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Fires and Firemen: from the Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature, Science and Art, Vol XXXV No. 1, May 1855 By: Anonymous |
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The Eclectic Magazine
of Foreign Literature, Science, and Art
Vol XXXV. No. I
May, 1855.
1: Fires and Firemen
Annual Reports of Mr. Braidwood to the Committee of the Fire Brigade
[From the Quarterly Review] Among the more salient features of the Metropolis which instantly
strike the attention of the stranger are the stations of the Fire
Brigade. Whenever he happens to pass them, he finds the sentinel on
duty, he sees the "red artillery" of the force; and the polished axle,
the gleaming branch, and the shining chain, testify to the beautiful
condition of the instrument, ready for active service at a moment's
notice. Ensconced in the shadow of the station, the liveried watchmen
look like hunters waiting for their prey nor does the hunter move
quicker to his quarry at the rustle of a leaf, than the Firemen dash
for the first ruddy glow in the sky. No sooner comes the alarm than
one sees with a shudder the rush of one of these engines through the
crowded streets the tearing horses covered with foam the heavy
vehicle swerving from side to side, and the black helmeted attendants
swaying to and fro. The wonder is that horses or men ever get safely
to their destination; the wonder is still greater that no one is
ridden over in their furious drive. Arrived at the place of action, the hunter's spirit which animates the
fireman and makes him attack an element as determinedly as he would a
wild beast, becomes evident to the spectator. The scene which a
London fire presents can never be forgotten: the shouts of the crowd
as it opens to let the engines dart through it, the foaming head of
water springing out of the ground, and spreading over the road until
it becomes a broad mirror reflecting the glowing blaze the black,
snake like coils of the leather hose rising and falling like things of
life, whilst a hundred arms work at the pump, their central heart the
applause that rings out clear above the roaring flame as the
adventurous band throw the first hissing jet cheer following cheer,
as stream after stream shoots against the burning mass, now flying
into the socket holes of fire set in the black face of the
house front, now dashing with a loud shir r against the window frame
and wall, and falling off in broken showers. Suddenly there is a loud
shrill cry and the bank of human faces is upturned to where a
shrieking wretch hangs frantically to an upper window sill. A
deafening shout goes forth, as the huge fire escape comes full swing
upon the scene: a moment's pause, and all is still, save the beat,
beat, of the great water pulses, whilst every eye is strained towards
the fluttering garments flapping against the wall. Will the ladder
reach, and not dislodge those weary hands clutching so convulsively to
the hot stone? Will the nimble figure gain the topmost rung ere
nature fails? The blood in a thousand hearts runs cold, and then
again break forth a thousand cheers to celebrate a daring rescue.
Such scenes as this are of almost nightly occurrence in the Great
Metropolis. A still more imposing yet dreadful sight is often
exhibited in the conflagrations of those vast piles of buildings in
the City filled with inflammable merchandise. Here the most powerful
engines seem reduced to mere squirts; and the efforts of the
adventurous Brigade men are confined to keeping the mischief within
its own bounds. When we recollect that London presents an area of 36 square miles,
covered with 21,600 square acres of bricks and mortar, and numbers
more than 380,000 houses; that all the riches it contains are nightly
threatened in every direction by an ever present enemy; that the
secret match, the spontaneous fire, and the hand of the drunkard, are
busily at work, it is evident that nothing but a force the most
disciplined, and implements the most effective, can be competent to
cope with so sudden and persevering a foe. As late as twenty two years ago there was no proper fire police to
protect the Metropolis against what is commonly called the
"all devouring element... Continue reading book >>
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