History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 25

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660

USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 25

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Decoration of Graves

The annual decoration of the graves of the county in 1869 by the members of the Grand Army of the Republic, and other organizations soon adopted the custom. It was no surprise to see secret organizations observe Memorial Day, but to see a fire company observe the

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day was indeed a surprise, for in their rough, exciting life of a fireman, the dead were for- gotten, but many of the firemen were big- hearted and were as sympathetic and tender- hearted in their natures as any child. We had an illustration of this in the Eurekas soon after their organization. A charter member of the company went to Merced in 1855, and there took sick, died and was buried. In the spring of 1856, as soon as traveling would permit, a delegation of three members went to Merced, brought the body to Stockton, as they presumed, and he was buried with all of the honors of a fireman. Unfortunately they learned later that the wrong body had been brought to this city and that Williams' body was interred with only a pile of stones as a headstone.

The custom of decorating the graves of de- ceased firemen was first observed by the Eu- rekas in 1880. It was probably brought about by the death March 18, 1878, of Thomas Ec- strom, an ex-foreman, and a citizen admired by all classes for his beautiful character of always striving to make others happy. Great- ly respected by the company, in 1871, they presented him with a beautiful gold watch. Assembling at their engine house on June 13, 1880, the members marched to Rural Cemetery preceded by a band and followed by a large wagon loaded with flowers. Arriving at the cemetery they halted at the grave of John A. McDougall, an ex-foreman, who had been ac- cidentally killed by a shotgun wound January 13, 1879. Thomas Cunningham addressed those present, stating that the Eurkas intend- ed to decorate the graves of the deceased mem- bers annually on the second Sunday in June. A short addrss was then delivered by Attor- ney Joseph C. Campbell and the firemen then decorated the graves of twenty-six members, among them the graves of Elbert Weeks, died in 1868; John Schrieck, died in 1870; W. W. Hatch, 1872; Geo. Fox, 1872; Thomas Ec- strom, 1878; Julius Steiney, 1878; John P. Kafitz, 1878; and John McDougal; six of the number were in the Catholic cemetery. In 1881, at the grave of Thomas Ecstrom exer- cises were more extended, they were begun by Otis Perrine as master of ceremonies, prayer by Dr. J. M. McKaig, oration James A. Louttit, remarks by A. B. Bennett and singing by the quartette, J. Le Rose Phelps, Albert Ecstrom, S. D. Waterman and Charles E. Pinkham. Later the Eurekas united with the Grand Army in a general Memorial day, in which they were joined by the entire fire department. The Eurekas then purchased from the cemetery trustees a plot of land 30x50 feet for the burial of their dead, and paid in advance for its perpetual care. In this plot are buried sixteen of their members, among them that of A. B. Bennett, with a

marble tombstone surmounted by a carved fireman's hat. The most notable grave of these past protectors of the city property is that of Wm. W. Lee, a West Indian negro, who died September 9, 1877. Lee kept a barber shop on the Levee, was not a regular member of the company, but he was so faithful in attending all fires and making himself useful in many ways that they elected him an honorary mem- ber and buried him with all the honors of a fireman, the company paying all of the fu- neral expenses.

In the cemeteries nearly all of the firemen now lie asleep and no fire bell can awaken them from their slumbers; but there was a time when its first sound would find them hurrying to their engine houses to roll out their machine. The old historic bell which tolled out the death of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, Mckinley, and the death of every fireman; that ushered in at sunrise many a Fourth of July; that rang out the opening of the Agricultural Fair; that rejoiced with the people in every Union victory, and that has told the passing of time since 1868 is now in the tower over the Hunter Street engine house. The bell weighs 1881 pounds and was made by Wm. Hooper & Company of Bos- ton, Mass., at a cost of $850. The fire depart- ment had long been demanding that the city council purchase a bell, and they asserted that in the fire of July, 1855, half of the property could have been saved if they had had a bell to awaken the fireman. Another fire occurred in October, 1859, with a loss of $15,000 in hay, horses and stage coaches, and it was suggested that persons be hired to ring the four church bells in case of fire. In the following year the council presented a proposition to the citi- zens to permit them to appropriate $3,000 for the purchase of a fire bell, the erection of a tower on the court house and placing an iron post chain fence around the city half of the court house block. It carried by a vote of 261 to 23. Two weeks later J. P. D. Wilkins and Moses Thresher, representing the city and the fire department, went to San Francisco to buy a bell. On the suggestion of the chief engin- eer of San Francisco they purchased a large bell. It was fortunate that they did for the bell could be heard in any part of the city, and during a strong wind has been heard fifteen miles distant. The contract for erecting the tower and installing the bell was awarded to James Brown on his contract of $1,125. The tower was seventy-nine feet to top of dome and built with four clock faces, the bell being fifty feet from the ground. In 1886 the clock and bell were removed to the Eureka engine house and a tower erected. The tower was not strongly built and it was declared by ex- perts that the walls were too weak to stand the strain of the swinging bell, so its useful-

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ness as a fire alarm bell was at an end. They began erecting high buildings which cut off the sound, and then a sliding steam fire whis- tle was installed November 25, 1892. It made such an unearthly screeching that the present whistle was installed.

Babcock Chemical Engine

The San Joaquin Engine Company was the goat of the department and was always in the third place until they received their Babcock engine, with two horses attached. Then they gave the entire department the laugh, for with their light running machine they frequently would arrive and extinguish a small fire be- fore the big, heavy steamers were in sight. At the time the Eurekas received their steam fire engine, the San Joaquins planned to pur- chase a steamer. To obtain the money they started a lottery scheme with over 300 valu- able gifts. The citizens bought hundreds of tickets, but when the company called for an accounting, their secretary, Eugene Lehe, could show no money. They had no evidence whatever as to the disappearance of the coin and the company was compelled to pay out hundreds of dollars to the ticket holders. Some two years later the value of chemicals as a fire extinguisher was discovered and the Babcock chemical engine invented. The San Joaquins had a special engine made and it arrived in August, 1873. The machine had a carrying capacity of 180 gallons, and carrying 250 feet of hose, would throw a stream of carbolic gas and water 125 feet. The engine weighed 2,500 pounds and cost $5,000. They later had a larg- er chemical of the improved pattern, which they used until the organization of the paid department. The first members of the com- pany were Frank Selnacht, Charles F. Wurs- ter, Rudolph Gnekow, A. Kolberg, Anton Sei- bert, Jacob Schrack, J. G. Gilgert, John Siler, John Minges, Herman Haupt, Joseph Kahn, Stephen Bergin, Henry Nelson, Max Magner, Jacob Meyer, Simon Wetreau, Michael Schu- ler, Phillip Umlauf, John Brandt, Henry May- er, Wm. Kahn, August Williams, John Gunth- er, Ludwick Gerlach, John Learson, Emil Gross, Frank Pattie, Lawson Smith, Wm. Huffman, Charles Whitkrofft, John Digger, Charles Hubner, Chris Herbert, Henry Esh- bach, John Frederick, John Mayer, Peter Men- gel, John D. Sterm, Samuel Steiner, Jacob Rothenbush, Henry Frederick, Jacob Werner, George Dahl, Jacob Mersfelder, Fred Nuss, Michael Stholl, Ernest Northine, August Smallfield, Daniel Rothenbush, George Natt, Joseph Esses, Jacob Kreker, Louis Goldee, W. H. Speckman, Peter Heckler, Wm. Sessor, Conrad Roesch and John Speckler.

San Francisco Exempts Visit Stockton

In September, 1892, the Exempts of San Francisco, eighty in number, paid the Stock-

ton fire department a visit. They brought with them a light double-deck engine and the First Cavalry Band. The entire Stockton depart- ment marched to the steamer to receive the visitors and escort them to the Protection house where their engine was housed, then to the engine house for breakfast. Then fol- lowed a parade through the streets, the Stock- ton firemen 100 strong, manning the ropes of the old Weber steam fire engine. During the afternoon the Exempts were shown around the city. That evening they were tendered a banquet at the Yosemite House, John T. Doyle, the chairman, introduced James H. Budd, president of the Stockton board of dele- gates, who in a few words introduced the mayor of Stockton, W. R. Clark, who extended the greeting of the city to the Exempts. Old fire songs were sung by several of the San Francisco firemen, including the old timers, "The Engine House on the Hill" and "When We Ran With the Old Machine," the ban- quet ending with "He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

There was no exempt firemen's organization in Stockton until 1895. Long before this time there were hundreds of exempts in Stockton, the law declaring every fireman an exempt aft- er five years' continuous service. Many of the exempts remained as members of their com- pany, but the most of them retired. The Web- ers honored their exempts July 4, 1870, by presenting them with a beautiful silk banner. The exempts assembled November 2, 1895, and incorporated by electing John T. Doyle, president, and Nicholas Vizelich, James Ford, John T. Field and Henry Rohrbacker, di- rectors. The following signed the roll as char- ter members, Ben F. Kolberg, Joseph Klack, John T. Doyle, Henry L. Culkin, R. S. Ells- worth, R. E. Murray, W. B. Wollam, Michael Brisco, Henry Robinson, Charles E. Venilli, Henry Rohrbacker, James M. Brown, Henry Ford, Eli Confer, Charles M. Aaron, C. P. Wolf, J. C. Zignego, E. F. Weber, Wm. Dor- cey, J. F. Field, L. J. Gerlach, Gus Gianelli, Jack Hampton, Charles Hamilton, and Mich- ael Gough. The members obtained from San Francisco an old hand engine, at a cost of $150. Upon each side of the box was the name Broderick No. 1. It was so named after the death of D. C. Broderick, who was the fore- man of the company at that time. The Ex- empts endeavored to preserve all of the his- toric associations of the department, such as fire hats, belts, hat fronts, badges, banners and pictures presented to them by the fire- men of other cities, but they received no en- couragement from the city council or private citizens. One set of four pictures given to them in February, 1867, by Chief Engineer David Scannell of San Francisco, are very val- uable at the present time, as they show four different fire scenes in the days of the hand

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fire engines. Even the Exempts are passing and today a few only are left.

Bad Morale in Department

The splendid paid two-platoon fire depart- ment of today is the outgrowth of the po- litical machine department of 1888. Twelve years previous Wm. (Pony) Denig, an enthu- siastic fireman of the old days and proprietor of the Weekly Record, advocated the organi- zation of a paid department, as an unruly ele- ment were fast getting control and young fel- lows were "running the machine" not for the sole object of saving property but for the ex- citement and fun there was in it, "getting on first water." After a time there were many incendiary fires, and certain engines received the news before the alarm was sent in. A local paper commenting on this fact said in October, 1881, "The public is becoming aroused by so many fires here, and the fright- ful theory is advanced that they are due to the rivalry among our fire companies to "get first water," not that our firemen are guilty of attempting to fire property, but that hood- lums, knowing of the spirit of rivalry that ex- ists have been prompted to start the numerous fires that have been in the city during the past six weeks." Making hoodlums the goat is easy, but on one occasion a barn opposite our house was fired, and going out we saw a fire engine setting on the cistern, a block dis- tant, before the alarm had been turned in. "Our citizens are beginning to feel that the contest that has so long animated our firemen for first water must stop, as its effect, although well intended, has been pernicious." At some of these fires liquor was freely passed around and some of the firemen became staggering drunk. Hosemen, in a spirit of fun would play on each other instead of on the flames and this at the Inglis fire resulted in a free fight. The Herald commenting on this, they wanted to mob the editor for telling the truth.

The old-time firemen regretted this condi- tion of affairs, for they took great pride in the department and especially their company and its work. They were at this time old and staid citizens, married and with families to support, and they thought it neither fair nor just, paying out money to run their steam fire engines for the benefit of the city. In 1885 the Eurekas petitioned the city council to sub- mit to the citizens the question of a paid fire department. The council ignored their request. The company then appointed a committee to sell the steamer that had cost them $6,000 and voted to disband within three months. They were then paying the engine driver, hose cart driver and engineer $185 per month; they were receiving from the city $25 per month, which was not sufficient even to pay for horse

shoeing, feed and veterinary and other minor expenses. They were jollied along until 1887, when the entire department petitioned the council to organize a paid department with that petition as their ultimatum. The coun- cil, seeing that the firemen meant business, passed a resolution purchasing the Weber en- gine, hose cart and three horses at $3,250, the Eureka engine at $3,220 and the Babcock chemical at $2,235. The city owned the hook and ladder truck. In the sale of the apparatus each member of the Weber Engine Company received $75, the San Joaquins $70, and the Eurekas, who had expended $750 in the pur- chase of their burial plot, put their money on interest to pay for a perpetual care of their plot.

Paid Fire Department

The paid fire department became an estab- lished fact August 1, 1888, but unfortunately for the Republican party, the Democrats took possession of the city government in January, 1888. Making almost a complete sweep of the firemen appointed by the former council, they appointed Democrats to three-fourths of the positions. To start the good work, Council- man R. R. Reibenstein, an old-time politician and carpenter, was appointed foreman of the Eureka at a salary of twenty-five dollars per month; John T. Doyle, a grain dealer, and like Reibenstein one of the keenest politicians in the party, was appointed foreman of the Hook and Ladder truck, at twenty-five dollars per month. As these two men would do noth- ing but draw their salaries it was so cheeky that they resigned. The following are the first firemen of the paid department: Weber No. 1, Chris J. Wolf, foreman, Henry Nash, engi- neer, Henry Wolf, engineer, and John Mc- Laughlin, hose cart driver, H. Neistrath, Charles Aaron, J. G. Robbins, Louis Oser and J. W. Brown, extra men; Eureka No. 2, R. R. Reibenstein, foreman, Charles Vinelli, engi- neer, Fernando Lastreto, hose cart driver, Phil T. Brown, engineer, and Jake Fisher, Con Col- lins, Thomas Towell, Gus Gianelli and Hugh M. Tye, extra men; Babcock chemical, Will H. Humphrey, driver, S. C. Brown and J. S. Simpson, extra men ; Protection No. 1, John T. Doyle, foreman, Mike Brisco, driver, and George Lieginger, Frank Kendall, J. K. Demp- sey and John Ferrill, extra men. At the time of the pavilion fire, September 28, 1902, Thomas J. Walsh, then the driver of the Weber hose wagon, was so severely burned that he died the following day. He was the only fireman in the history of the department to lose his life in fighting the fire.

A word about the present department. The original volunteer fire department, at its best, comprised about 230 men, the law permitting only sixty-five men to a company. The pres-

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ent department comprises only sixty-five men, including the chief engineer and his assistant, and yet, with their present apparatus, they can do more and better work than could 500 men with their hand engines. The apparatus today comprises six auto pump engines run by motor power; three of these pumps will each deliver 1,000 gallons of water per minute through four lines of hose, and three of the pumps will throw 750 gallons of water through three lines of hose. If necessary the two steam- ers can be used each throwing 500 gallons of water through two lines of hose. In a big

fire, the department, through twenty-five lines of hose, can pour a flood of water, over 6,000 gallons a minute, upon the flames. The fire department, through the present alarm sys- tem, which is obsolete and should be replaced by an up-to-date system, arrives at a fire inside of a mile in less than two minutes, hence no fire gets a headway, unless it is an explosion, before the arrival of the engines. This is a wonderful progress in fire fighting, made pos- sible only within the past twenty years by the invention of the gasoline engine.

CHAPTER XII TEN YEARS OF DEMOCRACY

California, in the sisterhood of states stands preeminent in many ways-naturally, phys- ically, geographically and politically. The Constitutional Convention that assembled at Monterey in September, 1849, voted to seek admission into the Union as a free state, al- though the leaders in that organic body were advocates of slavery. Wm. M. Gwin, the fore- most man in the convention, was a slave owner, but he was afraid that if California sought admission as a slave state, Congress would turn them down. The South brought on the Mexican War and practically fought it out, the army being in the greater part south- ern men. It was their plan to make California a slave state but the discovery of gold blocked completely that scheme for which they had been working for twenty years.

Then came the Congressional contest. The South fought California's admission as a free state, as it would give the North the balance of power, which up to this time was upon the slavery question dominated by the South. Then came that great March 7, 1850, speech of Daniel Webster upon the Union, one and inseparable, and the reply of Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina. The South had threatened to secede if California came into the Union as a free state. The great question was settled for ten years only by Henry Clay's compro- mise bill, and September 9, 1850, California became the thirty-first in the sisterhood of states.

The Slavery Question

The rush of population to California brought to its shores men from the North and from the South. The immigration from the South- ern and Western states included many poli- ticians who anticipated. making California a strong Democratic state, filling its principal

offices and thus materially assisting their brethren in the South if such an occasion should arise. The men came from the North to dig gold and open up business. California thus became the neutral ground of the nation and there were more men favoring and oppos- ing slavery than any other state in the Union. As it was in California so was it in San Joa- quin County. The two great parties at that time, the Whigs and Democrats, were divided upon the question of slavery, and we find northern Democrats and northern Whigs op- posed to slavery and Whigs and Democrats in favor of it. The Democratic party was the dominant party and the Southern wing of the party were in control. The first Governor, Peter H. Burnett, a Democrat and pro-slavery man, was elected on his personality, regardless of party lines.

Democratic County Convention

Although Democratic conventions had been organized in other parts of the state, notably Sacramento and San Francisco, in the summer of 1850, no movement was made by the party in San Joaquin County until the time drew near for the election of delegates to the Beni- cia state convention, for the nomination of state officers. In the meantime the Stockton Times had been sold to Democratic politicians with George Kerr as editor. The name of the paper was changed to the Stockton Republi- can, a rather peculiar name for a strong par- tisan organ. The Republican, in February, 1851, said, "The old fires of party warfare are rekindling. Let the Democratic party in San Joaquin be brought forth full-grown and strong and let it be baptized in the old Demo- cratic faith." A call was made through the press for the assembling of the party, and February 23, 1851, nearly 300 Democrats from

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all parts of the county met in the Corinthian Building, Maj. R. P. Hammond, a strong Democrat, having tendered them the use of the rooms free of cost. They organized by electing Ex-Mayor Samuel Purdy, chairman, Nelson Taylor and Maj. B. G. Weir, vice- presidents, and Maj. Richard P. Hammond, secretary. A committee of three was appointed "to prepare a place for the election of nine del- egates" to the Benicia convention. The com- mittee, leaving the room, returned in a few minutes and reported that the polls would be opened immediately in the room occupied by the convention. The election was immedi- ately held and the following delegates elected : Nelson Taylor, Maj. R. J. Hammond, George Kerr, Wm. Root, John E. Nuttman, Samuel A. Booker, Dr. J. W. Reins, A. C. Bradford and Dr. R. P. Ashe. In their resolutions they de- clared, "We are attached to the principles of the Democratic party, and will at all times adhere to its usages. Resolved, that the Hon- orable Mayor Purdy is our first choice for the office of governor and we will use all proper means to secure his election before the con- vention."

Benjamin F. Moore

Following the custom of the states across the Rockies to send out speakers in every polit- ical campaign to advocate their party's cause and abuse the other fellow, the Whigs and Democrats sent out their speakers. They were as brilliant a class of speakers as could be found in any state in the Union. Among them was Edward C. Marshall, closely related to John Marshall, the great jurist, and Benjamin F. Moore, of Southern fame. Both of these men were candidates for Congress, Marshall being a Democrat and Moore a Whig. We will hear more of the former through many cam- paigns. Regarding Moore, Bancroft bluntly said that he had "migrated from Florida through Texas, carried a hug bowie knife and was usually half drunk." Liquor paralyzed his intellect and at the age of forty-six he died in an insane asylum in January, 1866. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from the San Joaquin district, and appearing at Stockton June 20 appealed to the voters to send him to Congress. Moore was a very quarrelsome character and it was early in the year that he had his first encounter with David C. Broderick. Moore at the time was state senator and he was very much displeased be- cause Broderick had been made lieutenant- governor after the resignation of Governor Burnett, and in his speech in the senate, he insulted Broderick. That evening the two men met near the Benicia treasurer's office, and Moore advanced toward Broderick with a drawn revolver. Broderick, who was a scien- tific boxer, struck at Moore but missed him. Friends interfered and disarmed Moore. Some-

how he again got possession of the weapon and approaching Broderick! exclaimed, "I'll shoot you, you scoundrel." Broderick, who was unarmed, looking Moore straight in the eye, exclaimed, "Why don't you fire, you cow- ardly assassin?" Moore, finding that Brod- erick was unarmed, refused to shoot.

On another occasion in the same year Moore had a set-to with Judge Stephen J. Field. The incident is related in "Bench and Bar." Field, in the legislature, moved the im- peachment of Judge Turner for illegal prac- tices. Field's motion called forth a "savage and abusive reply" from Moore. Rising to speak, he "opened his drawer, took out two revolvers, cocked them, and laid them in the open drawer before him." He was abusive in his speech regarding Field's motion, and later Field demanded an apology or satisfac- tion on the duelling field. Moore refused to either apologize or fight a duel, his friend Drury P. Baldwin, declared. Then said Brod- erick, who was acting for Field, "As soon as the House meets Judge Field will arise in his seat and pronounce Moore a liar and a cow- ard." "Then Judge Field will get shot in his seat," said Baldwin. "In that case, others will get shot too," Broderick replied. The next morning Moore arose in the house and read an apology, which a friend had written and advised him to read. It settled the business.

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History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 25

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1660

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660