10 THE OMAHA DAILY BEE , SUMDAT. JUNE 22 , 1SOO.-SIXTEEN PAGES.
TRRMS : TE1RMS :
$15 WORTH OF GOODS , $1 A WEEK OR $4 A MONTH. SOWORTH OFGOODS $2.50 A WEEK OR $10 A MONTH.
$30 WORTH OF GOODS , $1.50 A WEEK OR $6 A MONTH . NV j $125 WORTH OF GOODS , $3 A WEEK OR $12 A MONTH.
$60 WORTH OF GOODS , $2 A WEEK OR $8 A MONTH. ( $250 WORTH * " OF GOODS , $5 A WEEK OR $20 A MONTH.
* *
O/-/CS
To visit our large , well lighted and ; handsomely displayed show rooms , whether P R i o e ; s
they wish to purchase or not. Visitors-Kind purchasers are equally welcome , and we
would consider it a pleasure to show you through our elegant stock. We are please !
to state that our spring trade has been exceedingly gratifying to us , something un
X precedented and far beyond our expectations. It merely demonst.ates that the .public
of Omaha and vicinity appreciate square dealing and are not slow to find out where
they can buy honest goods at the lowest possible prices.
It is also gratifying for us to know that we have made one hundred fricnls where X
we have lost one gratifying to know that our efforts to do the best we can , has been 7000yusINGRAIS
2000 CHAIRS , ' appreciated. Of course , we do not expect to please everyone ; no one can do that.
Our business has reached a magnitude that enables us to truthfully claim to Closing out price 18c
Closing out price 19c be first hands , on nearly every article offered for sale 'in our establishment. This &
insures the very lowest prices to the purchaser , as we have no middleman's profits
1400 BEDS to pay. We can give you better service , better values , and a better assortment 2000 YDS BRUSSELS
, from which to make your selections than any housefurnishingestablishment in the west
Closing out price $1.18 THIS MAY NOT BH MODESTY HUT IT'S ' BUSINESS. We can furnish yourhouse com Closing out price 4Sc f"V
X plete from cellar to attic , and give your own time to pay for them. We offer special X
inducements to young folks going to housekeeping. Houses furnished complete on
Wardrobes 550 BABY CARRIAGES
600 , one day's notice.
Closing out price $7.40. X . Prior to our semi-annual inventory , which takes place July 1st , we have marked Closing out price $2.oo
down every dollar's worth of goods at such figures as will be an inducement for any
700 Dining Tables , one to buy. Also a great many odds and ends which have accumulated during the 760 ICE BOXES ;
Closing out price $2.68. season , will be closed out for a mere song , Call at once if you want to see bargains , Closing out price $4..6O
offered at about 35 below former .
everything being per cent prices.
450 Extension Tables X 408 BOOKCASES
Closing out price $3.60. Closing out price $8.OO
400 Rockers , X 72 PARLOR SUITS
Closing out price $1.28. Closing out price $17.8O
178 Stoves , r A , 16 BED LOUNGES '
Closing out price $9.OO. X General Witters on the Installment Plan ! Closing out price $6.78
108 Gasoline Stoves , XV 27 CHAMBER SUITS
Closing out price $3.2O. IV Closing out price $9.28
rmrm
'TTT '
Between California and Webster Streets.
prajTfUi > wii i1' > > "
J .
ssmono Look For the White Front
DRINKING AT THE CAPITAL ,
Members of Congress Who Orook the Preg-
, nail t .Hinges of tlio .Elbow.
FAVORITE TIPPLES OF OLD-TIMERS.
Calhonn Took Sherry nml Clny Ijlkcd
Ills WlitHky StrnlBht How Thitr-
uiaii Handled tliu JUK
Growth of Temperance.
JSflO liy Frank G. Carpenter. " ]
WASHINGTON , Juno 18. [ Special to Tun
Dun. ] During the past month a number of
church conventions have passed resolutions
: ritielsing'.thousoof ' winos at white house
Sinners. President Harrison has been
drown over the coals , nnd a number of resolu
tions referring to the alleged charge that
liquors were sold in Vice President Morton's
Hat have been passed criticising Mr. Morton
nnd at the same time commending Postmaster
General W/amumikcr / or his cold-water feasts.
The excitement regarding the use of spiritu
ous Hqitoi-H has pervaded the capitol and
Speaker Head has driven beer and wines from
the house restaurant. There is a congres
sional temperance society which has been
holding its regular meetings during the ses
sion and there are some member ? of both
houses who believe that wo will eventually
have a prohibition party which will control
the government. , Among thcso Is Senator
Wilson of Jowa , who told mo not long ago
that ho llrmly believed prohibition laws
would eventually prevail throughout the
United States and another is Senator Col-
qultt of Georgia , who preaches temperance
on every occasion , Ex-Governor Dingloy of
Maine , Is a prohibitionist , Phlletus Sawyer
believes in total abstinence nnd Henderson of
Illinois , Kerr of Iowa , and O'Donuell of
Michigan , do not drink n drop. Chcadlo of
Indiana , says that during his canvass for
congress ho was asked what ho
when ho came to Washington. He had'Tfr
'v
plied
Ho AVonld Keep Sober ,
nnd ho says ho has never tasted n drop of Intox
icating liquor. Cutcheon of Michigan , has
never touched a drop in his life and Kerr of
Iowa , has been n life-long cold water man.
There Is no doubt but that temperance is
growing In congress , but there Is still room
for Improvement. Every session n dozen
now members come hero who nro not accus
tomed to drinking. They fall into the habit
nnd before their congressional term Is closed
they nro ruined for life , Ono of the funniest
men of the last congress , a man whoso name
was in the papers as the great wtt'of the scs-
Blon , was not elected to tills. He had , before
ho came to-tho house , a splendid legal prac
tice , Ho acquired drinking habits at Wash
ington and ho has now degenerated , though
ho is not yet forty , Into a bar-room loafer.
One of the brightest men who over sat In the
house of representatives was James II. Belford -
ford of Colorado. He was making J'0,000 n
year before ho was elected to congress and
when ho cumo here no was as bright us the
Oliver of his own Hoeky Mountains and was
us straight as a string. Ho got to drinking
and
Washington Iluiitcd Him.
Ho reformed and ro-reformcd only to break
his good resolutions and sink lower until dur
ing his lust days in congress he was almost
constnut'.y under the Influence of liquor. Ho
was a very brilliant man and ho could wake a
better speech drunk than most other men
could sober and no mutter what his condition
was the galleries were always ready to listen
to him. After ho left Washington ho went
to Denver and I understand he has now
reformed. When I saw him a year or so ago
lie said lie was making a fortune nt the law ,
was : prohibitionist and that ho never again
intended to run for congress.
I saw in the house today a white-haired
round-headed , short-bodied judge who used
to represent a congressional district within a
hundred miles of Chicago. Ho was highly
respected and was only a moderate drinker
when he came to the house. Ho had a nice
family , and ho was thought well of hero. Ho
could not resist the temptations of Washing
ton and ho is new a drunkard. Ho has had
several experiences with the Providence hos
pital , and I have seen him on the street in
such n condition that I thought he must behaving
having n fit of delirium trcmens at tlio time.
Ho would shako his head and mutter to him
self , fight the air with his hands ami grab his
log us though there were n snake or bco inside
his pantaloons. In 'tho ' house today ho was
only half sober , and ho drifted from member
to member , receiving cold looks from all.
There is an American minister who gets a
salary from Undo Sain considerably higher
than that of a congressman who has been laid
up a numberof times at this same Providence
hospital , and this hospital is the place to
which all statesmen are carried when they
become so under the Influence of liquor that
they need medical treatment , Tlio authorities
nro very discreet and no ono knows the names
of their patients nor do they publish a cata
logue of their diseases ,
I do not believe that there Is a greater
percentage of drunk'enness among the con
gressmen and other statesmen hero at Wash
ington than there is among any other body of
men outside of a church synod the country
over. The great majority of public men
drink more or less. It Is only the few however -
over who
Drink to Excess
nnd as to our presidents there has never been
an Instance of any ono except Andrew John
son being charged with taking too much
whisky while in the white house , and nil of
them with the exception of President Hayes
have been moderate drinkers. Washington
was n good judge of wine. Thomas Jefferson
spnldJJljljKJToi drlnks during 4 his life in the
JiJto-ftoiiso p Andrew Johnson served up
Tennessee punch to his guests. President
ArthUr had some of the finest wines in the
world on his white house tnblo while ho was
president. Cleveland drank beer at his
luncheon and always had wines nt his stnto
dinners. John Adams and his son , John
Qulncy Adams , notwithstanding the fact
that they came from Puritan New England
served wine to their guests and Madison hud
a good wlno collar. Buchanan was through
his long residence abroad a lover of good
wines nnd a Judge of liquors , and it is said
that Fnuik Picrco had a number of sprees nt
Washington before ho became president.
Andrew Johnson drank whisky straight and
when ho was governor of Tennessee
ho had a covered wash bowl In the
executive chamber nnd it was in this bowl
that ho kept the jug. President Harrison
has always been n temperate man and no ono
has over seen him nt a publlo bar. The de
mands of the white house nro such that It is
almost absolutely necessary to furnish wines
at state dinners nnd the diplomats who have
been accustomed to them from babyhood'
would make a bad meal without them.
A great many of our statesmen believe that
tbo use of light wines and beers
TcnilH to Temperance.
If you will take Franco and Italy you will
llndloss drunkenness there than in England
and there are not as many drunkards there as
In the United States , Many of the statesmen -
men drink only at dinner and not a few of
such nothing except when at a big feast.
Speaker Heed once told mo that ho did not
approve of mixing drinks at tlicso stuto din
ners and that as for him champagiio was good
cue igh and ho cared for no other wlno when
he had it. Senator Ingalls is not averse to a
good glass of sherry and as for tlio southern
men they usually prefer whisky straight.
Senator Edmunds likes a good brand of Ken
tucky bourbon and ho is note.l as having the.
best liquors nt the capitol. He frequently
"Crooked His Elbow"
in company with Senator Thurman and the
sly winks by which ono signalled the other
that it was time to go out and take a drink
have become the subject of many of the chest
nut stories of the past. Another senator who
was noted for keeping good liquors was Sena
tor Eaton. Eaton's ' favorite drink was wino
punch , fetill ho kept n good brand of Ken
tucky whisky in his committee room mid I
heard today an incident which occurred there
during an all night session of the senate some
years ago. Senator Eaton was sitting at his
ties ) : dictating to his stenographer when
Senator Thiirman entered and said : ' "Eaton
I want a swallow and what have you' to
drink I"
"I have some whisky , " said Eatonand with
that ho handed Senator Thurman
a tumbler and told his secre
tary to bring tlio Jug. The secretary at
tempted to pour the whisky into Senator
Thurman's glass , but tha jug was so full and
ho was acting so awkwardly t.hat Thurman
motioned him to desist and reached out his
hand for the jug. The secretary pave it to him
and Thurman taking the handle in his right
hand gave a slight twist of the wrist and
threw tbo jug on his elbow and in this posi
tion poured out the amber-colored liquid until
the glass was brim-full. Tl\ero \ was a full
gallon of whisky ia the jug and hq did not
spill a drop. Ho then drank the glass neat ,
smacked his lips and loft the room. As he
wont out Senator Eaton looked. at him and
said : "Well , if Thurman
. CallN That a Swallow
I would hate to ask him to take a full drink. "
Washington is noted for its line whisky.
You can get a good "Jigger" in any block and
ono of the rjiost noted drinking places of the
capital is in n little old house on tlio south
side of the avenue about half way between
the capital and the treasury. It is Hancock's
saloon and it has been patronized by states
men since the days of President Harrison's
grandfather. It was hero that Clay , Web
ster and Cnlhoun came to drink and the old
negro bartender who still stands behind the
counter tells mo that John C. Culhoun liked
sherry , that Henry Clay liked his whisky
straight and was very fond ofn good Julep.
This saloon is a sort of a curiosity shop. It
has the relies of a hundred of the most famous
men and thieves of the past. Hero are the
autographs of nil the noted men in our histo
ry. Hero Is an old pair of shoes that Wash
ington wore , faded buttons from the coat of
Andrew Jackson and a seedy whltohat that
once adorned the head of Zuchiiry Taylor.
Hero are Jeff Davis' drinking glasses nnd the
table on which Henry Clay played cards.
Hero are relics of the assassination of Presi
dent Lincoln and mementoes of John Brown
and an old umbrella of Beau Illekman's ,
Beau Hickman was the prince of Washing
ton dead-beats. For moro than fifty years ho
worked the statesmen and strangers for
drinks and loans. Henry Clay was ono of his
victims , and starting hero with some money
and good clothes ho managed to live for over
a generation on what ho could squeeze out of
strangers. Another noted character of the
same kind was Ben Butler's son-in-law , who
was nt one time consul-general to Egypt and
who , while there , wont to the khojlvo nnd
told him that the United States government
paid him very poorly and ho would like to
have an allowance from the royal treasury.
The khcdlvo gave him something and ho man
aged to squeeze out quite an amount in addi
tion to his salary , Ho had a number of other
appointments , but ho drank himself out of all
of them and then came back to Washington
to loaf -about tbo hotels hero. Ouoof ( ho
leading restnuranteurs of the capital had an
order to give him all ho wanted to eat ,
Itnt Nothing to Drink ,
and ho thus lived for some years. lie was
one of the most hrilliant writers in the United
States , and when soU2r was a very entertain
ing conversationalist , lie was innrricd'twico
and his first wife was Rose Eytiugo , the
actress. She got , I think , a divoree , and ho
then married Miss Butler again n nice little
*
woman , who took enre of him almost to the
time of his de.ith , n few years ago.
The lohbyists and dead-beats of Washing
ton have been reduced in number during late
years. The civil1 service examinations have
radically reduced tlieir power of persuading
ofllca-seekers that they can furnish thorn
places , and you do not now see advertise
ments in the Washington papers offoringSlOO
cash nnd 10 per cent of the salary
received for a government position.
Five years ago such advertisements
were common , and there were three
or moro of them in every day's issue of IPO
Star , Now they appear only occasionally.
Nearly all of tho'hig eoaipmies and big in
terests have lobbyists stationed at Washing
ton who know these sharkers and warn their
friends against thorn. It is only the green
horn and the country element who is taken
in by them nnd their lines have become
harder every year. I know ono man who
lives well hero en an income of ? TO a month.
Ho is a republican or u democrat , according
to the man lie meets , and ho would
Drink with MojihiHtopheles
and take u meal with the devil himself if ho
could got an invitation. lie is a 'man ' of
ability nnd has been in the diplomatic service
and was once appointed eoiu-nl to Zanzibar.
Ho was away from Washington this time
three months and then came hack , saying
that lie hud cruised all around over the In
dian ocean and couldn't find the d n place.
Ho pretends to bo a friend of every president
who comes in , nnd I heard n funny story at
the white house not long ago of how ho once
tried to get nn interview with President
Hayes. He had his friend whom ho was pre
tending to help witli him , and ho went up to
the messenger nt the president's door as hold
as a lion. Pulling out a cheap print card ho
said ; ' Will you please take that into the
president ! " "NtJ , " replied the messenger ,
"I will not. Tliuj president lias said that ho
will receive no ono else this afternoon. "
"But " retorted Blank "I have
, iTiidgo , an ap
pointment with i him for this hour and
"you will got Into trouble If you don't take
in this card , .Just tall him that Judge
Blankoty Blank oft North Carolina 'wants to
see him. " Ho iput on such a bold face that
the messenger was staggered nnd finally took
the card and wont into the private secretary
and asked him what to do about it. A mo
ment Inter he coma oat nnd said : "I did not
glvo the president your carJ , but I did take
it in to his private secretary , and the private
said for mo to tell Judge Blankoty Blank of
North Carolina that
Ho Couhl Go to II 1. "
As Judge Blankoty Blank is still hero ho
evidently did not toke this advice.
When ho came back from his trip to Zanzi
bar the Judge had u wonderful story to tell
about how ho had saved the daughter of an
English duke when she hnd fallen over the
side of the ship into the Bay of Bengal. Ho
plunged lio.ullong from the ship's rail after
her , caught her us she was sinking for the
third time , and by treading the water man
aged to keep her ulloat and away from the
sharks until a bo.it was lowered and the sail
ors restored her to her father's urms. This
story of Judge Blank's got into the newspa
pers , nnd shortly after this another story ap
peared la the form of n special dispatch which
stated that the English duke had died and out
of gratitude for the salvation of his daugh
ter's llfo had loft Judge Blankety Blank of
North Carolina JElO.tKW. All of the Judge's
friends congratulated him. His credit bo-
came good for a day and he took advantage
of this to call upon the leading clothier of
Washington to get a complete o'.Ulit from too
to crown. The next day it began to bo seen
that the story was fishy , and a week later it
became a gray-haired lie. The judge's clothes
however , remained new for several months
and on the strength of them he got many a
meal and many a drink.
Returning to drinking at tlio capitol the
senate restaurant is now very well patronized
by the members of the liouse. Its bill of faro
includes all sorts of fancy drinks and there is
not much use of asking for cold tea. There is
a rule againt the sale of liquors , but it is not
operative and there is no rule which prevents
a man keeping a bottle in his com
mittee room. Senator Pendleton used to have
a good brand of champagne in the library com
mittee and it is not uncommon for Don Cam
eron to give n lunch with wines to some of his
senatorial friends in ono of the committee
rooms. Senator Wolcott of Colorado is said
to bo nn authority on fancy drinks. Voorhces
of Indiana comes from such n malarious dis
trict that ho had tolenrn how to Judge whisky.
John Sherman Is not averse to a little good
wine , though it is said ho never takes
Moro than a Thimbleful
of whisky , nnd his brother , the general , Is
fond of old rye. Nearly all the army officers
drink moro or less and the best wino cellars
of the capital belong to the tnemucrs of tlio
navy. Many of them get their liquors 'from
abroad free of duty , and every now nnd then
ono is ordered to a fur-away station nnd ho
auctions off Ids supplies. I got some very
fine claret the other day which came from a
sale of the -wines of Lionel Sackvillo West ,
the last minister to the United States from
Great Britain , and you now and then get a
bottle of old Madeira from u supreme court
justice's cellar. The diplomats use tlio Cali
fornia wines largely and Senator Stanford
has the llncst of these in his cellar. Ho has
one brand of white wino which ho sends out
to sick people and he thinks Unit some of the
best wines in the world come from the Pacl-
llc coast vineyards.
FIIANK G.
Antlrcw n. Sitxton ( n The Centum ,
Oft nt the play in trance I scorn to stand
Until the last shrill bell of warning ringst
Long cro tlio upward rolling curtain fling
Its glory outward a fantastic band-
Wealth , Love and Hatred , Glory and Com
mand
Troop to their places , as the moment brings
The-prompter , Passion , forth to yonder
wings ,
Where the scene-shifter , Time , is close at
hand.
And well I know that presently will Ono
Let the vast curtain of Oblivion fall.
Then shall wo walk abroad , the pageant
done ,
And to each other in amazement call ,
"How could wo think that stage-glow was
the sun ,
Or ever fancy this were llfo at all 1" ,
The Delightful Hummer KoHorlw of
the Knst.
Tourist tickets , both blnplo and round
trip are now on sulo via the Luke Hhoro
route , ( Lake Shore & Michigan South
ern ) to Chatiuinuu , Niagara Falls , Tor
onto. Thousand Inlands , The St. Law
rence , The White Mountains , Lnko
Champlaln , Saratoga , Portland , Bur
Harbor. &c. , in fact all of the principal
mountain , lake and seaside resorts of the
oast. This Is the direct line between
Toledo , Cleveland , llulTulo , Now York ,
Liostoii and intunnedlato points. The
route of the Chicago ana Now York
limited , the only solid vcstlbulud limited
train between these points without a
change or transfer of any kind. Send
for tourists folder nnd full information
concerning the train service. B. P.
Humphrey , T. i1. A. , fi31i Main St. . Kan
sas City , Mo. , C. K.Vilbor , W. IJ. A. ,
Chicago , Ills.
IT i n WPP PIMP AP TM ppTntPiTV
HARNESSING Or ELEClRICITi ,
How , in Turn , the Plaid Helps to Harness
Omaha Fire Horses.
COULTER'S ' 'REMARKABLE INVENTIONS.
How They Aid In I5xiclitiii Flre-
IIIOII'H Work A Chapter on the
Most Itcccut Innovation , the
Fire Reporter.
The efficiency of tlio Omaha flro depart
ment depends , to a great extent , on the
smooth-working of the electric appliances
and alarm wires and boxes. Engine houses ,
fust horses and energetic fire-fighters can
only do good worlc whan supported by an
alarm system which is well handled and docs
the work required of it.
The mcchnnlsm.of the Omaha department
is conceded to be equal to that of any city in
the country , though not nickel plated nor
garnished with many red wheels. George ) A.
Coulter is at tlio head of the flro and police
alarm system and to his mechanical genius is
largely duo the success and reputation of a
system hampered by limlted.ifuuds and a
scarcity of houses.
Coulter is one of the old-timers having come
into the service in 187ilwhon ho was assigned
to No. 1 engine house and worked for the
glory there was in It. Ho was at this house
for about a year and was promoted to bo
driver in the meantime. In 1B75 , ho was
transferred to the homo of Fire King No. 2 ,
where ho handled the rains till 187 ! ) when ho
was made fireman. This position ho held till
some time in April tSSl , when the water-works
were put in. In August of that year , lie was
made engineer of No1 1 engine house mid
had charge of the house now occupied by
No. (5 ( till ho began to take an Interest In the
alarm system. In January "SO , ho was sent
up to No. 5 where ho put the engine in service
and remained till April ' 87 , in the meantime
making a study of the needs of
the department and lilting himself
for his position ns superintendent of the lire
and police alarm system.
His first improvement consisted in sub
stituting snap and ring attachment for the
old polo straps on tlio engine in No. 1 engine
house , which saved considerable tune. Next
ho made au improvement on the hitching
mechanism of tlio tugs which saved a second
or more. About this time there was consid
erable talk of hanging harness and Mr.
Coulter devised a swinging collar which hung
over the horses in the stall , lleforothat
time the horses had stood harnessed from
morning "till night. His next improvement
was made in 1878 , when ho got out nn iron
hamcs fastener which has been patented.
Two years afterwards ho contrived the
swinging harness now In use in all of the
houses. It was first put up over thg hose
cart In No. 1 ! , ami next a double harness was
suspended over the engine horses in the sumo
liouse. This harness has been noticed by every
one who has passed tlio door of un Omaha
engine house and is In every respect tlio in
vention of Mr. Coulter. It is so contrived
that one motion clamps the collar and hntnoa
around the necks of tlio horses and a pull on
i rope drops the rest of the harness , and the
liorscs are harnessed nnd ready for the run In
i very few seconds , The hip Iron which is
in use on the chemical engine In No. 1 and on
.ho hose curt in No , 4 is a contrivance which
spreads out the harness and leaves it free to
lit the horses.
A few months later the Omaha horse trip
, vas patented. This is a contrivance whereby
.ho horses are turned loose automatically
when the alarm is sounded. It consists of u
sot Of IOVOM and magnets , which are con
nected with the gong in each house nnd when
.ho alarm comes in the doors In front of the
lorses ily open , the hitching straps are
ooscncd and a set of whips over the back of
each horse are set In motion. In connection
wltn this trip Mr. Coulter has put into each
louse a train of lovers bo arranged that by
turning u handU any of the homed or all
of them may bo turned loose when
ho alarm comes In. In engine house
> Jo. 0 , there is a reiUter ; als manufactured
by Coulter which gives the number of the box > § * "
from which the alarm is sounded and stops
the clock at the first stroke of the bell. The
only reason why this is not in all the houses
is a lack of funds.
There nro only three periods i'n the day
when the horses are not liberated when the
bell strikes. 7 in the morning , noon and at U
in the evening. At these hours there is an
electric attachment which automatically
shuts them off and the bell tolls the hour in
all the houses in the city without calling out
the department.
Every appliance In use in Omaha designed ,
to economize time in the ilro department Ifha1"
been manufactured by Coulter. On many of
tlicso , notably the horse trip , he has a patent ,
and his invention is in use in other cities
throughout the country.
Under Coulter there are two linemen ,
Prank Gardner and William Ing , and in thn
central police station the operators are
Joseph llcngcn , on duty from 7 u. m. till 0 p.
m. , Frank Phillips , from (1 ( p. m. till rJl" :
m. , and James Ish , who works from 12 : , ' :
m. till 7 n. m.
There are two fire-alarm systems In In
the city , the GamMcll and th ) interstate , and
the city is covered by four circuits. When
an alarm 'Is sounded on any one of those , tha
repeater at No. ! l engine house transmits IS
instantaneously to the other three and each
house gets the number ut abou * the sumo in
stant. There nro sixty-seven Ilro boxes and
thirty-seven flro and police hoxoi. The po
lice boxes nro so arranged that thp operator
can either report that ho is on duty , will foe
the patrol wagon , a squad of police or an
nounce a fire , which will be transmlUed to
all the houses at onco. Under the present
system , the dcpartmcntgots on the street and
ready for business , night or day , in eight seconds
ends , and when everything Is favorable can
make it in five seconds or less ,
Tliis time could not ho made in the old days.
Down in No. U for Instance , which was then
tlio lively house of the city , the horses were
quartered out In the ally , and thd men came
tumbling down the stairs , for there was n
pole. When the alarm sounded there
a set of weights , which had1
been put In by lr Coulter ,
which jerked tlio clothes off the
sleeping fireman ami effectually aroused him
up. Then there was u clambering down the
outside stairway , which In the winter was
coated with ice , and a harnessing In haste , the
whole operation consuming half a minute or
moro. No < v the Ilreman springs from his bed
Into n combination pair of punts and boots ,
and before ho can .slide down the brass polo
the horses are ready for business.
Another Important advantage to the flra
service is the ilro reporter. This Is a private
ontcrprlBO owned by Dulos 1' , Beard and
Nathan Elliott , two old volunteer firemen.
They are out at Nineteenth and I/.an I , ami
when an alarm Is sounded they gut to the
scene in many cases before the ilopnrttrfRff "
ascertain the name of the owner of the burn
ing building and , if ho liven nb a distance and
is a subscriber to the Ilro reporter system ,
bring him to the lire. They are supposed to
notify only subscribers , hut have made n
practice of getting every ono interested to all
the important lircs.
IJoth of these gentlemen were In the volun
teer department , having entered the service aj .
the organization of No. I In 1871. Mr HeafiR ,
was the foreman of one of the volunteer com
panies and has a record as n Ilreman which
many of the boys would like.
The reporter system was organized by
some Kansas City parties about two years
ago and by them run Into the ground. There
are now ! iOO subscribers and the reporters are
on duty day and night. They have all the
electric appliances used In the Ilro houses ,
the horse trip , nnd gongs In each house.
Every alarm Is answered far or near and
Messrs. Heard and Elliott prldo theiiiM.lycs
on limiting us good time as uny house in the
( service.
fiolil Her Child to a OlroiiH.
A woman named .Mono/ took lu-r two
little children , ono ngod four ' " "I tno
other nn Infant In nritiH , to the circus lit
Full Hlvor , Mass. , tlio other day. Whllo
on the grounds HIO ! wan approached by u
man wno inndo a proposition to tuko ti\n
oldest child , n boy , nnd train him loi\
circus llfo. After muoh parlaying , the N
woman guvo the child up , receiving * 25
and a promtHO of $1 a week us lout' u.-i tlicj
child Htayi'd with Ills owner. The roi
murkuhlo bargain WUH reported to thn
police , who arrostwl the woman and will
iiivotttlgutu the mutter.