The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-21
Soon There Will Be None Left
at Fire Stations.
Change Has Been Going on for
Some Time.
CHIEF HATES TO SEE THEM 60
Joe Hanlon Relates the Story
of Little Doc.
Men Were All Broken Up When
He Was Killed.
SATURDAY.

In four years there will be no fire
horses in Topeka. 1t is possible that
in even less time gasoline power will
have completely displaced animals for
the drawing of fire fighting equip
ment. The Topeka fire department e
to be completely motorized. The
change which has been under way sew
eral years is being made gradually.
Each year two or three horses are
displaced by motor-trucks.
The next team slated to go is from
No. L fire station in North Topeka. a
new combination hose and chemical
truck with a six-cylinder los horse
power motor will take the place of two
and possibly four horses now used
there. Joseph Hanlon, chief of the
fire department, is considering a plan
whereby the truck can be used in lay
ing hose to a fire and then be sent
back to the station and used as a
tractor to draw the steam pump. II
this plan is successfully worked out.
the new machine will dispIace four
horses at No 1 and if the plan is
found to be successful there, il will
be adopted at headquarters and the
horses there will be discarded without
the necessity of installing additional
motor tractors
with the passing of horses goes
all that is spectacular in a fire depart
ment,' said Joseph Hanlon. fire chief
Everything will be mechanical
There will be little or no excitement
IN running to fire. Personally 1 am
sorry, but economy and efficiency de
mand the change. It costs more for
feed and care for horses than for up
keep of motors as they are used by a
fire department, and then the motors
get there quicker when we start to a
lire and carry more men and equip
ment with them.
Il love horses and I believe nine
persons out of ten would rather see
a team of horses racing to a fire than
to watch motor truck. People GER
tainly like to see horses run"
Death of Little Doc.
Anyone who has any doubt that the
chief loves horses should hear him tell
of the death of Little Doc
1T was years ago. said the chief
He was { little sorreI-IittIe com
pared with the horses we use now
for then equipment was not SO heavy
nor runs so far and we used standard
bred trotting horses instead of tbs
heavy draft animals now in use LIT
ment Why, that horse knew more
than most men. He was game to the
last inch of him. We all loved him
and when he was killed il made me
sick-just downright sick I tell you.
and didn't get over il for weeks.
"A hose wagon ran into him in go
Ing to a fire. A shaft of the wagon
pierced one shoulder and came out the
opposite hip. 1 tried to stop the flow
of blood by holding my hand over the
wound 1t was no use-aud-and. well
when he went down 1 begged for
som ebody, anybody. to put him out OF
his misery I might have done il my
self with a fireman's axe. but
couldn't I just blubbered and begged
for someone else to stop the aninlais
agony. Finally a policeman shot him.
The whole department was blue and
glum for weeks"
Game IF Good stool
The older members of the fire de-
partment still talk of the intelligence
and SameneSs of Little Doc. He was
Of MacGregor stock, noted among rae
ing men for size, speed and endurance.
It - said that a sister of Little Doc
cutd4stanced all others in the mad
race when the Oklahoma strip was
opened and even beat a railroad train.
while A brother carried his rider clear
across the free land and on into the
Indian territory so far that all land
was taken before the rider had time to
discover his mistake and return.
We had horses in those days that
could go some" said the chief "An
We needed to do was just to give them
the word A whip wasn't necessary.
But now we must use big. coid-blooti-
ed horses and the lazy raseals will loaf
II a whip is not used
At present there are four horses at
No. / station and two each at Nos >, 3.
and and two extra horses are kept
a combination hose and chemical
motor truck has done away with four
horses at headquarters or No. sta
ton Two horses have been elirnin-
ated at No for the some reason, and
a motor tractor has displaced three
horses at Nos . and 3 each, and mo-
tor now takes the place of the horse
and buggy TO carry the chief to fires
Observation-Disclosures. Freddie. dear
what did Won learn Yesterday" New Rov