The Cross-Threaded Nozzle That Cost Ellensburg the Race

The Ellensburg hose team left for Yakima last Friday morning, intending to put in considerable time practicing. On arriving there they were met by the Yakima boys, escorted to the hotel, and from that moment until they left, the town was theirs. They at once became the guests of their challengers and no possible opportunity to add to the pleasure of our boys was allowed to pass. This same spirit of courtesy and hospitality was kept up until the last of our laddies was homeward bound. To say that our boys appreciated it is putting it too mildly. Every man is an enthusiastic admirer of the members of the Yakima team and would fight for them now as hard as they fought against them in the contest.

The time set for the race was 5 o’clock Saturday afternoon, but there was considerable delay in starting and it was 6 o’clock when the Yakimas stood ready to go. They got a good start, ran well, and were fortunate in making couplings. Their time was announced as 41. The Ellensburg boys did not receive the word to go until nearly 6 o’clock. At the crack of the pistol they dashed off in magnificent style and the way they ran was a source of pride to all the Ellensburgers present and called out the admiration of the Yakimites. The plug was reached in fine time, the coupling was made in perfect style, and it seemed that victory was theirs. The two hundred feet of hose between the hydrant and nozzle coupling was reeled off like magic and the crisis was at hand. The break was made without a pause and Esmond, the nozzle man, slapped the nozzle on, but for some unaccountable reason he started it cross threads and it stuck, so that his greatest efforts to get it on or off were futile and the water caught him, thus depriving the Ellensburgers of time.

The poor boy dropped everything and ran for his room, where he was found a few moments later by Foreman McFalls sobbing like a child. He felt that he was disgraced, but it was one of those unaccountable accidents which he was powerless to prevent. He has made as many as fifty couplings here in one day and never failed to do it perfectly, and this failure at the critical moment nearly broke his heart.

The victors were profuse in their praises of our boys’ work and did much to smooth out the ruffles of defeat. After the race our boys were taken to the hall in a body, and thus the many pleasures and one sorrow of the day were terminated.

The Ellensburg fire boys, in a card, wherein they acknowledge with thanks the “hospitality and courteous treatment of the fire laddies of North Yakima,” throw down the gauntlet, and while admitting their defeat, “maintain that they are ‘the chief,’ and are willing to demonstrate the fact at any time or place.” Yakima is ready for a formal challenge, and will then name time and place.