164 THE NEW YORK FIRE BRIGADE 



Department in New York. Its management is cer- 

 tainly the most perfect in the whole world, and is 

 under the supervision of Mr. Purroy. 



To instance the rapidity with which the engines are 

 horsed, I will narrate the following experience of a 

 friend of mine, Mr. Walter R. Johnston, now living in 

 New York, and Mr. Purroy's head electrician in the 

 explosive department. On his first becoming ac- 

 quainted with Mr. Purroy, the latter offered to bet 

 my friend that if he would turn up any night he would 

 engage to have the men out of bed, the engines 

 horsed, and all ready to start in three seconds from the 

 time the electric alarums were sounded in the dormitory 

 and stable. Mr. Johnston not only thought the asser- 

 tion a Yankee boast, but laid ten to one in dollars 

 against such an apparent impossibility. 



One night he decided to put Mr. Purroy to the test, 

 and accordingly arrived at the Fire Department head- 

 quarters with several of his friends. The men were 

 all in bed, and the horses were ready harnessed in 

 their stalls, as is usual every night. After retiring for 

 awhile, in order to allow the men to go to sleep, and 

 to be certain that Mr. Purroy had given no hint what- 

 ever to them, the alarm was sounded, and sure enough, 

 in less than three seconds the men were out of bed, 

 had pulled on their long boots, and jumped on the 

 engine. The horses were so well trained that the 

 instant the bell sounded they left the stable and backed 

 into the engine, when the traces were fastened, and 

 everything was ready to start in the prescribed time of 

 three seconds. My friend and his companions timed 

 the performance with stop-watches, and did all they 

 could to make it four seconds ; but there was no gain- 



