FIRE HORSES. 231 



in going around a corner. By this device the neces- 

 sity of a wide turn is avoided, and the driver is 

 able to " cut " the corners as closely as if he had an 

 ordinary length of vehicle behind him. 



Sometimes a tough spiral spring, made of steel, is 

 inserted in the trace of a fire horse's harness, near the 

 whifnetree, the object being to lessen the strain at 

 starting. This ingenious device enables the horses 

 to exert their strength against a yielding connection 

 instead of a dead weight, — a certain momentum be- 

 ing acquired before the whole load moves. On the 

 same principle, the couplings which unite a train of 

 loaded cars must be somewhat loose, in order that the 

 locomotive may start the train. Motion is then com- 

 municated from the first car to the second, and so on, 

 as the spectator readily perceives ; whereas, if all the 

 couplings were tense, the whole train would have to 

 start at once. The spring just described might be 

 used with all draft horses. 



In the city proper, where most of the runs are 

 short, the whole distance is usually covered at a gal- 

 lop, unless some hill or obstruction intervenes ; and 

 this performance tries the animal of whom it is re- 

 quired through and through, so that if there be a 

 weak spot in him it is soon discovered. In the first 

 place, he must be big and heavy. Boston fire horses 

 vary from 1,200 to 1,600 pounds, — very few indeed 

 quite reaching the maximum, and most of them 

 weighing about 1,400 pounds, — rather less than more. 

 But the fire horse must also be active, as well as big 

 and strong ; he must have good feet, good wind, and, 

 finally, to execute his ordinary task, he must be in 

 hard condition. When the horses are first bought, 



