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The Firemen’s Tournament at Albany

About This Item

  • Title: The Firemen’s Tournament at Albany
  • Date: 1 October 1858
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: per.00872
  • Source: Brooklyn Daily Times, 1 October 1858: 2. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm scan of the original issue. Microfilm of original issue held at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the journalism, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Editorial note: This piece is unsigned, as was the case for most of Whitman's journalism. However, this editorial is part of a series of texts that deal with a coherent theme that has been identified by the Whitman Archive journalism team as likely authored by Whitman. This decision is based on a combination of historical and (auto)biographical accounts, similarity to contemporary Whitman writings, a history of scholarly attribution, extant clippings retained by Whitman, computational stylometric analysis, and, in some cases, manuscript evidence in Whitman’s hand.
  • Contributors to digital file: Kaylen Michaelis Samantha Gilmore Brandi Faulkner Stefan Schöberlein Karie Cobb
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "The Firemen’s Tournament at Albany." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 17 July 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: per.00872.xml (TEI)
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THE FIREMEN'S TORUNAMENT AT ALBANY.

Our readers will have already seen by extracts from Albany Journals contained in this morning’s New York papers, the general results of the trial of engines of the first class. Brooklyn has the honor of having taken the first prize of $500, No. 3 Franklin Engine having thrown 155 feet and borne off the palm from all competitors. The second prize was taken by 7 of Troy, which threw 149 feet.

Of the 2d class the first prize was taken by Torrent Engine Co, No. 1 of Whitehall, which threw 167 feet—the 2d by No. 18 of New York. No. 4 of this District threw 111 feet—No. 1 threw from 147 to 153 feet—variously estimated. No. 1’s playing was nearly as good as was expected by her men—it being anticipated by them that about 160 feet would be her maximum.

So much for the result—now for the visit. Our companies arrived on Wednesday morning in fine spirits and were warmly welcomed by their brother firemen of Albany. Marion Hose Co. were received by Washington Hose of that city; No. 1 was received by No. 10 and No. 4 by No. 8. Every courtesy was extended to our Eastern District Companies by their entertainers to render their sojourn agreeable.

On their return this morning they were met at their landing in New York by No. 9, of this District, with their apparatus; also by delegations from No. 3’s Co., Hook and Ladder 1, Hose 5, and the “Pacific Association.” They marched through some of the principal streets, and while passing through Nassau, Engines 9 and 4 who were behind, broke off from the line of the procession, and crossed to Williamsburgh by the Division avenue ferry. The remainder took a different route, and passed over the South 10th street ferry. Some little feeling was elicited by this apparent defection. We are not aware of the cause of it, or whether, in fact, it was anything more than accidental.

As No. 1’s Company and the delegations with her passed the TIMES office, they halted and gave us some of the tallest kind of cheering, while the band played an inspiriting air.

As we go to press, they are having a good time at Wenslik’s, where a collation has been provided.

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