USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 4
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In 1898, the volunteers were greatly reduced, 110 men remaining in service and the permanent and call force was increased. In fact, the present efficient paid department may be said to date from this period.
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In 1899, the permanent force was again increased, the total number in service being 17 officers and 144 men. In that year there remained only three volunteer companies.
In 1902, after the big fire, a first-class Metropolitan engine and hose wagon were added to the equipment. The total force remained about the same as in 1899.
In 1903 the Brooklyn Engine House was added to the department, in 1905 the Willow Street House was added, and in 1908 the Baldwin Street fire house was opened, the Rose Hill Volunteer Company going out of existence.
In 1908, the equipment was enlarged by the addition of the first auto hose wagon and a car for the chief engineer. In 1909 a chemical auto engine was added. In 1911, the first auto pump engine was placed with Engine House No. 5 on East Main Street. The permanent force was now seventy-seven. and there were no volunteers and no call men.
In 1913, a Robinson combination pump and hose auto was bought and placed with Engine No. 5. This is the largest piece of equipment in the department.
In 1914, the chief engineer, Samuel C. Snagg, retired after thirty-two years as chief engineer, and his place was filled by the appointment of the present chief engineer and fire marshal, Henry H. Heitman, who has just celebrated his twenty- fifth year of service as a fireman. During that year, an underground cable system for the alarms was put into operation.
In 1915, two American-LaFrance auto pump engines were placed in service with Engine Companies No. 3 and 4.
In 1916, a new 75-foot aerial truck was bought and placed with Truck Com- pany No. 1. In that year, the headquarters of the department were moved to the City Hall, and in April the truck company from the Scovill Street House was transferred to headquarters.
In 1916, another combination chemical and hose auto was bought and placed in headquarters. A triple combustion chemical hose and pump was bought and placed in Willow Street.
The department in 1917 consists of eighty-five paid officers and men. The valuation of the property of the department on January I, 1917, was $322,365.00.
An interetsing fact in this history is the passing of the fire department horse. There are today only six horses used by the fire fighting forces of Waterbury.
One of the most important additions to the department in recent years was the installation of the semi-automatic central fire alarm station at headquarters on Field Street.
The main function of the station is to receive and transmit signals from the various boxes. The system, as constructed, may receive and record at the saine time eighteen alarms, and in turn transmit to the houses the alarms so that in a space of three minutes there can be received at least two rounds of the eighteen calls for record. The equipment was installed at a cost to the city of $20,000.
REPORT OF CHIEF SNAGG ON THE CONFLAGRATION OF FEBRUARY 2 AND 3, 1902
The largest fire in the history of Waterbury occurred February 2 and 3, 1902, and for the purposes of this history the most complete description of it is in the official report of Samuel C. Snagg, then chief engineer of the department, which follows :
February 2d, at 6:20 P. M., an alarm was turned in from box 7 for a fire in the Camp Building, Nos. 108 to 120 Bank Street. The building was five stories high with a ground dimension of 61 by 94 feet. The Reid & Hughes Dry Goods
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Company occupied the three lower stories, the upper being occupied by a business college and societies.
The first intimation of the fire was the blowing out of the windows on the third floor front of the building, which was followed by a dense smoke and flame, pieces of cloth on fire being blown to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. The companies were prompt in responding and quickly had streams of water playing on the fire. Hardly had they begun work ere the large windows in the first story were blown out, followed by a sheet of flame which enveloped the men, driving them from the immediate front of the building. The first-story windows in the rear of the building were blown out at this time.
Upon my arrival on the fire ground I found the fire not only attacking the buildings on the east side of Bank Street, but crossing the narrow passway in the rear of the Camp Building and attacking the five-story Schlegel Building; a line of hose was at once ordered and quickly gotten to this point and an effort made to keep the flames from penetrating this building.
At 6:35 P. M. I ordered a second alarm turned in, thus calling the entire department into service. The high wind prevailing at the time had increased in force to such an extent that the flames were being driven with fearful rapidity across Bank Street, also attacking the buildings both north and south of the Camp Building. The network of electric light wires on the east side of Bank Street had begun to burn off and drop to the ground, or hang in mid-air, making it extremely dangerous for the men and also making their efforts ineffective at times. Realizing the perilous condition under which the men were working, I requested Mayor Kilduff to notify those in charge of the power-house that the cur- rent must be cut off all wires running north from Meadow Street, and this was done after warning had been given as to the responsibility should any lives be lost by reason of the condition of these wires.
The flames, fanned by the increasing high wind, made rapid strides through the buildings on the east side of Bank Street to the west side of South Main Street, although heroic efforts had been made by the men to prevent it. The fire had already invested the Schlegel Building and its destruction was but a question of minutes. Aid had been asked from New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport, and Torrington, each of these places responding with an engine and hose wagon. Naugatuck and Watertown, learning of our distress, sent men with apparatus, who were soon at work at the points assigned them.
In the meantime, the fire had spread from the Schlegel Building to the Franklin House and the New England Engineering Company's building on Grand Street. Aid was rendered by several of our manufacturing establishments by sending hose, which was used until after the fire was under control. On Bank Street, hard work had been and was now being done to keep the flames from licking up all the buildings from Center Street to Grand Street, and the efforts of the men were finally rewarded. They had successfully cut out and saved a portion of the build- ings on this street near these two points. The willingness of the captains to carry out their orders to their men and the determination of the men "in an effective way" to assist in executing those orders was very gratifying to me.
A hard fight was going on in South Main Street to keep the fire from crossing to the east side. Although not wholly successful, a very creditable stand was made, and both officers and men worked in a manner most commendable.
Grand Street at this time was losing its row of handsome five-story buildings. the flames having gotten into them, spreading from the Franklin House to the Jacques Building and not being checked until it reached within one building of Leavenworth Street. The attempt to prevent the spread of the fire at this point
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was not carried on with any degree of success whatever. Owing to the lack of hose and the want of an additional hydrant on Grand Street, the chance of preventing the destruction of these buildings was very discouraging. At this time our own department had nineteen streams playing on the fire, water being taken from fourteen hydrants. There was an abundance of water and good pressure, but the streams most of the time were ineffective by reason of what was little short of a gale blowing.
Upon the arrival of the firemen from other cities with their engines and hose, they were assigned by me to hydrants and positions at the fire. They were a most welcome addition to our fire-fighting force. These men, when on the road to render us aid, fully realized the task our department had on hand, and the willing and effective manner in which they carried out the work assigned them was highly commendable.
Torrington men with their apparatus were first to go into action, their engine being stationed at the hydrant at the corner of Grand and Canal streets and hose laid in on Bank Street. New Haven was by some person without authority located on lower Bank Street. As soon as this was discovered, the men were changed to East Main Street, their engine stationed at the hydrant at the Platt Building and hose lined in on Bank Street. Hartford was stationed at the northeast corner of Center Square, their engine attached to the same hydrant as our No. 2 engine, and their hose laid in on South Main Street. Bridgeport was assigned to the hydrant at the corner of Bank Street and Harrison Avenue, and their hose lined in on South Main Street. Naugatuck and Watertown were assigned to posi- tions on both Grand and South Main streets.
Up to the time of the arrival of the out-of-town companies, the firemen in our department had passed through an ordeal such as has been the lot of but lew men in their vocation. On the street, in buildings, and on the tops of build- ings, they were constantly facing danger, and in one instance half the men of one company providentially escaped being killed. When the spread of the flames had been checked at all points and thoughts had been turned to relieving our out-of-town friends, I received word that the Scovill House was on fire. This was about 4:20 A. M., February 3d, and at this time an alarm was being run in from Box 7.
Chief Fancher of New Haven and I were engaged in conversation when this message was received; his men were directing a stream on the ruins of the Jones & Morgan Building. Upon my giving him the information I had received, he at once ordered his line changed and soon had a stream on the first floor of the Scovill House. This fire originated in a basement room known as the stock-room. Prior to my receiving word of this fire, Assistant Chief O'Brien had gotten a line of hose, manned by Watertown firemen, into the basement and had a stream at work. Orders were at once given for all hose leading from the engines to be brought to different points about this building and in a very short time each engine had powerful streams at work; hose leading from some hydrants were changed, and additional streams directed on this fire. Fortunately, but one engine had to change its location to reach this fire.
The building was situated very close to the buildings on the east side, being separated only by a four-foot passway on the south side, Harrison Avenue ran between it and the buildings there; on the west, a driveway separated it from the City Hall. Twelve streams were brought to bear on the Scovill House and the buildings nearby. The fire made rapid strides through the burning building in spite of the efforts of the men to prevent it, and its total destruction was a quesion of a very short time. By hard work, the City Hall building was saved.
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On the east side there was a hard fight to keep the fire from the Hodson Building, Exchange Hotel, and other buildings; on Harrison Avenue the boys were per- sistent and kept the buildings at that point from harm.
This was certainly a grand fight, all things considered, and all who took part can but look with pride upon their work. Without our out-of-town friends and their engines and hose, this would have been a fire almost, if not fully, as dis- astrous as the fire that had already filled the hearts of our people with terror. One of the employees of the Scovill House lost his life in this fire. This was doubted by many, but proved only too true, as his remains were found by parties excavat- ing in the ruins some weeks afterward.
The origin of both these fires will, in my opinion, always remain unsolved. A thorough investigation has been made, but nothing ascertained that would throw any light on the real cause. Many theories have been advanced, such as incen- diary, gas, hot air, combustion, electric light wires, and rubbish in cellar ; these were given to the fire in the Camp Building. To the Scovill House, incendiarism or a lamp explosion in the stock-room were the most probable, especially the latter, all electric currents and gas having been turned off from the city at the time of the latter fire.
This conflagration brought out the necessity of a larger and better equipped fire department ; the very forcible illustration that we should have none but a paid service and that composed of men of stature, muscle and brain, endowed with courage. The service rendered our city by the officers and men from other towns will always be held in grateful remembrance by all our townspeople, and I am pleased to say that the Honorable Board of Public Safety promptly took recognition and so notified the proper officials in the cities and towns whose fire- men were with us that eventful night and morning.
The firemen of our own department who performed service this memorable night and morning are entitled to the highest praise which can be given them. Their work on that occasion speaks volumes for them, and brings out vividly the fact that Waterbury had firemen in her fire department who should be looked upon with especial pride and who are sure to give a creditable account of their services whenever called upon.
On Bank Street, thirteen buildings were totally destroyed, one being a tem- porary two-story frame structure. Eight sustained a partial or slight loss. Of the buildings totally destroyed, two were five stories, five four stories, five three stories, and one one-story high.
On Grand Street, seven buildings were totally destroyed and seven sustained a partial or slight loss. Of the buildings totally destroyed, six were five stories and one four stories high.
On West Main Street, one building ( Scovill House) was totally destroyed and three sustained a partial or slight loss.
On Center Street, three buildings sustained a slight loss.
With the exception of the two-story frame structure, all buildings totally destroyed were of brick and twenty-nine in number.
ยท The area burned over was about two and three-fourths acres. Six million gallons of water were used.
Value of buildings and contents, fire of 2nd $1,803,172.57 Value of buildings and contents, fire of 3rd. 341,500.00
Total valuation
$2.144.672.57
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Loss on buildings and contents, fire of 2nd. $1,218,926.30 Loss on buildings and contents, fire of 3rd. 153,795.19
Total loss $1,372,721.49
Insurance on buildings and contents, fire of 2nd. $1,498,911.00
Insurance on buildings and contents, fire of 3rd. 172,600.00
Total insurance $1,671,511.00
Insurance paid on loss of buildings and contents, fire of 2nd. $ 915,571.27
Insurance paid on loss of buildings and contents, fire of 3rd. 69,207.78
Total insurance paid. $ 984,779.05
FIRES OF A QUARTER CENTURY
The following is a record of notable fires of the past quarter century :
1893-January. Clothing store of F. B. Merriman was burned ; loss, $12,000. April 19. Lilley Block (South Main Street) was seriously damaged; loss, $64,000.
April 21. Casting shop of Holmes, Booth & Haydens was burned; loss, $2,600.
April 24. Office of Benedict & Burnham Mfg. Co. seriously damaged ; loss, $16,932.
Oct. 16. Factory of Waterbury Spoke and Handle Co. destroyed ; loss, $2,200.
1894-February. Arcade Building, owned by R. K. Brown, was destroyed, and the store of Miller & Peck, adjoining, was seriously damaged ; total loss, $80,000.
Dec. 28. This was the date of what is known as the "Platt Block Fire." It destroyed the second and third stories and their contents. The total loss was $68,944.73. Total insurance paid was $65,147.93.
1895-June. A fire started in the center of the Randolph & Clowes Mfg. Co.'s plant. By hard work the firemen got the fire under control before it had spread to any extent. So pleased was George H. Clowes, of the Randolph & Clowes Company, that he called ex-Chief Samuel C. Snagg to his office, before the last line of hose had been taken up, and presented him with a check for $100 for the department. The loss at this fire was $17,511.60.
Nov. 20. On this date occurred what is known as the "North End Fire Epidemic," five barns in the district being burned, causing damage to the sum of $7,471.00.
1896-January. The lamp department of the Holmes, Booth & Haydens Com- pany was burned. Loss, $17,000.
March 28. This is the date of the Waterbury City Lumber & Coal Co. fire. The loss was $59,855.34. Insurance paid was $55,825.34. Fifteen horses per- ished in the fire. Lilley, Swift & Co., and Valentine Bohl & Co. also sustained considerable loss from this fire.
Nov. 28. Jacques' Auditorium was burned. Loss was $13,459.
1897-September. The Waterbury American Building was seriously damaged Loss, $12,000.
1899-November I. South Waterbury (Simonsville) fire. Simon's Block, corner Middle and Simon streets, and nine dwellings destroyed. Loss, $50,000.
1902-Feb. 1-2-3. On these dates occurred the big Waterbury fire.
1912-April 22. The City Hall was totally destroyed. On the day of this
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fire, several other dangerous fires occurred, some happening when the City Hall was burning, thus causing great confusion and excitement.
April 3. Baptist Church on Grand Street destroyed; loss, $50,000.
1915-December. Buckingham Street fire. Four fine residences destroyed. Total loss was $35,000.
1916-Jan. 3. The Connecticut Hotel on Center Street was gutted by a mysterious fire, which resulted in the loss of one life and the destruction of the hotel. Six other guests were seriously injured in escaping.
FORMER CHIEF ENGINEER SAMUEL C. SNAGG
Samuel Craft Snagg was born in Westport, November 18, 1846. He came to Waterbury in 1856, and was educated at the high school. On March 5, 1862, he enlisted at New Haven, in Company C. First Regiment, Connecticut Heavy Artil- lery, the enlistment being credited to Waterbury. At Arlington Heights, in March, 1864, he re-enlisted to serve until the end of the war.
Among the engagements in which he participated were those of Yorktown, Fair Oaks, and Malvern Hill. He was mustered out of the Army of the James at Alexandria, Va., and, returning to Waterbury, followed his trade of machinist until his election to the head of the fire department, on February 3, 1882.
For nearly half a century he was connected with the fire department, having joined it in February, 1868. He was a charter member of Monitor Hose Com- pany, No. 3, and was foreman of the company for three terms. Previous to his appointment as chief engineer, he had filled the offices of third and second assistant engineer.
In 1914, he retired from the department. His loyal and faithful service was acknowledged by an appropriate pension.
Chief Engineer Snagg succeeded Andrew W. Goldsmith. Following is a list of those who have served as chief engineers from the date of the reorgan- ization of the department until the city charter of 1853 to the present time : Edward S. Clark, Henry Merriman, James P. Goodwin, Willis Merrill, B. P. Chatfield, William Laird, Homer D. Bronson, Andrew W. Goldsmith, Samuel C. Snagg and Henry W. Heitman, the present chief engineer.
CHIEF ENGINEER HENRY HI. HEITMAN
Chief Henry H. Heitman, born in Brooklyn, N. Y., on August 14, 1864, was appointed to the permanent force of the fire department on October 13, 1892. He received his education in New York and later moved to this city.
Manifesting a keen interest in the work of the department, he served in the volunteer ranks for a few years previous to his appointment to the permanent force. He was assigned to duty at the Scovill Street house. His executive ability was soon recognized, and on October 12, 1898, he was appointed captain of the Scovill Street house. On October 14, 1909, he was appointed drillmaster. He was promoted again on November 1, 1911, to the position of deputy chief. Upon the retirement of ex-Chief Samuel C. Snagg, Deputy-Chief Heitman was honored by the appointment as head of the department, in which capacity he now serves. On October 13, 1917, he celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of his connection with the department.
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THE HEALTHI DEPARTMENT
The health department has kept pace in its development, not only with the growth of the city, but more important still, with development along protective lines in all the larger communities of the country. Today in the matter of milk inspection, of food inspection, of medical work in the schools, the city's health program ranks with the best in the country.
Dr. C. W. S. Frost, who was the Waterbury health officer in 1899, 1900 and 1901, agitated strongly in that period for the registration of all cases of tuber- culosis, although these years were exceptionally good from the standpoint of health. It was in 1902 that this suggestion took practical shape, a regulation which is now an important feature of health work everywhere.
In 1902 Dr. Thomas J. Kilmartin was made health officer and had at once a smallpox epidemic to contend with. In all ninety-seven cases were reported, with a mortality of less than 3 per cent.
During 1904 the health department made two important advances. The first was the establishment of a restricted bacteriological service for the confirmatory diagnosis of disease and the other was the inauguration of medical inspection of pupils in the schools. Two physicians were named to devote one hour of every school morning to the examination of the children. A stricter enforcement for the registration of tuberculosis cases was also instituted.
In 1905, after the legislature had granted the board of health power to make its own regulations for the preservation of the public health, a sanitary code was adopted for Waterbury by the Board of Aldermen at the suggestion of the health board. This governed the handling of contagious diseases, the care and sale of milk, and provided for the prevention of spitting in public places.
In 1906 the bacteriological work was greatly extended, and the code was enlarged by the addition of regulations governing the condemnation of unsuitable foods. Thus gradually the city was becoming thoroughly metropolitan in its advanced health work. The death rate in that year was 15.6, which compares favorably with other cities the size of Waterbury. The birth rate for 1901 was 28.6 per thousand, better than most cities.
During 1907 a movement for cleaning up the yards of the city was begun and with the help of the clergy and other public-spirited citizens, proved a decided success. This has been kept up ever since and has given Waterbury a decidedly brushed-up appearance in its residential section.
In 1908 the mortality rate for Waterbury was 14.7 per thousand, the lowest it had been in some years.
The Board of Public Health, acting under the new state law, organized in January, 1910, with Dr. A. D. Variell, president; Dr. Charles Engelke, health officer ; Dr. E. W. Goodenough, medical inspector of schools; J. A. Lundin, sani- tary inspector ; Dr. D. B. Deming, bacteriologist ; and Dr. P. S. Keeley, milk and food inspector.
In this year the appearance of typhoid in the outlying watershed districts caused an immediate inspection of the city's reservoirs, and a careful guarding of its supply. These timely precautions saved the city from what might have become an epidemic. The water, tested daily, was found to be in unusually good condition throughout this period.
In I911 the appropriation was enlarged to admit of experimenting in the analyzing of milk for the presence of bacteria, a great advance in the health work of the city.
In 1912 Dr. T. J. Kilmartin was reappointed health inspector, which position
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he still occupies. T. F. Carmody was appointed president of the Board of Commissioners of Public Health. This year was marked by the appointment of a tenement house inspector, another great advance in health work.
In 1902 a crematory for the disposal of the city's garbage was installed at Waterville and was in use until 1911, when a contract was awarded for removal of garbage and its feeding to swine.
The garbage collecting and disposal is now in charge of a supervisor, John P. Caffery. The city has sixteen wagons collecting. The garbage is used for feeding swine, and is turned over free to those who collect. It is costing the city approximately $27,000 a year to collect and dispose of its garbage. A decade ago the cost, with a population much less, was over $24,000. The collection now includes Waterville, East Farms, and Town Plot.
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