Random Sparks
—The Albany boys are packing their hydrants with sawdust.
—The Benefit Committee of Philadelphia propose to give a concert.
—The Waterbury, Conn., Fire Department is very much in want of new hose.
—The Albany Department is to have one thousand feet of new hose.
—Engine Company No. 2, of Pough keepsie, _____intend giving a ball on Christmas Eve.
—The furniture for the parlor of Hook and Ladder 4, of Hornelisville, N. Y., cost $3,000.
—The department at Attica, N. Y., has just received a new truck. Its reception brought about a general parade.
—The authorities of Washington, D. C., have presented to the Baltimore Fire Department, through Chief Hennick, a handsomely framed set of resolutions.
—A couple of firemen in Kingston, N. Y., walked around their engine house for nine hours for a bet of a glass of lager.— Philadelphia, Mercury.
—Ed. Angell, Chairman of the Fire Commissioners of Cleveland, Ohio, has been on a visit to Rochester, N. Y., to inspect that department.
—Hand-in-Hand Engine Company, of Scranton, Pa., has finally been recognized by the city authorities, which has had the effect of starling several new fire companies.
—At a meeting of Fearless Hook and Ladder Company, of Dansville, N. Y., Albert Sauerbeer was elected President, vice Joseph Hoover, and Mat. Cook, VicePresident.
—The temperance fever has reached Newburg, N. Y. Nearly forty members of the Fire Department signed the pledge last week under the preaching of J. T. Douluey, the reformer.
—The Union boys of York, Pa., have sold their hand-engine to the authorities of Philipshurg, Pa., for $350. This engine was bought in 1853, the year of their organization, and was built in Baltimore City, Md.
—The parade of the Fire Department of Richmond, Va., on the occasion of the late visit of President Hayes to that city was very creditable. Chief Ainslie seems to kuow how to do tbe thing up in old firemen’s style.
—In Cleveland tbe fire horses do not stand in stalls, but the harness is suspended over the toogue of the truck or steamer as the case may be, and when tbe alarm strikes the horses take their places at the same time the harness is dropped upon them and fastened by four “snaps.”
—Inverary Castle, the country seat of the Duke of Argyle, which was recently par tlally destroyed by fire, is to be rebuilt at once. The Duke will spend $100,000 in restoring it. The insurance on the castle and its contents amounted to $530,000.
—Tbe city of Cork, Ireland, is discussing tbe propriety of organizing a fire brigade. A big fire, by which several extensive mills were destroyed, has awakened the denizens of that classic city to the ex pediency of utilizing modern fire apparatuses and systems.
—The Good Will Fire Company, of Greystown, Penn., after years of rest, has been reorganized with tbe following officers: President, Emanuel Grey; Vice-President, Marcellus Fried; Secretary, C. A. Boyer; Treasurer, John Miller; Trustees, James Long, J. W. Scheffer and Henry Sleeger.
—The Ladies’ Committee, of Readings, Pa., some sixty, meet at the hall of Junior Engine to make arrangements for their fair, which will beheld at Keystone Opera House during the week commencing on Dec. 3. Mrs. Capt. F. P. Heller is directress, and, from appearances, it is going to be the largest fair held by any party in the city.
—A new hose company has been organized at Bradford, Pa., to be known ns the Johnson Hose No. 1, with the following officers: F. J. Whelan, President; M. Lundergan, Vice-President; J. J. Lane, Foreman; Wm. Gallagher, First Assistant Foreman; J. O’Neil, Second Assistant; L. Cushing, Treasurer; E. J. Carew, Secretary.
—The residents of McKeesport, Pa., are becoming aroused to the necessity of taking steps toward the apprehension of the party or parties who have been making so many attempts to burn their town. The borough Council met on Tuesday evening, and decided to offer a reward of $500 for the capture of the incendiaries. It was also proposed to false a subscription among the citizens to increase this amount. This action is forced by the hesitancy of the insurance men to lake risks upon property in the borough. It is said that they are much inclined to withdraw from any further insurance there unless something is done to protect the property from fire.
—The following is published of a fire man not one hundred mtles away from New York. William Campbell, a gallant member of the Paid Fire Department, was charged by his wife with desertion and refusal to support her. In bis defence, Wil liam swore that the only apparent ambition of his darling Elizabeth’s life was to “break him up.” The desire for bis blood seemed to run in her family. Having broken a pitcher over his head, she induced her sister to do a similar service with a bottle, whereupon her brother punched his nose. “Why, Judge,” exclaimed her injured bus band, “if she sees me talking to another woman she knocks smithereens out of me.” Notwithstanding his physical afflictions, William was ordered to pay $1 a week for his wife’s support.
—The amount required for the support of the Albany Fire Department for the present fiscal year will not probably exceed $80,000, a saving of $8,000 or $0,000 over tbe year 1876, and nearly $20,000 over the preceding year. The department was never in better condition in all its branches than at the present time. Everything connected with or pertaining to it, is in the most complete and perfect order. Its efficiency is best demonstrated by the record of losses during the past year. There were sixty-two bell alarms, and eighty-one slight fires for which no alarms were sounded. The total losses during the year amounted to only $77,278 67, and the aggregate insurance on tbe real and personal property destroyed and damaged was $371,600.