Let's give
him n hand. Alnn."
Very we'll. snr'
Here. Help IN" get kink in this
hose There. Now you hold it until
you feel me pnll." Kirk forced his
way out through the crowd to find the
fireman holding the nozzle. from which
feeble stream was dribbing. and the
chancally directing II mt the fire
Kirk laid hold nf the canvas and. with
a hcave. dragged 1t along with it's
riglttnl guardian ten feet forward
But there had been no bugle blown or
der for this. and the uniformed nan
pulled backward with all his might.
'hattering at Kirk in Spanish
Well. then. let go" Anthony shook
ward across the street until he brought
up ut the end of the slack and felt the
hose behind him writhe and swell az
Allan released his hold The next in
stant the negro WAS ut his SIDE and the
Two found themselves half blistered by
the heat that rolled out upon them. But
the newly ignited roof was within
rHnge. and the stream they played
upon it made the shingles fly
The fireman they had desIoiIrd he
gan to drag at the hose from safe
distance hut when Kirk made ns III to
turn the nozzle upon him lie srampered
away amid the jners OF the crowd
few moments later the American felt
Il hand Upon his arm ana saw an angry
Policeman who was evidently ordering
him back Behind him stood the OK
cited nozZlemnn with two companions
lie says you should return the Ose
where yo,i found II. Allan translated
4
fellows help the others. Wen attend
10 this More rapid words and GEES
iirnlatlons followed In the midst OF
which IL dapper young man IN II uni
form somewhat more Impressive than
lhe others dashed up. flung himself
upon Anthony and endeuvored to
wrench the hose from his hands
Meanwhile he uttered epithets In bro
ken English which the other Ind no
difficulty in understanding Kirk
promptly turned The nozzle upon hin,
and the fun force of colon's water
pressure struck him spunrely IN the
stomach. doubling hin up like the Kick
of Il mule. Down the newcomer went.
then half rolled. half slid across the
street as the stream continued to play
upon him
u guess they'll keep away now"
lnnghrd Kirk. MS he turned back to his
self appointed task.
But an Instant later u hnlf dozen ,o-
iiremen advanced in ~ husinessIike
manner. and their ie:hrr announced
Come. you are llnde, nr;,.st:
.I'inched what for! We're dong
Il, l,t t,f fr,,nd hor..