Evening star., 1925-07-19
F|REMEN PREPARE
FOR SPEED TEST
Competition for Star Trophy
viii Be Held Tuesday
by All Companies.

| Determined to beat Baltimore's rec
ord time of 10 seconds, WAshingtons
fire fighters will begin to compete
| Tuesday for The Evening Star Cup, a
cup that is to be awarded to the COM
pany in the District of Columbia that
makes its. get-away-completely clear
of it's headquarters-to an alarm of
fire in the fastest time.
Until few weeks ago Detroit held
| the record of having the fastest fire
company in the United States, that is,
an engine company that cSlld actual
ly get on it's journey to the scene of
a blaze in the least possible time The
Michigan city claimed II seconds for
! it's best.
Then the newspapers of the country
carried announcements that an engine
company in Baltimore. under official
test, had lowered the record by a
single second and claimed the honor
of having the fastest firemen in the
Nation. Now Washington is out to
beat Baltimore and if an unofficial
| test early last week counts for any
thlng the record is as good as broken.
Winner to Get Star Cup.
To stimulate competition The Eve
ming Star has offered a large silver
loving cup to Washingtons fastest
company No strings have been tied
to the trophy. the banner fire com
pany here is to receive the cup
whether 1t lowers Baltimore's record
or not. The trophy Will remain in
possession of the winning company for
one year and will be placed in conpe-
| tltlon annually until it is won three
tlmeS by the same company. Each
winner, however will have it's name
engraved on the cup.
Rules and regulations which are to
govern the official test were sent out
by Chief Engineer George S. Watson
Friday. The test will be in charge of
Deputy Chief Thomas O'Connor, and
every company in the city, including
truck companies, will be given one
opportunity to compete. Chief Wat
sons bulletin to members of the de-
partment outlining the test follows:
AS you no doubt have seen in the
newspapers, The Evening Star has
offered cup to the company of this
department which shows the greatest
speed in leaving quarters after the
receipt of a test alarm.
Conditions of Test
THE test of this speed wilf be con.
Quoted by Drill Master Thomas O'Con-
nor and a representative or represent
atives Of The Evening Star, and will
probably be begun Tuesday, the 2Ist
instant
THE procedure will be as follows:
Members of the company will be
stationed at different places on the
apparatus floor, with the driver IA
feet in the rear of the apparatus seat
and on the side from which he mounts
to the seat.
In engine companies only one piece
of apparatus will be used, and it will
be optional with company command
ing officers as TO which piece, the en-
gine or hose wagon, is to be used
The rear step of apparatus in an
engine company is to be placed 80
feet from the front doorsill. If the
house is not deep enough to allow this,
a line Will be drawn on the pavement
in front of the door 39 feet from the
rear step. In truck companies mark
will be placed on the truck 39 feet
from the front doorsill.
The test will be started by striking
1-3' on the big gong. At the first
stroke of the gong members shall i'm
mediately take their places on the
apparatus, and the motor shall be inn
mediately started. The apparatus
shall not be placed in motion, how
ever, until the officer in charge has
counted the box, which, as above
stated. will be 1-3," and has called
Box 13, GO