SACRIFICE
Any mention of sacrifice reminds me of the story told about the Ohio gentleman whose oil well caught fire. He put out an all-points bulletin for assistance. To ensure a heavy response, the oil baron also offered a $30,000 reward to whoever could quench the flames. All the large firehouses from Newell, Chester, East Liverpool, Wellsville, Salineville, and Dillonville sent help. They dispatched their best companies, accompanied by their most modern fire-fighting equipment. However, not one of their trucks could get within 200 yards of the blaze. The heat was just too intense.
Finally, the Calcutta Township Volunteer Fire Department appeared on the scene. They had only one rickety truck equipped with a single ladder, two buckets of water, three buckets of sand, and a blanket. It didn't even come with a hose. When that old truck reached the point where all those other fire companies had stopped, its driver didn't hesitate. He kept barreling ahead until he and his crew were on top of the blaze. Calcutta's volunteers leapt out of the truck, threw the two buckets of water and three buckets of sand on the inferno, then beat the fire out with the blanket.
The oil man was so impressed by this display of courage; he gave the driver $30,000 in cash on the spot and asked, "What are you and your men going to do with all that money?"
The driver didn't hesitate, replying, "The first thing we're going to do is get those gosh darn brakes on that truck fixed!"
- Unknown
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