"MAJOR," FIRE DOG, DEAD.
Mascot of Number 6 Station Killed
While on Duty.
"Major," the mascot of No. 6 fire station in Kansas City, Kas., is dead. He was only a dog, was "Major," a little white bulldog of uncertain pedigree, but he had bee the constant companion and playfellow of the boys at "Six" since the days of his puppyhood, and his tragic death yesterday under the wheels of the fire wagon he loved so well, cast a gloom over the station. "An ordinary dog with perhaps a little more than the ordinary intelligence," you would have said, had you seen him plying about the station. Had you carried your investigation farther eager friends would have imparted to you many wonderful tales of the sagacity and almost human intelligence displayed by the mascot.
The ordinary trick dog seen on the stage would have died of envy could he have witnessed the "stunts" performed by "Major" for the edification of his friends, the firemen. Long hours of patient training had perfected him in every trick known to "dogdom," but it was as a shortstop on the baseball diamond that "Major" gained the greatest laurels.
"The greatest dog shortstop in the world," he has been called on numerous occasions. Hundreds of boys and girls, yes, and grown folks too, have watched "Major" as a ball was batted or thrown from some distant part of the field, only to find a lodging between the jaws of the mascot who judged the ball with the accuracy of a major league star.
Always the first to respond to an alarm of fire, sometimes running by the side of the wagon, at other times riding on the footboard or in the basket, Major was a familiar figure at all the fires in the Armourdale district. About a year ago a can of acid was overturned an d some of it burned the mascot's foot. Since that time he has been unable to run any considerable distance and accordingly has ridden on most of the "runs."
It was while returning from a fire yesterday that in some unaccountable manner he was caught under one of the wheels and his hip crushed. Every attention was paid to him and when it was found that he could not live the fire boys brought chloroform and administered it in the hopes of alleviating his sufferings. Later it was found necessary to shoot him in order to end his misery, and an officer was called from No. 3 police station.
Passersby may wonder at the little mound in the rear of the fire station and smile when told that it is the grave of a dog, but to the fire boys, who knew his love and devotion, it marks the resting place of a friend.
