Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-27
ENGINE COMPANY
NO: q MAKES BID
FOR STAR AWARD
Sets Record of s As Seconds
in Getting Out of
Quarters.
EIGHT UNITS COMPETE
IN OPENING OF TESTS
No. %, Record Holders of Last
Year, Figured in Hard
Luck Today.

NO. Il Engine company, TWICE Viccoi
in previous contests, MADE strong bid
today for permanent possession of The
Evening Star Cup awarded annually
10 the engine company of the District
Fire Department setting a speed record
in getting out of quarters on an alarm
Of fre. Its time of and q seconds
set a mark for the eight engine COM
panies visited by the official committee
early today on the opening Of the tests.
Among the truck companies compet-
ing for the cup awarded annually by
the Merchants and Manufacturers AS
ISOLATION, No. truck got away this
morning to beat other competitors with
time of 722s seconds. There was the
keenest sort of competition among both
classes and Chief Engineer Thomas
O'Connor, drill master of the Fire De-
partment in charge OF the contests. was
enthusiastic in his praise Of early per-
formanceS
Lieut.. Davis In Charge.
Lieut. H. T. Davis was In charge OF
the crew for Engine No. al, with T. H
Fenton in the drivers seat and s. Gold
pany No. S, Lieut. w. H. Nash was in
command, with Driver F. F. Ardigo and
Cranker H. d. Shepard. The truck
crew was so anxious to set a record
that one Of the men moved second
before the alarm and Omcial Gong
Striker r. A. Biondi. secretary to Chief
OConnor. mad to start them over again.
The timing committee started out at
q o'clock and went first to No. 23 En-
CINE Company. winner last year OF The
Evening Star cup. In addition to Chief
MA PnnnnnSAd
of w. w. Deane of the War Depart
ment. who is in charge Of all fire app
paratus for the Government. and Nelson
Shepard Of the Evening Star.
No. % Suffers Hard Luck.
No. 23 Engine Company, which set a
record of 62-5 seconds last year.
experienced hard luck today. Despite
the alertness of its men, the old engine
simply wasn't there" and it's ofdcial
time was 8 seconds nat. Sergt. J. E.
Uebele was in command. with P. L.
Bott as driver and H. J. Beahn at the
crank.
The time of 1875 seconds was
set by No. 20 Engine Company, in charge
Fielder and Cranker e. B. Lowler.
Shortly before noon the committee
went to No. 90 Engine Company. housed
in q new building on Conduit road.
Capt. c. C. WOLF, with B. A. Banagan
as driver, set the fast time OF 1875
seconds.
engine houses visited, with time OF
and 3k seconds noSed out No. Engine
Company whose time was and Is sec
onds Lieut.. r. e. Oden was in COM
11land Of the former, with Driver j. G.
Seabold In the seat. For No. 9 Engine,
Seret, J. E. Hunt was commander. with
3. r. Ihrie as driver and w. T. CappS
performing the duty at the crank.
Motor Retards No. :.
Back-firing in the motor Of No. Z
Engine Company resulted in the slower
time of 10 seconds fiat. Lieut.. E. @.
McNerhany was In charge of the crew
and T. l.. Phillips was the driver.
In the tests for the truck companies
competing for the Merchants Sz Manu-
facturers' Cup No. Il Truck Company,
twice holder of the trophy. lost a pos
sible chance to retain permanent pos
session of the trophy by one-fifth of a
second. It's time today was 73s seconds
Last year in winning the cup No. II
made as seconds, and the year previous
the fast record Of SIS seconds. Lieut.
@. Davenport was in command Of the
crew today. with P, c. Plaskett in the
drivers seat.
No. II Truck Company, the next visit
ed, was q shade slower with SH sec
onds. The crew consisted Of Capt. G. W.
Wells. A. C. Benson and c. w. Donohoe,
cranker. No. Truck did not fare so
we'll. It's time was IL seconds nat, due
to o slow engine. Sergt. E. A. Cox was
In command Of the crew: the driver
was J. w. Laughlin and H. B. Beddoo,
cranker.
No. 2 Truck Company made the
clearance in 10 seconds fiat when the
motor coughed several times. The COM
mander was Lieut.. j. Sheehan; the
driver. H. M. McLearen, and the
cranker, w. ". James.
The last truck company visited this
morning was No. 10, which did q little
better in q time Of and is seconds.
Capt. G! w. Wells was In charge: A.. G.
Benson occupied the drivers seat and
C. w. Donohoe did duty at the crank.
The official committee will make the
round Of companies in the downtown
section this afternoon and expects to
complete the tests tomorrow. Rivalry
Is expected TO be keener, If anything.
tomorrow because those who have not
vet competed will know what records
they will have to set to win either
cup. n"
Rules for Tests.
Rules governing the tests provide that
members of the company 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
When the apparatus is started by hand
crank, the man detailed for that job
shall be stationed IA feet from the
crank.
In engine companies only one piece
Of apparatus was used, engine or hose
wagon being optional with the COM
pany commanding officers.
The rear step of the apparatus In an
. engine company is placed 80 feet from
I the front door sill. In cases where the
house is not deep enough to allow this
line is drawn on the pavement in front
of the door 80 feet from the rear step.
In truck companies mark Is placed
on the truck 80 feet from the front
door sill.
The test is started by striking "1-3"
on the big gong. At the first stroke
members Immediately take their seats on
the apparatus and the motor is started
The apparatus Is not placed In motion
however, until the officer in charge has
counted the box and called, Box IS,
gol"
The Evening Star Cup was won last
year by No. % Engine Company. with
q speed record Of Us seconds, and
the Merchants and Manufacturers Cup
was taken by Truck Company No. a.
with q record of LIS seconds.
d.