THERE WAS NO NEED OF WATER.
None of Yesterday's Fires Big Enough
to Require a Stream.
Yesterday was the day of the year when all of the fire companies were on the qui vive to be the first to throw water. The city was fortunate, however, in not calling for such services. Several runs were made, but no fires were of sufficient magnitude to require water.
This rivalry has been a feature of the Kansas City fire department for a quarter of a century. It is not known how or when it originated.
It has been productive of many interesting incidents. The most famous one, perhaps, happened about eight years ago. No. 11, a company of colored fellows, made a fair run and got "first water." Feature writers of the city papers made many stories of the incident. A few days afterward, two or three members of that company went to the woods and brought back several 'possums. The next step was to ask Chief Hale to have a 'possum dinner in the firehouse, which was granted. So they celebrated their achievement with one of the greatest 'possum dinners on record, at which almost all of the leading city officials were guests.
