Evening star., 1925-06-12
OLD FIRE HORSES
TO GET FINAL RUN
Dash Arranged as Part OF
Party in Observance of
Retirement Monday.

All preparations for the retirement
of Barney, Gene and Tom, the last
veteran fire horses to see service in
Washington, have been completed,
and when they go on their short jour
ney to the pastures of Blue Plains,
| there to spend the remainder Of their
lives in peace and ease, each will wear
huge wreath of flowers in token Of
their unfaltering loyalty.
Early Monday morning the three
| old public servants will be transferred
to gayly decorated stalls in No. en-
gtne company There they will enjoy
breakfasts Of the choicest oats, and
beside them will be parked one of the
old pieces Of harness apparatus they
drew through the streets of the Ma
| tional Capital on many thrilling run.
Prepared for Party.
The men who have attended them
| Tor the last seven years will have them
sleek and perfectly groomed for the
farewell party that is to be rendered
| them by the District government and
the people of Washington on their
| last day in service. Attending the
ming, George S. Watson, chief Of the
Fire Department, and prominent citi-
zens.
Promptly at 10 o'clock the familiar
| gong will sound and Barney, Gene and
| Tom will run out of their stalls for
| their last joyous dash. Trained at
tendants will snap their shining har-
ness on as yore, the chain across
| the door will drop and with the bell
| changing and the children shouting,
the three old fellows will be off on their
| last run.
Course of Run.
The course will be from the engine
house, at Seventh street and North
| Carolina avenue southeast to Lincoln
| Park, half q dozen blocks away Spe-
cial details of police will be at every
! intersection to make sure that no
| modern traffic dashes across their
paths and possibly injure one Of the
| veterans just q few hours before they
are to go to their much-deserved rest.
Upon reaching Lincoln Park the
horses will be drawn up to a plug,
| given q few minutes of rest and then
| trotted back to the engine house.
| There William j. Fay, superintendent
| of the Home for the Feeble and In
| firm at Blue Plains, will be waiting
| personally to take charge of Barney,
Gene and Tom, and lead them to
| their future abodes down below Con-
| gress Heights.
| Hundreds Are Expected.
Hundreds of citizens are expected
to attend the farewell ceremonies in
honor Of Barney, Gene and Tom. 1t
| VIII be q program well worth witness
| ing and will be the last time Wash.
| ington ever will see its faithful old
fire horses in action. Barney, Gene
and Tom are the last team, and as
| they tramp out OF the engine house
| several, brand-new motorized trucks
will roar into their places
No. Engine Company's house was
selected for the party in place of the
| horses old home out in Twining City
| because it is closer to the central sec
! ton Of Washington and more persons
would be able to attend the celebra.
ton. Care will be taken to have am
pie police on hand to protect children
| from possible harm during the last
run, and Commissioner Fenning said
today he had ordered every precaution
| taken both for the benefit of the
horses and the people.
In the meantime q number of ad-
| ditiond contributions to the fund that
was being raised to save Barney.
| Gene and Tom from the ignominy of
public auction were received at The
Star Office this morning. These were
mailed before announcement that the
horses had been pensioned by the city
| was printed, and, of course, are not
needed now. They will be returned
to those who sent them.
Many Offer Aid.
One was from IAN old police re-
porter" who said the plight of Bar
ney, Gene and Tom had resurrected
many personal recollections of the
valor OF fire horses witnessed by him
while covering" fires for his paper.
In memory Of the fire horses he knew
in his reportorial day he sent check
for IS. Jane N. Vedder also sent
| check for IS. c.. M. Priesh contri-
buted $40 I'm memory Of w. P.
Tulluch, lover Of faithful horses. 4"
Miss A. M. Sargent sent a check
for 81.
| A number of anonymous gifts"
were also received, and it is urgently
requested that the persons who sent
them call at the Office of the cashier
Of The Star and claim them. One was
a contribution Of SIS from "a. E." The
donor failed to make his identity
known, but pleaded that the money be
used to save Barney, Gene and Tom
All three are safe now, and will be
cared for the rest of their lives, and
these donors may rightfully use their
money for other purposes.
| Special Benefit Proposed.
The management of the National
Theater offered TO put on a special
benefit performance in honor of
Barney, Gene and Tom and donate the
proceeds to the fund for their rescue.
This offer, too, came before public an
nouncement Of their retirement was
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