USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The town and city of Waterbury, Connecticut, from the aboriginal period to the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five. Volume II > Part 13
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FIRES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
As agreed in the contract, the system consists of fifteen non-inter- fering automatic signal boxes, six visual indicators, one two-circuit repeater, four electro-mechanical gongs, and the other minor instruments necessary to its efficiency.
In the year 1883 a new office was created, and to the duties of chief engineer were added those of fire marshal and superintendent of the fire alarm telegraph. At the same time an ordinance was passed to the effect that any one accepting the position of chief engineer, must abandon other business, and devote himself wholly to the duties of his office. In the same year Samuel C. Snagg was appointed chief engineer and fire marshal, a position which he has continued to hold until the present time (1894). At the date of his appointment the force consisted of one chief, two assistants and 245 officers and men.
The fire alarm bell in the tower of one of the buildings of the Holmes, Booth & Haydens company was put in running order on November 20, 1886. Its weight is 695 pounds. In 1889 several of the large manufacturing companies organized fire companies among their own employees, the one in the Scovill Manufacturing company being the first.
In the account of the fire department we must not fail to mention what has become one of the "institutions" of the city. From a small beginning, on January 16, 1851, the firemen's ball has grown to be one of the largest and most brilliant gatherings of the winter season. It is held annually in the upper room of the City hall, whose ample space is none too large to contain the friends and well wishers who assemble to join the firemen in their festivities.
The following is a list of those who have served as chief engineers, from the date of the reorganization of the company, under the city charter of 1853, to the present time :
Edward S. Clark, 1854 to 1855
Henry Merriman,
1856 to 1857
James P. Goodwin, 1858, 1872 to 1873
Willis Merrill, 1859 to 1861
B. P. Chatfield, 1862 to 1871
William Laird,
* 1874 to 1876
Homer D. Bronson, .
1876 to 1878
Andrew W. Goldsmith,
1878 to 188I
Samuel C. Snagg,
since 1882
In April, 1894, a pocket manual of the fire department was pub- lished, containing a brief account of the department and its work-
* Edward L. Frisbie was elected in 1874, but declined. Mr. Laird resigned in 1876, to accept the office of chief of police.
1
I20
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
ings, rosters of the officers and members of the seven organizations, a list of the fire alarm signals and the responding companies, the bounds of the fire district, a list of the fire hydrants, a street direc- tory, and various interesting statistics in regard to the fire depart- ments of the United States and the losses by fire in our own and other countries. In the account of the department an important epoch in its history is thus referred to :
The civil war proved disastrous to the fire companies. The blood that makes heroes on the battle-field courses freely through the veins of the firemen at home, and the members of those companies were the first to respond to the call to arms. But when the war was ended, the brave fellows who survived returned home, and although many of them had suffered by loss of health or limb, still the desire to save was strong within them, and in a short time they succeeded in reorganizing the companies on a firm basis. . The department has now reached a high plane of excellence, and for several years has been regarded with pride by the people of the city .*
PHOENIX FIRE COMPANY, NO. I.
On May 5, 1849, the old Mattatuck Engine company was dis- · banded, and Phonix Fire company No. I, rose from its ashes. The names of its first officers have already been given on page 117.
At a borough meeting in May, 1848, it was voted to purchase two new engines and two hose carts, as well as to build an engine house, but these plans were not immediately carried out. On May 7 of the following year, the engines were purchased of Abraham Van Ness & Co., for about $700 each, and proved to be satisfactory machines, filling all requirements during the ten years following. In the fall of 1858, the company petitioned for a new and more powerful machine, with the result that the fire commissioners were permitted to purchase, on May 10, 1859, a new engine, at a cost of $1175.
The company partially disbanded in 1854, owing to a misunder- standing with the city government, but at the solicitation of the Common Council it again "fell into the ranks."
The annual ball of the fire department was instituted by the members of the Phoenix company, January 16, 1851, and was man- aged by them altogether for twenty years, until in 1871 the four companies united to make it a "department " affair.
Phoenix company, with the assistance of friends, purchased a new hose carriage from the Ætna Hose company, in October, 1859. Ten years later, December, 1869, the company was disbanded for two weeks, at the end of which time it reorganized with William
*"Waterbury Fire Department Guide and Reference Book. 1894. Containing Official Information, etc. Compiled and arranged by B. R. Dobbs."
I2I
FIRES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Laird as foreman. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the organi- zation of the company, a collation was tendered to the ex-members of "Phoenix," the board of engineers, the officers of the other com- panies and members of the press, followed by songs and toasts.
In 1876 a new hose carriage was obtained, and four years later the city purchased a steam fire-engine of the Silsby pattern, which it placed in charge of the Phoenix company.
The present membership numbers fifty-four, eighteen of whom have been connected with the company for more than ten years, and five for more than twenty years. The present foreman is John W. Wright.
The property belonging to the city in charge of No. I, is esti- mated (1894) at the following valuation:
House and lot,
$5500
Steamer, hose wagon and hose,
5428
Horses and harnesses, 635
Furniture, supplies, etc., 350
Total,
$11,913
The salaries of the paid members amount to $1860.
CITIZENS' ENGINE COMPANY, NO. 2.
The Citizens' Engine company was in a certain sense an out- growth of Protector Hose company, No. 2, an organization com- posed largely of employees of the Scovill Manufacturing company. The first meeting was held September 4, 1860, with Nathan Dike- man, foreman of the preliminary organization, in the chair. Mr. Dikeman declined to serve as permanent foreman, and the com- pany was organized with the following officers:
Foreman, James P. Goodwin.
First assistant, F. J. Seymour (Ist).
Second assistant, Andrew Mcclintock.
Secretary, L. I. Munson.
Treasurer, A. S. Chase.
Steward, R. W. Davis.
The list of original members is as follows:
Nathan Dikeman, J. E. Smith,
D. S. Morris,
J. M. Burrall, C. N. Wayland,
J. E. Ells,
J. H. Broderick,
H. F. Bassett,
Nelson Morris,
T D. Snyder,
E. J. Rice,
G. A. Boughton,
David David,
A. H. Kellam,
Frederick Tompkins,
L. I. Munson,
F. L. Curtiss,
W. H. Brown,
J. P. Goodwin,
E. D. Griggs,
R. W. Davis,
G. S. Parsons,
J. R. Ayres,
J. W. White,
A. S. Chase, J. R. Baldwin,
Dennis Blakeslee,
J. M. Holmes, S. B. Lane,
H. B. Wooster,
1887
1
MUTUAL
CITIZEN'S
MUTUAL HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY, NO. I. (SCOVILL STREET.) CITIZENS' ENGINE COMPANY, NO. 2.
123
FIRES AND THIE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
L. T. Wooster, C W. Johnson,
H. M. Stocking,
J. E. Wickham, J. W. Smith, E. B. Gibbud,
S. W. Carpenter,
G. B. Fish, H. C. Griggs,
Daniel Ladd, James Pemberton,
J. E. Donnelly,
J. H. Weeden,
C. D. Alling,
George Potter,
J. S. Follansbee.
The first engine house was the building now occupied by the gun store of E. H. Gaylord, 153 South Main street. Two antago- nistic parties having in the course of years developed within the company, a plan was adopted of disbanding and reorganizing with one of the hostile elements left out. The company disbanded in January, 1870, and in February following a reorganization on the new basis took place. In 1873, the company's headquarters were removed to the northeast corner of South Main and Scovill streets, and in March, 1887, were finally established in the present engine house on Scovill street, which the Citizens' Engine company shares with the Mutual Hook and Ladder company, No. I.
The present foreman (1894) is Joseph E. French. Of the thirty- six members, three have been connected with the company since its origin in 1860, and one since 1862. The other thirty-two have become members since the reorganization; eight of them between 1870 and 1884; twenty-four during the past ten years, and eighteen of these since 1890. Although not the oldest of the Waterbury fire companies, No. 2 has members of longer standing than any other.
The steamer of No. 2 is valued at $3750; the horses at $1150. The total valuation of the property is $16,613.
MONITOR HOSE COMPANY, NO. 3.
During the autumn of 1867, at a gathering in the rooms of the Monitor Base Ball club, the subject of organizing a Hose company was agitated. A petition was sent to the Common Council which received favorable action, and George S. Chatfield, a member of the club, was appointed by the Council "foreman for organization." A company was enlisted in the club, the roll was approved by the Council and the organization was designated "Monitor Hose Com- pany No. 3." The first meeting was held in the rooms of the Base Ball club, on February 8, 1868, and the following officers were elected:
Foreman, George S. Chatfield. First assistant, Edward W. Shannon. Second assistant, John Moore. Secretary, C. D. Hurlburt. Treasurer, Perry C. Morris. Steward, F. J. Quinn.
A. McClintock,
Franklin King,
H. L. Wilson,
E. A. Judd, Frank Umberfield,
F. J. Seymour (Ist),
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
These, with the following persons, comprise the charter members:
W. A. Hollman, W. D. Dudley, O. B. Parker,
George Allen,
George Hartley, C. B. Vaill,
J. M. Birrell,
WV. B. Atwood, E. W. Smith,
James Limont,
H. D. Bronson, C. W. Burritt,
James Nicholson,
S. C. Snagg,
Dan Connor,
G. A. Stocking,
James Callahan,
R. C. Manville.
At the time of organization a by-law was adopted, that no one should become a member of the company unless he belonged to the Monitor Base Ball club, but this restriction was repealed in February, 1869.
On Christmas morning, 1868 (following, by the way, close upon the fire which destroyed St. John's church) the company received their new hose carriage. Headed by Tompkins's Second Regiment band, they paraded around the Green, accompanied by members of No. I and No. 2, and afterward stored the carriage in the engine house of No. I. On January 22, 1870, they took possession of a house on Phoenix avenue, formerly occupied as the hall of the Com- mon Council.
The first parade of the Monitors took place in October, 1869, and its second on October 22, 1870, when they marched to the music of the Wheeler and Wilson band of Bridgeport, as they have con- tinued to do, with one exception, on each parade day since. The first water used by No. 3, was at a fire on Dublin street, January 27, 1870, which was attended by James M. Birrell and Oscar B. Parker only. The remainder of the company did not hear the alarm, and were fined fifty cents each. On December 15, 1870, occurred the first fire attended by the company, that which destroyed the High School building. The rivalry between the companies was sharp, in those days, and each wanted the honor of being on hand first. In one case, the Monitors responded to a "still alarm," and raced out through East Main street, to see nothing more startling than the moon rising over the hill.
On July 3, 1872, the company took possession of its present quar- ters on Bank street, and after repeated appeals to the city authori- ties for aid, all of which were disregarded, renovated and refitted the house without outside assistance. On February 8, 1878, the tenth anniversary of No. 3 was celebrated. A collation was pre- pared and the gathering was attended by city officials, the board of engineers and officers of the other companies. On the fifteenth anniversary, a banquet, held at the house, was largely attended and very enjoyable. The twentieth anniversary was celebrated by a banquet at the Cooley House.
125
FIRES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The number of members elected from the date of organization to the present time is 198. The membership at present (1894) numbers thirty-six. The foreman is Robert Wolf. The deaths among the active members thus far have been eight. The number of fires at which the company has been present is 121.
The engine house and the lot on Bank street are valued at $7500. The total valuation of the city property in the care of the company is $9050.
MUTUAL HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY, NO. I.
A meeting was called, September 28, 1872, in the rooms of "Phoenix, No. 1," for the purpose of forming a Hook and Ladder company, the city having before this date purchased a Leaverich truck. The company was organized with the following members:
E. L. Cook, C. L. Tinker,
Charles Lawton,
I. A. Spencer,
Robert Philip, E. E. Cargill,
T. D. Bassett,
William Cowel,
Charles Olmstead,
B. F. Merrill, Theodore Rogers,
J. W. Stickney,
J. W. Gaffney,
R. P. Smith,
Frank White,
F. A. Hoyt,
Alexander Connison,
Stephen Mosier,
C. L. White,
Edward Barritt,
Daniel Nehemiah.
F. L. Wallace, G. W. Roberts,
The officers elected were as follows :
Foreman, Theodore D. Bassett.
First assistant, E. S. Cooke.
Second assistant, G. W. Roberts.
Secretary, R. P. Smith.
Treasurer, Imri A. Spencer.
Mr. Spencer has continued to hold the office of treasurer until the present time. The present foreman is Henry J. Reynolds.
The company took possession of its first house, on the corner of Scovill and South Main streets, in August, 1873.
For twelve years the truck was hauled to fires by the men them- selves, but in 1884 an arrangement was made, by which hack horses could be used for fires occurring at a distance from the centre. In 1887 two horses were purchased for use on the truck, and William Goucher was installed as driver. In the same year the company removed to the present house on Scovill street, under the same roof with engine No. 2.
In May, 1889, the city purchased a Preston aerial truck, sixty-five feet long, which was drawn for a time by two horses, but later it was arranged for a " three horse hitch.".
It should be mentioned that Hook and Ladder company No. I was the first to adopt the regulation uniform, also that it possesses
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I26
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
portraits in oil of all the foremen of the company up to the present time, as well as a large picture of the company, taken in 1881.
The members (1894) are thirty-seven in number. The truck is valued at $3075; the horses at $1050. The total valuation of the property is $13,649.
PROTECTOR HOSE COMPANY, NO. 4.
On the night of February 19, 1880, a fire broke out in the silver plate department of Holmes, Booth & Haydens' factory which entailed a loss of $72,000; and on October 5 of that year the brass rolling mill of the same company was burned to the ground, prop- erty to the amount of $133,000 being destroyed. These disasters aroused among the people of the surrounding Brooklyn district and the employees of the firm the determination to organize a fire com- pany competent to avert such misfortunes in the future. It was suggested at a council summoned by their president, Gordon W. Burnham, that Holmes, Booth and Haydens form and equip such an organization at their own expense. John L. Saxe, one of the foremen of the concern, was commissioned to form a fire company among its employees, and shortly obtained the signatures of sixteen volunteers. On consulting with the fire commissioners the respon- sibility of equipping the company was assumed by them in behalf of the city, the project of forming a fourth company having met with their warm approval.
A building on Bank street, generously offered by its owner, Thomas Kelly, became the temporary headquarters of the new com- pany, and a list of firemen numbering twenty-seven was accepted by the fire commissioners. The officers elected were as follows :
Foreman, Terence O'Brien.
First Assistant, Thomas Kelly. Second Assistant, Alfred Dresher. Secretary and Treasurer, John L. Saxe. Steward, Sumner Holt.
And these are the other members :
James Callan, John English,
John Malone,
William Casey, D. H. Hickey, Thomas Mellon,
Myron Chatfield, James Johnson, Daniel McGrath,
Irwin Chipman,
Charles Karchner, Patrick McGrath,
B. M. Collins,
Thomas Karney, Harry Roberts,
William Collins,
Mathew Keane,
Henry Cunningham, D. J. Mahony,
Daniel Dolton,
Patrick Sherlock, Louis Wenzel.
On April 1, 1881, " Protector No. 4" was presented with a two- wheeled hose cart by the fire commissioners, the formal installation
I27
FIRES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
of the company as a part of the fire department being celebrated at the same time by speeches, songs and subdued conviviality. At a meeting on May 6 the company voted to adopt the regulation fire- man's uniform, consisting of a red shirt with leather hat and belt, and voted also to hold a picnic on May 30 of each year.
On September 1, 1882, they removed their temporary head- quarters to the store of Dennis Mitchell, on Bank street, where they remained until the completion of their new engine house, March 26, 1883. This building, which is of brick and is handsomely ornamented with marble, is large and commodious, with all the modern improvements in the way of apparatus and accommodations for the firemen. In 1884 the company purchased a parade carriage which is one of the handsomest in America.
The total number received as members since the organization is II3. The present membership (1894) is forty, all volunteers. The foreman is John E. Garvey. The property is valued at $14,535.
ROSE HILL HOSE COMPANY, NO. 5.
Rose Hill Hose company, No. 5, was organized March 18, 1881. Its first officers were:
Foreman, Owen Thompson.
First assistant, Denis Phelan.
Second assistant, Michael Kelley.
Secretary, Thomas Moore.
Treasurer, James Coughlan.
Its present officers are:
Foreman, William Laffin.
First assistant, William H. Delaney.
Second assistant, Charles Lee.
Secretary, D. N. Casey.
Treasurer, William Casey.
Steward, M. F. Walsh.
Its members at the beginning of 1894 numbered thirty-seven, eleven of whom had been connected with it from the date of its organization. It is entirely a volunteer company. The hose house on Baldwin street is valued at $10,000; the entire valuation is $12,860.
BRASS CITY HOSE COMPANY, NO. 6 .*
Brass City Hose company, No. 6, was organized February 2, 1887. Its first foreman was George H. Byrnes. Its present officers are:
* For a quarter of a century or more, Waterbury has been occasionally spoken of as "the Brass city," with reference of course to its chief industry; but this fire company appears to be the only organization that has adopted the designation as part of its proper name.
I28
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Foreman, Michael Shaw.
First assistant, Edward Fagan.
Second assistant, Daniel F. Hatchett.
Secretary, Edward S. Cullen.
Treasurer, Henry R. Byrnes.
Steward, Charles McEvoy.
Of its present forty members, seventeen took part in its organiza- tion. The hose house of the company is valued at $7000, the lot at $1000; the entire property at $9850.
A LIST OF NOTABLE FIRES.
1829.
March. The button factory of J. M. L. & W. H. Scovill was burned. The fire was "large and disastrous."
1833.
February 25. The old Judd house, West Main street, was destroyed. See p III.
1835.
Summer. The wooden building on the corner of Centre square and Exchange place and the two buildings south of it were burned. See page 62.
184 -.
The factory of Brown & Elton (now Rogers & Brother's) was burned.
1850.
August. Four barns near the corner of West Main and South Willow streets were struck by lightning and destroyed.
1852.
November I. The planing mill of the Waterbury Lumber and Coal company was burned.
1858.
March 25. At the farm of William Brown, on the Watertown road, three large new barns were struck by lightning and destroyed.
August 6. The extensive rolling mill of Brown & Brothers was destroyed.
1863.
August 10. The West Main street bridge over the Naugatuck (a covered wooden bridge) was destroyed.
I864.
April I. An explosion at the factory of the American Flask and Cap company resulted in the loss of four lives. A fire ensued and destroyed the building.
December 6. At the "clock-case factory" two large buildings were entirely destroyed. Loss, $25,500.
I865.
August 18. The button factory of Maltby, Morton & Co. was destroyed. Loss, about $40,000.
I868.
December 24. St. John's church, built in 1848, was totally destroyed.
129
FIRES AND THIE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
1870.
August 28. The Giles building, 145 Bank street, was burned.
September 24. An explosion at the factory of the American Flask and Cap company resulted in the loss of two lives. A fire ensued, and property to the amount of $30,000 was destroyed.
December 15. The High school building was burned. Loss, over $40,000.
1872.
November 30. The "shear shop" was entirely destroyed by fire. Loss, $60,000.
I879.
June I. The wooden factory of the Waterbury Needle company, on Brook street, was burned. Loss, $4100.
December 20. The wooden factory of Platt Brothers & Hart was burned. Loss, $1700.
I880.
February 18. The spoon shop of Holmes, Booth & Haydens was burned. Loss, about $60,000.
April 7. The office of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing company was. seriously damaged. Loss, $29,965.
July 2. The shop of the Carrington Manufacturing company was burned, barely escaping total destruction. Loss, $7400.
October 5. The rolling mill of Holmes, Booth & Haydens was destroyed. Loss, $133,000.
October 24. The yard of the City Lumber and Coal company was destroyed. Loss, $15,000.
188I.
February 13. The button works of the Scovill Manufacturing company were partially destroyed. Loss, $168,307.
February 13. The bakery of Meigs & Trott, on Spring street, was partially destroyed. Loss, $12,500.
During the spring and summer of this year, thirteen barns were destroyed by incendiary fires.
1882.
December 22. The stable of the People's Coal and Ice company was burned. Ten horses perished. Loss, about $6000.
1885.
May 16. The yards of the Waterbury Lumber and Coal company were burned. Loss, $30,000.
I887.
April 15. The " American mills " factory was damaged. Loss, $1500.
1889.
August 4. The old Johnson house, corner of North Willow and Johnson streets, was damaged by fire. Another fire occurred there on July 14, 1890.
I890.
April 6. R. N. Blakeslee's hay storehouse was burned. Loss, $2500.
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130
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
I891.
July 7. Three barns in the yard of the old Abbott & Root brass mill were burned. Loss, $1200.
December 2. The lumber yard of Tracy Brothers was burned. Loss, $20,000.
1892.
January 14. The rolling mill of the Waterbury Brass company was destroyed. Loss, $200,000.
November 6. The warehouse of the Waterbury Furniture company was burned. Loss, $8805.
1893.
January II. The clothing store of F. B. Merriman was burned. Loss, $12,000. April 9. The Lilley block was seriously damaged. Loss, $64,000.
April II. The casting shop of Holmes, Booth & Haydens was burned. Loss, $2600.
April 24. The office of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing company was seriously damaged. Loss, $16,932.
October 16. The factory of the Waterbury Spoke and Handle company was destroyed. Loss, $2200.
1894.
February 22. The Arcade building, belonging to R. K. Brown, was destroyed, and the store of Miller & Peck, adjoining, was seriously damaged. Total loss, about $80,000.
In the above list, the most notable facts are the long period of almost entire exemption from fires, extending from 1872 to 1879, and the series of severe losses immediately following. Between February 18, 1880, and February 13, 1881, the losses by fire amounted, according to the most conservative estimates, to $444,555, while the total loss was placed by some at a much higher figure. The con- trast just referred to was recognized at the time, and was com- mented upon as follows :
It seems as if Waterbury's wonderful immunity from disastrous fires is no longer to be enjoyed. After a half score of years of security on that ground there have occurred within a space of six months fires causing a loss of three-quarters of a million dollars, four of which occurred within a radius of twenty rods. It behooves the authorities and citizens of Waterbury to investigate the causes leading to such untoward results.
The fire losses between January 11, 1892, and February 22, 1894, amounted to $386,537. These two brief periods-each of them pre- ceded by ten years of remarkable immunity-embrace the only fire losses in the history of Waterbury which are worthy of special remark. In considering the conditions of such exemption as this, the fidelity, promptness, energy and courage of the fire department cannot be disregarded.
I3I
FIRES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
JAMES P. GOODWIN.
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