The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-06-29
KACE GOT BARGAIN
IN FIRE HORSES
Bought Team At Cairo for $40,
Wortk S350-MayOr Play
ed Trick.

The details of how Mayor Rage
adroitly bargained for team of new
fire horses at Cairo Friday afternoon
were told when the executive returned
to the Cape yesterday morning accom-
panied by Allen Kimmel and City
Clerk r. w. Frisseli.
The Mayor got the team for S210
and he declared last night that, if,
when the city gets ready to sell the
animals, he doesn't succeed in selling
them for at least $3.50, he will give
up his right to be called a horseman.
The horses arrived in the Cape last
night at 6 o'clock. They had been
ridden bareback through on the East
Side from Cairo and were brought
over to the Cape on the ferry.
They were taken at once to the fire
station. Both animals are dark dap
pied gray and each stands 16K hands
high. Pat is the heavier and is built
on the general style of heavy draft
horse. He weighs 1885 pounds and
looks like he probably can pull a fire
truck all by himself.
His running mate is Frank, a thor
oughbred. Frank IS built on lines
more slim and he is as fleet as an ar
row. He weighs 1850 pounds. The
Mayor and Allen Kimmel declared
that Frank alone is worth the price
of both horses.
Several weeks ago the City of Cairo,
after a years jockeying and red tape,
succeeded in getting motor trucks for
the old fire department. 1t then be-
came necessary to dispose of the old
fire horses. The city asked for sealed
bids and Mayor Kage was asked to
bid,
At that time, the Mayor did not
know that he would be authorized to
buy horses for the fire department,
because of the fact that the Cape was
expecting to invest in a motor truck.
When the bids were opened, the horses
were sold off to a man named C. Zini-
mel, an Italian fruit peddler in Cairo,
who has taken up horse trading as
sideline. He got the animals at fig
ure far below their real value and
took them to his barn.
On account of the high spirits of
the animals, he was afraid to hitch
them to his banana cart-in fact, he
confessed he was afraid of the horses
and was afraid to hitch them to any
kind of wagon. He declared that in
the event of fire, be did not care to
go and he knew that he could not
restrain his steeds from taking him.
He let it be known that he wished
to sell the animals and the Mayor to-
gether with Mr.. Kimmel and Mr.. Fris-
sell went to see him.
Without wasting much time getting
at the preliminaries, the Mayor asked
tie Italian horse trader what he would
take for the two steeds.
The owner looked at Kage carefully
and said: "$24O."
you're afraid of them," the Mayor
countered. "They are not worth much
to you I'll give you $210."
The owner protested that he could
not listen to such low offer. Mayor
Rage turned on his heel and strobe
away with his two companions with
out saying another word. He knew
the man would follow him and he
knew that he was not going to let him
get away even if he did not.
The three went to one of the Cairo
fire stations to look at the motor truck
and within few minutes Zimmel put
in an appearance.
"Split the difference" he offered
Rage.
Nothing doingw commented the
Mayor and looked disinterested.
At this juncture, Allen Kimmel
stepped into the transaction.
81 am a horse man myself" he told
the Cairo horse trader, "and / have
known Mr.. Rage here for many years.
1t won't do you any good to fool
around haggling over price with
him. He has told you what he will do
and that's all so far as he is concerned
1 know because l have traded with
him.