Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, November 11, 1900, Page 15

| ¥os . L] : i | | November 11, 1800. THE Strange and Startling Noises in Omaha Ding-ding-ding, ding-toot-to-o-t t-0-o0-ot. There comes the fire department. ““Hello, central!” What's burming? 1Is that so? Thank you.'" How often the busy people along the thoroughfares are startled by the horns and bells of the city's fire paratus, Dur- ing the old volunteer regime jingling bells were fastened to the carts and trucks by means of coil springs. These soon gave way to the brass gongs usually attached to the dashboard of the wagon and oper- ated by the driver, Of recent years, however, with the introduction of the swiftly-mov- ing trolley car, with its warning bell, and the strong competition to attract public FIRE ALARM—THE attention by the popcorn man, the scissors grinder and advertising fakir, the fire de- partment has been forced to change f{ts signals and teach the people something more effective in order to clear the streets. Now we have the horn. Both man and beast are beginning to know its warning and it is interesting to watch a spirited city horse prick up its ears as the tooting is heard several blocks away and stand unmoved as the long line of apparatus rushes by on its way to quench the fire. The same horn is used by the chief to signal the crew of a hose line to turn on the water after a coupling has been made. If cart No. 2 is ready, two blasts from the horn and the water fills the pipe. Three oots for No. 3 and the nozzle trembles as the water rushes from the hydrant. So on up till six or seven streams are playing on the blaze. On the larger fire-fighting machines they have gone back to the old-time bell, but a somewhat large one and similar to those used on a locomotive. The use of the rub- THE FAMOUS BEMIS BAG ber tires has done away with and the bells are more effective For nineteen years Willlam Quigley has been blowing the big steam whistle of the Union Pacific shops and it has never missed a working day except once, when a defec- tive pipe blew the entire affair off the roof It consists of several whistles, fully tuned when put in and modulated steam signal in the city sands of people have been suddenly ened to some stirring event in the history by this deep-voiced warning The Omaha and Grant Smelting company has been furnishing the daily signals for thousands of laborers and factories along the rattle was care- the best Thou- awak- city's — OLD WAY. Pt b FIRE ALARM— the river front for more than fourteen years. Perhaps the most startling and mirth- provoking whistle in Omaha is the steam siren of the Bemis Bag company This noisy affair, with fits sliding was put up two years ago and is operated by Fireman Meyers. When the Nebraska troops left for the Philippines the Bemis company burned a ton of coal in making steam to give them a fitting sendoff. The whistling was repeated when the New York troops went west and again this fall when the railroads agreed to make the rates for Ak-Sar-Ben week tones, Siren Anno cen ( 1 Newns, A large St. Joseph firm expressed its in- tention of locating in Omaha and the fa- mous siren was turned loose to announce its coming ahead of the city papers Mr Peters says hundreds and hundreds of tele- phone calls were received begging to know what was the matter. He says he knows a good thing when he hears it and has sev- eral tons of coal ready to announce the - B T . Ay My W R A ' COMPANY'S SIREN WHISTLE. ILLUSTRATED building of an auditorium the moment sufficient has been subscribed The long sheets of thin metal used by the theaters to make “thunder and lightning" scenes in melodramas are always interest- n.oney ing An iron coupling pin is used by a well known restaurant for the cooks to signal the waiters when their special orders are prepared The department stores use fire who live big brass gongs in case of Those near the business portlon of the city are constantly told the hour of the day and night by the big clock in the tower of the federal building LOUIS R BOSTWICK short Stories Well Told One night when Mr. Skinner was playing in “Rosemary' at Memphis, Tenn., relates the Clipper, several of the boxes were oc THE NEW WAY. [ ] cupied by a gay box party consisting of the smart young set of the city., There wus a great deal of laughing and talking goiug on 1n the boxes during the play, but at which Mr. Skinner took no ottense—mak ing allowances for their youth and exuber- ance. The production was an unusual suc- cess and the actor was called before the curtain for a speech, which he modestly delivered in a few words and low voice. After the performance the party came onto the stage o congratulate the company. One of the young women said to the hero: “‘Oh, Mr, Skinner, why didn't you speak louder when you made your specch?—we could scarcely hear a word you said.” That is strange,” gently retorted the actor., "1 heard almost every word that you said."” —_—— “1 have lost my grip.” This phrase is applied by men to kinds of failures, reports the Courier- Journal. One of the technical usages of losing one's grip is in the case of telegraph operators. Many of the most skilled operators suf- all fer at times from a loss of the “grip,"” and are compelled to give way tempo rarily to a substitute. This “grip” is the hold on the key, and the moment the operator begins to lose the control of this “grip” he realizes a rest, although for ouly a brief time, is due him. Another but unpleasant term applied to this loss of *“grip" is ‘“telegraphers paralysis.” It shows itsclf in many curious ways, all showing that the mus cles brought into play in working the key are badly worn. One of the most skillful operators in Louisville, who is subject to these attacks, cannot send “P."" The Morse manual calls for five dots for this letter. The operator in question by some hook or crock lost the power to stop at the fifth dot, and it i8 a common thing for him to warn the taker to look out for his “Ps." Recently he fellow asked a operator to watch him send “Ps” and to stop him at the end of the fifth dot. It resulted that although he would be warned at the fourth dot, the fingers, no longer brain, would continue fifth, the the mastered by dotting beyond “lI was with Sheridan when he won his star,” sald a member of the Second lowa cavalry to an Inter Ocean reporter “This was at Booneville, Miss., in 1562, when Sheridan's brigade consisted of the Second lowa and the Second Michigan cavalry It was a cavalry battle from first to last. Our two regiments were attacked by a heavy confederate force, including bat- talions from eight different regiments Sheridan, then a colonel, was fully in- formed as to the odds against him, but he resolved to fight, ““He formed the command himself, placed himself at the head of the squadron of direction and led us in one of the hottest and most brilliant cavalry charges the Second lowa ever participated in. Sheri dan, mounted on a large blooded horse went forward like the wind and we after him. We rode through or over the rebel BEE. WHISTLE AT UNION PACIFIC S8HOPS—IN USE N lines, 1 ling the “1oshall always remember Sheridan as he tormed and charged back, doub rebels up and routing them appearcd that day. On foot his figure was not impressive, because ot hi hort legs, but astride his magnificent horse, leading the headlong char he was the finest military figure 1 ey saw. 1Mor hi uperb conduct of the battle of Booneville Sheri- dan was promoted to brigadier general. A little later he published an article in the Memphis Bulletin declaring that he owed his brigadier's st to the Second lowa and Second Michigan cavalry “1 remember Sheridan as he was the day of the funeral parade for Grant in Chicago. He rode as fine rode at Booneville and he wore a black military cape that gave dignity solemnity to his masterful military He w a sick man that day and rode over a part « the route in a carriage, but when the procession reached Madison street he took to horse and the very personification of soldierly dignity and grief."” General a horse as he large and pose seemed serve filled with Russell, chief The English papers are still anecdotes of the late Lord justice of the realm. On one occasion his lordship was at Shrewsbury on circuit duty. The concluded on Saturday and the lord chief justice, who had brought a horse witk him, decided upon riding to Church Stretton, noted in those parts for assizes WHISTLE OF THE OMAHA GRANT BEN YEARS. its big private lunatic proceeding to Hereford, the next town. e stopped, however, at a hamlet outside Stretton, and, dismounting at the the only inn, told the landlord to attend to hig norse. The landlord’s method of performing task did not please his lordship, who spoke his mind freely to him. Having entered the house, Lord Russell brusquely, as was his wont, asked the host what he could have to eat. “Some bread and cheese,'” was the reply. ham on the sideboard; let and some bread,” sald his then asslze asylum, and door of his "1 see some me have some lordship. Indeed 1 won't,” replied the landlord; ‘It is for supper and you binna goin' to ‘ave It." Do you know who 1 am?’ thundered the judge ‘I am the lord chief justice of England.” In the course of this conversation the landlord kept cautiously by the door. Im mediately on Lord Russell announcing him self as lord chief justice he bolted out of the room, locked the door and rushed breathle into the police station at Church Stretton, telling the police that a patient had escaped from the asylum and wig in a dangerous condition at his house The police went to the inn; the superin- tendent cautiously opened the door and was horrified to find that the supposed lunatic was really Lord Russell Profuse and profound apologies followed SMELTER-—IN USE FOURTEEN YEARS.