USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Amherst > The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 43
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3.57
LYCEUM AT AMHERST CENTER.
which there is record was held Feb. 26, 1841. A new society was organ- wed Oct. 15. 1841. The constitution and by-laws of the former societies were adopted with minor alterations. The following officers were elected : President, E. S. Bridgman : vice-president, E. Bridgman ; secretary, B. E. Smith. The last recorded meeting was held Jan. 7, 18.42.
A lyceum was conducted at the center village for a number of years. Careful search has failed to discover any manuscript record of its doings. The Express of Nov. 26, 1844, contains a notice signed by I. F. Conkey, secretary, requesting the citizens to meet at Sweetser's hall that evening to organize the lyceum for the coming year. At the annual meeting of the Amherst lyceum, held Dec. 8, 1846, the following officers were elected : President, J. S. Adams ; vice-president, Simeon Clark ; secretary, G. W. Sargent : treasurer, Joseph Colton ; directors, Samuel E. Mack, Charles Delano, I. F. Conkey. At a meeting held Dec. 18, 1846, a debating club was organized in connection with the lyceum. Oct. 5, 1847, a meeting of the friends of the lyceum was held in Howe's hall. It was voted that the debating society should continue its connection with the lyceum. The following officers were elected : President, Samuel E. Mack ; vice-president, !. F. Conkey ; secretary and treasurer, Stephen A. Hubbard. A lyceum was organized at East Amherst, Dec. 15, 1844. Hon. I. Conkey, Rev. Pomeroy Belden and Rev. Paul Allen were appointed a committee to call the attention of the people to it. The Express announced under date of Nov. 5, 1846, that a lyceum was in successful operation in the East parish. Several college students and residents at the center village had interested themselves in it. Meetings were held Tuesday evenings at the school- house. The Express of Nov. 4, 1847, contains a notice of a lyceum meet- ing in the " school hall," signed by L. R. Blanchard, secretary. In 1858, the students at Amherst Academy organized a "Young Men's Lyceum," which held regular meetings during the winter months.
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358
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
CHAPTER XLII.
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FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRES .- THE OLD VOLUNTEER COMPANIES. THE FIRST FIRE ENGINES .- CATARACT ENGINE CO .-- DELUGE ENGINE CO .- LAFAYETTE HOOK AND LADDER CO .- RESERVOIR.S. -- FIRE APPARATUS .--- PELHAM WATER INTRODUCED .- ALERT HOSE CO. NO. 1 .- HOSE CO. NO. 2 .- GREAT FIRES IN AMHERSI.
Few towns in New England of equal size and property valuation with Amherst have suffered so severely as has this town from the ravages of fire. Within a period of fifty years, between 1838 and 1888, there occurred within the town limits no less than twelve extensive conflagrations causing a property loss of more than $620,000, or over 20 per cent. of the present assessed valuation of the town. The precise date when Amherst citizens first engaged in organized effort to protect the town from damage by fire is not a matter of record. The earlier fire companies were inde- pendent organizations, and while, doubtless, records were kept of their doings, in few instances have these records been preserved so as to be available at the present time. That the town possessed as early as 1814 some kind of apparatus used as a protection against fires is suggested by the following notice, copied from the original manuscript :
"To M' Chester Williams, Captain of the South Company of Militia in the Town of Amherst-We the Subscribers Selectmen of the Town of Amherst do hereby Certify that we have appointed Elijah Boltwood, David Parsons Jun' Moses Dickinson Henery Merrill & Elisha Tilden of said Town as Engine Men for said Town agreeable to the Rules prescribed by Law."
This notice is dated April 13, 1814, and is signed by Elijah Dickinson. John Eastman, Martin Baker, Justus Williams, Jr. and Enos Dickinson. The first allusion to protection against fire is found in the town records under date of March 3, 1828, when the following were appointed to serve as " firewards ": John Leland, Elijah Boltwood, Osmyn Baker, Chester Kel- logg, Zebina Dickinson, W. S. Howland, George Guild, F. A. Palmer, Ebenezer Mattoon, Jr., Horace' Kellogg. The office was evidently not held in high repute, as only five of the number qualified for duty. The Inquirer, under date of Dec. 6, 1827, states that a fire had broken out the Tuesday evening preceding at the Mt. Pleasant institution but was fortu- nately discovered before it had made much progress. The paragraph ends as follows : "We do hope the citizens of the village will take some
359
EARLY FIRE COMPANIES.
efficient measure to provide engines and buckets. The present engine, if we should judge from its operations, is fit for nothing else than to sprinkle the boys, and to be gazed at by those who consider an engine a rare curi- osity." Under date of Dec. 27, the Inquirer published a notice signed by " F. Dickinson, secretary pro tem," . of an adjourned meeting of the " proprietors of the new fire engine," to be held that evening at Boltwood's hotel. Whether this was the engine alluded to so contemptuously three weeks before, or whether the paragraph in question had been of influence in causing the purchase of a new one, cannot be stated with certainty. The issue of the Inquirer for Feb. 21, 1828, contains the following notice, signed by Edward Dickinson, secretary : "The members of the Fire Society lately organized in this place are hereby notified that their first annual meeting for the choice of officers will be holden at Boltwood's hotel on Monday evening, the 25th inst. at half-past 6 o'clock." Still another notice, headed " Fire Society " and signed by Edward Dickinson, appears in the issue of the Inquirer for July 3, 1828 ; it requests the members of the society to meet at Boltwood's hotel, July 7, " to act on business of importance in concurrence with the Engine Company, which meets at the same time and place."
In February, 1838, the town suffered from its first great fire, when property was destroyed amounting in value to more than $20,000. At the annual town meeting held March 5, the town authorized the selectmen to repair the " two old engines," if the proprietors would give them to the town. It was also voted to raise $1,200 for the purchase of a new engine and for repairing the old engine. Previous to 1838, how early it is impos- sible to state with certainty, there was a regularly organized volunteer fire company in town. This was probably known as Cataract Engine company, although this name does not appear in available records until 1844. The Express in its issue for Oct. 4, 1844, contains the announcement of a meeting of Cataract Engine Co. No. 1, signed by I. F. Conkey, clerk. At a special meeting held Dec. 31, 1844, the town authorized the selectmen to purchase 200 feet of hose for Cataract engine. Extended inquiry has failed to discover any existing records of this company, which was for many years a notable organization, numbering in its membership some of the most prominent citizens of the town. Announcements of meetings of the company held in the early months of 1845 are signed successively, as clerk, by S. D. Learned, W. H. Dudley and Hiram Fox. The first Cataract engine found on record was purchased in the early part of IS39. A memorandum in the journal of the town treasurer under date of Jan. 7, I$39, shows that the town paid William Platt & Co. on that date, " for engine and interest," $823.50. In the Express under date of Dec. 10, 1846, F. A. Pierce, clerk, advertised a reward of $5 for the detection of
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360
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
the parties who had filled the engine with water and allowed it to freeze, thus rendering the machine useless.
A second fire company was formed at a meeting held at Mill Valley, in August, 1838. The following agreement was signed by seventeen men. the first name on the list being that of Cotton Smith : "The subscribers do hereby associate and form themselves into a company for the purpose of managing the Deluge Engine No. 2, and do agree to observe and conform to the following regulations and such others as the company may from time to time adopt." These regulations provided that the officers of the company should consist of a foreman, an assistant-foreman and a clerk. There should also be an executive committee to look after the engine and keep it in good repair Any member absent at the first roll-call should be fined five cents, and a like sum if absent at the second roll-call. Any member behaving in a noisy or disorderly manner might be expelled by a two-thirds vote of the members present. Any person might become a member of the company by signing the constitution and paying 25 cents into the treasury. Each member should be liable to pay an annual tax of 25 cents, if the same was voted by the company. At a meeting held Aug. 7, 1838, officers were elected as follows : Foreman, Cotton Smith ; assistant foreman, Philo -Joy ; clerk, David Dexter; executive committee, Simeon Clark, Bradford Bentley, Horace Kellogg. The Deluge engine had been owned by the fire company at the center, but was turned over to the Mill Valley company when the Cataract engine was purchased. The Deluge was what was known as a Hunneman " tub," and while small was capable of doing good work. At a meeting held in May, 1842, the matter of preparing some suitable place for keeping the engine was discussed. In November, 1844, a committee was appointed to petition the town for aid in building an engine-house. In 1845, a committee was appointed to build an engine-house. The first volume of company records ends with the year 1849, but the organization was continued until well along into the '50s. At a special town meeting held March 11, 1861, it was voted to sell the engine at Mill Valley.
At the annual town-meeting in March, 1839, it was voted to allow the fire department their poll-taxes. At a special meeting held Dec. 13. 1847, a committee was appointed to ascertain the amount needed to purchase a suitable engine and fire apparatus, ,to be located at the north part of the town. At a special meeting held June 23, 1849, it was voted to purchase an engine and apparatus to be stationed at North Amherst, at a cost not to exceed $850.
A number of young men met at Howe's hotel. May 15, 1846, for the purpose of organizing a hook and ladder company. Jonathan S. Slate served as chairman and I. F. Conkey as secretary pro tem. It was voted
361
LAFAYETTE HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY.
expedient to organize a company, and the following officers were elected : Foreman, Rodolphus Turner; assistant foreman, Samuel Harrington ; clerk, treasurer and steward, I. F. Conkey; commissary general, E. J. Houghton. A committee was appointed to draft suitable by-laws. The foreman and assistant foreman were appointed a committee to select a name for the organization, and they decided upon " Lafayette Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1." At a meeting held May 19, the committee on by-laws reported a series of regulations which were adopted. The committee on uniforms reported in favor of patent leather caps, belts, and linsey-woolsey cloth frocks ; the report was accepted save the item in regard to caps. The foreman reported that the selectmen had agreed to appropriate $20 to repair the hooks and ladders. The committee on finances reported that an assessment of 50 cents should be levied on each member, to be paid forthwith. Of the rules adopted, the most interesting related to the duties of the commissary general, which seems well worth quoting entire :
" It shall be the duty of the Commissary General, when directed by the com- manding officer, to provide all necessary refreshments, upon the alarm of fire to repair immediately to the scene of conflagration, pay his respects to the command- ing officer, and learn from said officer what specific refreshments will be needed by the company, and see that they are furnished at the proper time and in a proper and palatable manner ; in the selection of refreshments it shall be the duty of the commanding officer and commissary general to see that they are such as will give firmness and stability to the nerves, power and activity to the muscles, and energy to the whole body, in short that they are such as will arouse within the "inner man " that bold and fearless spirit, which so peculiarly marked the distinguished individual whose name we proudly bear. The Commissary General should under all circumstances be impressed with a sense of the honor of his station (a station of the utmost responsibility) and when called upon to administer to his toiling comrades he should pour forth the indomitable and invincible spirit which will gladden their hearts while combatting the raging elements; and should he be inclined to falter or become disheartened in the discharge of his arduous duties he should be nerved on by a remembrance of the valor and heroism of those who fought their country's battles on the banks of the Brandywine."
The words italicised are underlined in the original manuscript, and at the end of the clause is the following memorandum, " (not Shakespeare) improved." It would appear that the commissary general was expected to attend to the spirituous rather than the spiritual needs of the company, and from the records of subsequent meetings it is evident that the first commissary and his successors in office fulfilled their duties nobly. Rare old times were those and rare old spirits they who gathered round the table at regular and special meetings. The regulations provided that any member absent from a fire or from a regular meeting should be fined 25 cents. Any person might become an honorary member on receiving a majority vote of members of the company and paying Si into the treasury.
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362
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
These rules were signed by 18 persons. At a meeting held June 25, 1846. a committee reported that Landlord Howe would furnish a room and lights for the company's meetings at 37 1-2 cents per evening. At the same meeting it was voted that any man who should spit on the floor should be fined 12 1-2 cents. In November, 1846, the company occupied quarters in Phoenix Row. The following entry in the records, under date of Dec. 4, 1846, makes interesting reading in these later times : " The question as to procuring a sufficient quantity of the needful for the winter campaign was discussed. Mr. W- presented to the company a three-gallon Demijohn and it was voted to accept of the same, also voted that the Commissary General be directed to see ' that said Demijohn be filled for future use.'" The records show that the company attended several fires and did efficient service. It was reorganized on several different occasions, the last entry in the original record-book bearing date of Dec. 25, 1852.
At a town-meeting held March 1, 1852, the town authorized the selectmen to sell the Cataract engine, and with the proceeds, an additional appropriation of $250 by the town, and such sums as could be raised by subscription, to buy a new and powerful fire engine. The selectmen advertised the engine for sale, stating in description that it had been built by the Messrs Button at Waterford, N. Y., at an expense of $Soo, had recently been furnished with 24 feet of new suction hose, and was warranted in best order for service. A memorandum in the journal of the town treasurer, bearing date Feb. 23, 1853, shows that the town had paid to L. Button & Co. $450. This would seem to show that the town had disposed of the engine purchased in 1839 and bought a new one. The engine bought in 1853 is still owned by the town. A review of the fire department in 1855, states that it comprised two fire engines, a hook and ladder apparatus and eight firewards, the latter being grouped in with the material for extinguishing fires. The Cataract company numbered 45 men. with G. W. Sargent foreman, R. C. Russell assistant-foreman and Francis A. Pierce clerk and treasurer. The engine was nearly new, threw two streams of water and was provided with 700 feet of hose. The Deluge engine company at Mill Valley numbered 28 men, with Charles McMaster foreman, William W. Smith assistant-foreman and Eli Hubbard clerk. The engine though small was efficient. Lafayette hook and ladder company had 22 members, with Jonathan $. Slate as foreman, Henry Holland assistant-foreman and Rufus Putnam clerk and treasurer. The hook and ladder apparatus was in fine order. The firewards were A. P. Howe, Charles Adams, Oliver Watson, Austin Eastman, Marquis F. Dickinson, John R. Cushman, John W. Smith and Alfred Baker.
That the members of the old fire companies enjoyed a joke as well as their successors of the present day is proved by the following anecdotes.
363
THE ENGINE HOUSE.
The members of Deluge engine company having repaired their machine, challenged the Cataract company to throw water in their engine and drown them out if they could. The trial occurred on a Saturday evening, and for a long time the Cataract was unable to flood the Deluge, but at length a member of the Cataract company discovered that the "tail-screw " had been removed and the water was flowing out in good quantity. Shortly after the two companies held a supper at the Amherst house, when Chauncey Pierce gave this toast : "The Deluge ; challenge the Cataract as often as you please, but keep your eye on the tail-screw." Sometime in the '4os the Cataract company gave a supper at Whitney's hotel at East Amherst. Rufus Putnam, a compositor on the Express, was seated north of Walter Mason Dickinson, and gave this toast: "Let us Express our- selves ; we are north of Mason Dickinson's line."
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In the town reports for 1857 the following item appears : " Paid Engine Company, grass money, $36.75. . This money was received from the sale of grass grown on the common. The same report gives the sum of $139.50 as poll taxes refunded to the enginemen. The report for 1859 contains the following item : Paid fire department, $136. In 1860, the engine-house was built on Pleasant street ; the cost of the land was $350, of the building $645.73. This house was erected in accordance with the provisions of a vote passed at a special meeting held June 15, authorizing the selectmen to purchase or rent and fit up a building for the engine and hook and ladder companies at a cost not exceeding $600. In the town report for 1861, the selectmen state that " The Machine and all its appar- atus is now in complete order and under the charge of a new and vigorous. company, who are now ready for any emergency."
This " new and vigorous " company had been organized in answer to a petition addressed to the selectmen in May, by certain persons desirous of forming an engine company. Its officers were : Foreman, Horace Ward : assistant, Charles E. Hutchinson ; clerk and treasurer, W. W. Hunt. March 22, 1861, an organization was formed at North Amherst which adopted the title of "Scott Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2," and elected A. R. Cushman foreman. This action was taken in the expecta- tion that the selectmen would provide a hook and ladder truck and other suitable equipment for such a company. This expectation not being fulfilled, the company was disbanded. Instead of providing such equip- ments, the selectmen had voted to purchase one fire-hook and three ladders for North Amherst and the "City," the same to be kept near the center of each village. The fire department was reorganized in August, 1864. At a meeting held Nov. 17, 1865, the selectmen were authorized to purchase 500 feet of hose for the engine at a cost of $1,000.
The lack of a suitable water-supply was a great hindrance to the old-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
time companies in their struggles with the flames. The main source of supply was found in the wells near at hand, and the contents of these were soon exhausted. It. was not until 1870 that the town began to build reservoirs in central locations. In the town reports for the year ending March 1, 1871, the treasurer's report shows the year's expense for "fire department and reservoirs " to have been $183.53. During the year ending March 1, 1873, $638.85 was expended for reservoirs, of which the town owned ten, six having been built by individual subscription. In 1874, the town owned eleven reservoirs, three located on the common, two on Amity street, three on Pleasant street, one south of College hill, one near Dr. I. H. Taylor's on High street and one at East Amherst. There were also reservoirs owned by private parties near the residences of O. G. Couch and Rev. J. L. Jenkins and the barn of R. S. Lincoln. Their average capacity was about 5,000 gallons. The selectmen, in their report for the year ending March 1, 1872, stated that in accordance with the vote of the town they had organized a fire company of 45 men, who would be entitled to $10 each on May I.
At a special meeting held March 30, 1874, the town voted that the fire department should be organized as directed by the public statutes. The selectmen appointed the following to serve as fire engineers : E. A. Thomas, Henry Holland, J. L. Skinner, John A. Pierce, Watson W. Cowles, Moses E. Cushman, O. S. Longley, Henry Johnson, Merritt Crossett. The engineers held their first meeting April 28, 1874, and organized with E. A. Thomas as chief and J. L. Skinner as secretary. At a meeting held April 29, the needs of the department were considered and arrangements made . for supplying them. The engineer's report for the year ending March 1. C 1875. states that the town had appropriated at its annual meeting $500 for the use of the department, and at a sub- sequent meeting had added $250 to this amount. The engine company numbered 30 men, in charge of Capt. T. W. Sloan. The hook and ladder company was in charge of M. N. Spear. Several extension ladders, procured for the use of the department. were stored in different parts of the town. One hundred buckets had been purchased and stored in the engine-room ; these were for the use of citizens, not the enginemen. The bell on the engine- house was to be rung only in case of fire ; permission had been secured to use the Baptist church-bell for fire alarm purposes. During the year 1876, there were ten fires in Amherst, six of them supposedly of incendiary origin. The board of engineers recommended the purchase of a steam fire-engine. also that larger reservoirs be built. Three new reservoirs were built '
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365
. HOSE COMPANIES ..
in 1877, one at the center, one at North Amherst and one at South Amherst. The one at the center was located on the common, cost $431.SI and had a capacity of 13,000, gallons.
The introduction of Pelham water into Amherst in ISSo caused a radical change in the composition of the fire department and the agencies. employed in extinguishing fires. During the year ISSo, 34 fire hydrants were put in, the town paying the entire expense of four, so located as to aid in the protection of town property, while the remainder were paid for jointly by the town and by individuals, the latter subscribing the sum of $900 while the town appropriated $750. Very soon after the completion of the water-works, an independent hose company was organized in town, composed mainly of boys and young men, which adopted the name of Alert Hose company. The records of this company, if still in existence, are not available for reference. From newspaper comment current at the time it is judged that the company did not enjoy the public confidence to any marked degree. At a meeting of the board of fire engineers held April 28, 1882, it was voted that 22 men be appointed for the hose carriages at the center and at East Amherst, their pay to be $10 each per annum ; also that 10 men. be appointed for the hook and ladder carriage and 15 men for the engine company, who should be paid 50 cents per hour for service actually rendered. At a meeting held May 12, that portion of the above vote relating to the appointment of men for the engine and hook and ladder companies was rescinded, and it was voted to appoint four additional hosemen to serve on the engine and hooks and ladders when necessary.
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Alert Hose Co. No. I was organized at a meeting held May 23. 1882. Officer were elected as follows : Foreman, George J. Gallond : first assist- ant, F. W. Sloan ; second assistant, J. W. T. Davis; clerk, W. G. Towne ; steward, C. R. Kenfield ; trustees, E. F. Strickland, A. F. Bardwell. John Willis. A committee was appointed to draft a code of by-laws. It was voted to hold meetings on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Members were to be fined, for absence at roll-call at a fire, 50 cents ; for absence at the first roll-call at a regular meeting, 10 cents : at the second roll-call, 15 cents. The by-laws proposed by the committee were adopted at a meeting held June 7. Members were elected by ballot. April 4. 1883, the company voted to divide the amount of fines at the end of the year among its members. May 2, 1883, it was voted that any member absent at roll-call at a fire should be fined $1. In 1893, the company repaired and fitted up the old court-room, in the second story of the lock-up building and still hold their meetings there.
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