Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-08-26
FIRE FIGHTING
IS SPREFERRED
BY M'DONAGH
Newark Fireman, Returning,
Tells of His War Experiences
in Ireland.

slne Company No. 10, returned from
ireland yesterday with some war ex-
perience to add to that gained during
MS years of service as a fire-hghter
IN the Newark department
McDonagh is glad to get back to the
shores of the peaceful Passalc, and
says so with a fervor that carries
conviction with it. He was given a
months leave of absence without pay
by the fire commissioners to visit his
father in old Erin, and yesterday the
commissioners. to relieve the fireman
of embarrassment because of doubt
IS TO whether he could reach this city
before his leave had expired, had ar
I ranged to grant him an extension of
time
But McDonagh got back all right,
even II he did come by way Of
Boston.
When on July 20 he, with his ten.
Sear-old daughter, Mary Ellen, sailed
on the Carmania for Queenstown
there was no talk of any serious
trouble on the other side but
within three days OF tie Irish coast
the voyagers We're apprised Of the
fact that war clouds had burst and
that war had been declared on
August the disquieting information
was impaired to the passengers, and
there was CONSERVATION on board
ship. Three English battleships hove
in sight to escort the liner into
Queenstown harbor. The Carmanla
was clothed in canvas and no lights
were permitted above decks.
when we landed at Queenstown"
said McDonagh to an Evening Star
representative, Eve found everything
in confusion. On all sides were scenes
OF activity. Hundreds of men were
engaged In digging trenches and
throwing up Notifications to protect
the country from the prospective in
vaders. 1t looked to me for all the
world as If Ireland had gone to war.
Mind you, I'm like all the rest Of the
Irish. | don't mind fighting, but |
frankly confess that l would rather
be i'm Newark fighting fires to fight
ing with guns and swords over there.
/ thought they would pick me up,
hand me a pick or shovel and make
me jump in and dig bitches. l had
my fill of that kind of work years
ago, and while it may be good enough
in its place | have no further use for
1t. There was lots of digging to be
done and no one need be out Of work
in Ireland.
There was nothing but war talk,
and everybody seemed to be spelling
for fight. The Ulster volunteers
and the Nationalist volunteers had
buried their little differences and
were digging away hand in hand and
shoulder to shoulder" g
WHO were they going to fight for?"
asked The Star man.
For England, of course replied
McDonagh. Don't you know they
nave to?"
McDonough went on to say that but
for the fact that he had his little
daughter with him and had to care
for her day and night. he would have
seen and heard more, but that as 1t
was he had seen and heard enough
for one short visit to Ireland.
He went to his fathers home in
little place called Riverton, County
Sligo, from which point he started
out for observation purposes
The cost of living had jumped sud-
denly, prices on necessities having
doubled All the youhg men capable
of bearing arms were impressed into
service and those that were not sent
to the seat of war were detailed to
coast defense work and duty.
ut would be as much as the enc
mics lives would be Worth to attempt
to land on the Irish coast,n declared
ready to fight and equipped for fight
ing. And every one gets scanning the
sky for the German war birds you
have heard about"
Horses were in great demand.
Where they could be bought for $50
apiece, our money, but a short time
ago. said McDonough, they now
bring $3.50
"And any old skate is not so insig-
Ill q - 1, ct Cld %
the fireman. "They told me that UP
to six months ago Germany had been
buying up all the Irish horses they
could get. This, it was explained,
made it clear that Germany was pre-
pairing herself for the worst. Sud
dnly the English people became sus-
picious, woke up and ordered that no
more Irish horses be sold to Ger
many. Every German found in Ire
land was suspected OF being spy and
was compelled to'make explanations.
How to get home bothered Nc
Donough to no little extent.
81 thought | would never get back,
said he. "The Cunard agents couldn't
provide passage before sometime in
October they said, and then at extra
price. | could see visions of my fire
job going up in smoke.
"I was thankful to Chief Moore
ana the lire BTdnl-
ing me that leave of absence, but
often while over there | wished they
had not"
BY a stroke of good fortune Me-
Donugh made connections at Londog-
derry with the Allan Steamship Com
pany and obtained third class berths
on the Pretorian, which sailed for
Boston on August II.
I'D take any old berth could get
and pay first class prices for it." ex-
cfeimed the fireman. .'I'd sleep on
the deck. on the roof or in the cellar,
anything to get back to Newark.
I'VE had a fairly nice time com
ing back" concluded McDoDougn,
"but everybody seemed to be afraid
that the enemy would gobble us up.
Searchlights were played on us fire.
quently of nights by British war ves-
sells. There We're apparently no other
kind of war vessels. | met Police
man John Begley on board the Pre-
torian Just put me down as one
who intends to remain in Newark and
stick to fire fightingi"
Miss Kenny Entertains
ACpITRY PARK Aug 26-Mrs M