USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > History of Detroit and Wayne County and early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present, Vol. I > Part 82
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September 23, a barn attached to the Michigan Railroad House, on northwest corner of Griswold Street and Michigan Avenue, was set on fire, and the flames communicated to the hotel, which was totally destroyed.
October 29, fire in a carpenter shop on State Street, in rear of O. M. Hyde's dwelling and First M. E. Church. The last two buildings somewhat damaged.
November 19, the M. C. R. R. Depot, with all its contents, was burned. Loss, $150,000. The burn- ing of this depot was the culminating act in the "Railroad Conspiracy Case," and had much to do with that celebrated trial.
1851. April II, the Seamen's Home Hotel, on Atwater Street, together with three or four other wooden buildings.
May 3, F. P. Markham & Brother's book store, on Jefferson Avenue, next to Firemen's Hall, also James Riley's house in the eighth ward.
December 22, Grand Circus Hotel and barn.
1852. January 23, car manufacturing shop of M. C. R. R. and much lumber.
April 16, Cooper Block, on Jefferson Avenue, be- tween Griswold and Shelby Streets, nearly con- sumed.
September 28, three dwellings and two barns, corner of Congress and Russell Streets.
October 15, C. C. Jackson's house, on Woodward Avenue, between State and Grand River Streets, burned, and D. C. Holbrook's much injured.
I853. February 10, the furniture factory of Stevens & Weber, above Grand Circus, burned.
February 15, Ellis's dry goods store, southeast corner of Woodward Avenue and Congress Street.
June 23, a fire on Gratiot Street, near Beaubien ; four buildings entirely, and several others partially destroyed.
May 30, the dry kiln of Sutton's pail factory, on Fort Street West, burned.
August 15, a pottery on Orleans Street, near Gratiot, was totally destroyed, and a man burned to death.
November 8, old Bowling Alley, on Monroe Ave- nue near the Campus Martius, known as the Palo Alto Saloon, and two adjoining buildings, occupied as a bakery and a meat shop, were burned.
1854. January 10, the First Presbyterian Church, on northeast corner of Woodward Avenue and Larned Street, with half the block between Larned Street and Jefferson Avenue, the fire extending to the old Boston shoe store of L. L. Farnsworth. The fire began in Smith & Tyler's shoe store, on Wood- ward Avenue, and consumed the grocery stores of T. Lewis and George Davis, T. H. Armstrong's hat store, Foster's paint shop, a barber shop, P. Teller's residence on Larned Street, and the Presby- terian Church. The burning of the church was a sad but splendid sight; as the flames streamed up and enveloped the steeple, they illuminated half the city.
The picture given of the fire is from an oil paint- ing produced from a sketch made by Robert Hopkin the morning after the fire. The original appearance of the church is more accurately shown in connection with the history of the churches.
January 22, M. C. R. R. offices, at foot of Third Street, burned. Loss, $10,000.
June 26, Colored Baptist Church, known also as Liberty Hall, on Fort Street East, between Beau- bien and St. Antoine Streets.
June 29, Phillips' sash factory, part of the Penin- sular Hotel barn, a bakery, and four dwellings, burned.
August 6, Lutheran Church, on Monroe Avenue, corner of Farrar Streets, and two frame dwellings.
August 19, a number of barns and sheds between Larned Street and Jefferson Avenue and Brush and Beaubien Streets.
September 19, two wooden buildings on Atwater and First Streets burned and two others injured.
October 20, Ingersoll's carpenter-shop, on Wood- bridge, between Bates and Randolph Streets, burned.
IMPORTANT FIRES.
495
December 22, cooper shop and three dwellings on Gratiot Avenue.
December 23, Wenzell's tin shop and adjacent buildings, on Woodward Avenue near the Campus Martius.
1855. January 24, Wilcox's carpenter shop on Farrar, between Monroe and Gratiot Avenues, consumed.
March 7, Long's livery stable, on Woodbridge Street in rear of Firemen's Hall.
May 28, grocery and feed store of Todd & Van-
August 17, Mechanics' Hall, on Griswold Street, partially consumed.
August 19, Commercial Hotel, on Woodbridge and First Streets.
September 19, dwelling houses, occupied by the Misses Scott and Mrs. J. C. Ladue, corner of Hast- ings and Larned Streets, partly burned.
December 24, C. & P. Mellus's saw factory, on Fort Street East, near Beaubien.
1857. January 13, old Abbott Block, on Atwater Street.
BURNING OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
derwarker, southeast corner of Woodward and Grand River Avenues.
September 4, Cass Warehouse, foot of First Street, occupied by Williams & Buckley, burned. Loss, $30,000.
1856. May 13, German Theatre, corner of Rivard and Macomb Streets, burned, two other buildings injured.
May 18, Tribune Building, northeast corner of Woodward Avenue and Woodbridge Street.
February 12, New York Boiler Works and Hall's Hotel, on Atwater near Hastings Street.
June 20, fire in Tenth Ward, caused by inhabitants seeking to drive disreputable persons out of the ward.
1858. February 5, the old Smart Buildings, known also as the "Scotch store " of Campbell & Linn, on northeast corner of Jefferson and Wood- ward Avenues; also the adjoining brick stores on Woodward and Jefferson Avenues, occupied by
496
IMPORTANT FIRES.
Sheldon & Brother and Amberg & Co., were burned. Loss, $50,000.
February 14, large wooden building, corner of Brush and Gratiot Streets, occupied by Moross & Provost.
March 7, old wooden theatre on northwest corner of State and Farrar Streets. The old brick theatre opposite partially burned.
April 11, Hyde's planing mill, in Tenth Ward. April 16, Moffat's saw mill, in Tenth Ward.
September 20, old barn on Cass Farm, belonging to Mr. King.
December 31, Tribune Building, northeast corner of Woodward Avenue and Woodbridge Street.
1859. February 8, stables of Grand River House, near corner of Griswold and Grand River Streets.
March, 24, Funke's hat store, King's clothing store, and Elliott's paint shop, on north side of Jef- ferson Avenue, between Bates and Woodward.
April 25, Grigg's chair factory, on northwest cor- ner of Brush and Gratiot Streets (formerly used as a warehouse by the D. & P. R. R. Co.), and eight other buildings.
May 22, dwelling of A. H. Stowell, on northeast corner of Griswold and Grand River Streets, par- tially burned.
June 15, old railroad freight building, on Michi- gan Avenue, site of New City Hall, partially burned.
June 20, William Phelps & Company's store, 98 Jefferson Avenue, damaged, and three or four other stores burned. At this fire R. W. Wright, by over- exertion or inhaling of smoke, was much injured.
July 29, W. F. Belman's grocery, corner of John R Street and Woodward Avenue.
1860. January 1, old Whig Cabin, next to Bid- dle House, occupied by several small firms. Loss, $5,000.
January 19, Blindbury's planing mill, on Atwater Street, between Rivard and Riopelle Streets. Loss, $3,000.
January 29, frame house, corner of Larned and Brush Streets. Loss, $1,000.
March 5, box factory, rear of 200 Macomb Street. Same day, old oilcloth factory, on Jefferson Avenue, near St. Aubin Avenue. Loss, $400.
March 18, residence of H. H. Wells, corner of Jefferson Avenue and Rivard Street, greatly dam- aged.
May 3, two houses on Hastings, between Fort and Lafayette Streets. Loss, $1,000.
May 15, dwelling on Larned Street in rear of the Cathedral.
May 30, a row of one-story buildings, corner of Michigan Avenue and Third Street. Loss, $1,000.
June 3, several piles of lumber at Pitts' Mill. Same day, D. M. Richardson's match factory. Loss, $12,000.
June 17, J. Taylor & Co.'s grocery, a two-story building, corner of Macomb and Grand River Streets. Loss, $4,000.
July 4, old Detroit Institute, or Fowler School- house, in use as a livery stable, with eleven horses, burned. Loss, $3,200.
July 7, barn near Woodward Avenue and be- tween Columbia and Elizabeth Streets.
July II, frame dwelling, corner Park and Sproat Streets, occupied by Mr. Deming, burned; several others injured.
August 11, several stables in alley near Beaubien and between Congress and Larned Streets. Loss, $1,500.
August 12, two buildings, on Larned near St. An- toine Street, partially burned.
August 29; fire on the dock between Cass and First Streets; Newman's roofing establishment and Pittman's warehouse burned, and other buildings damaged. Loss, about $5,000.
December 1, stores of J. Van Baalen, P. Carr, W. G. Peters, H. S. Lapham; Wanbeq & Musche, J. O'Connor, and D. McCormick, burned; they were on north side of Michigan Avenue, between Gris- wold and Woodward Avenues.
1861. January 4, fire on north side of Jefferson Avenue, between Griswold and Woodward Ave- nues. D. Amberg's clothing store burned and S. Grigg's furniture store badly damaged.
January 25, Traub Brothers' jewelry store, on south side of Jefferson Avenue, between Bates and Randolph Streets.
February 1, old wooden buildings on west side of Woodward Avenue, from Atwater Street to dock, in- cluding Brady warehouse. All burned. Loss, $7,000.
February 22, fire in Scotten, Granger, & Lovett's tobacco factory, on Randolph Street, and in A. Lingeman's jewelry store, at head of Michigan Grand Avenue.
March 15, Mechanics' Hall, in use for police court, on Griswold Street, partly burned.
May 5, residences of S E. Pittman and Mrs. Van Anden burned, also two or three smaller buildings on Woodbridge Street, near St. Antoine.
May 29, building on Sixth and Locust Streets, occupied by Mrs. Starkey's select school.
June 1, F. E. Eldred's tannery, in Springwells, badly damaged.
June 10, Quinlan's grocery, corner of Seventh and Grand River Streets. Loss, $2,500.
July 4, house belonging to Mr. Flattery, occupied by Mr. Elliott, also adjoining residence and two barns, corner of Rivard and Larned Streets.
July 13, old building, formerly a Catholic Church, on the Church Farm in Hamtramck.
July 18, Michigan Oil Company's store, III Woodbridge Street.
497
IMPORTANT FIRES.
August 22, two houses on Maple, between Or- leans and Dequindre Streets.
September 6, large barn and shed in King's stockyard, also a bull.
December 23, store on corner of Macomb and St. Antoine Streets.
December 26, residence of Mr. German, corner of Clinton and Chene Streets.
1862. April 2, M. C. R. R. engine house. Eight locomotives badly damaged, $20,000 worth of property destroyed.
August 12, steam sawmill of H. A. & S. G. Wight. Loss, $75,000.
1863. January I, fire at Heavenrich Brothers' store, 78 Woodward Avenue. Loss, $5,000.
January 7, twelve o'clock P. M., W. E. Tunis's store, near northwest corner of Woodward Avenue and Larned Street, upper part occupied by Pelgrim & Gray.
February 3, T. J. Haywood's store, on Atwater Street, between Griswold Street and Woodward Avenue.
March 6, during the riot against the negroes in connection with the trial of Faulkner, the city was fired in some twenty places, and eighty-five build- ings on Lafayette, between Brush and St. Antoine Streets, on Brush near Congress, and on Beaubien near Croghan, were burned.
July 18, Congress Street M. E. Church nearly de- stroyed.
1864. September 23, warehouse occupied by B. O'Grady and Black & Young, on dock at foot of First Street.
September 30, large brick factory and shop of Morhous, Mitchell, & Byram, on south side of Woodbridge, between Beaubien and St. Antoine Streets.
1865. April 23, Campbell & Linn's dry goods house, on northwest corner of Woodward Avenue and Congress Street. Loss, $50,000.
October 18, M. C. R. R. freight house and large quantity of freight. Loss, $1,500,000.
1866. April 26, in the evening, the passenger and freight offices and depots of the D. & M., and M. S. & L. S. Railroads, also the freight depot of the G. W. R. R., at foot of Brush Street and extending to St. Antoine Street, were burned, together with over eighty cars, the steam ferry Windsor, and an immense amount of freight. Loss, over $1,000,000. Eighteen lives were lost at this fire, and in this re- spect it was the most disastrous the city ever ex- perienced.
May 6, three distinct fires took place, burning the hardware store of Charles Busch, on north side of Jefferson Avenue, near Bates, a carpenter shop at 112 Randolph Street, and a two-story house on Clinton Street.
October 9, Frost's woodenware works, on Wight at foot of Leib Street. Loss, $20,000.
November 24, the paint shop of M. C. R. R. Loss, $80,000.
1867. June 3, Worcester, Standish, & Co.'s paint factory and eight dwellings. Loss, several thousand dollars.
June 28, the box factory of Dewey & Brady, and last factory of Mumford, Foster, & Co., on Atwater Street, at foot of Riopelle Street.
1868. January 2, old wooden building, on north- east corner of Atwater and St. Antoine Streets, oc- cupied as City Mission Lodging House.
April 4, part of the old Merchants' Exchange Hotel. It was occupied by the Detroit Stove Works and H. P. Baldwin & Co.
December 7, Hubbard & King's planing mill. Loss, $20,000.
1869. January 23, old Athenaeum, formerly Con- gress Street M. E. Church.
June 29, Fulton Iron Works, corner of Franklin and Brush Streets. Two firemen badly injured. Loss, about $50,000; insurance, $20,000.
July 1, the picture frame factory of Date & Berry, on southwest corner of Randolph and Atwater Streets. Loss, $60,000.
1870. January 9, a two-story frame building, used as grocery and dwelling, on Wight Street, be- tween Walker Street and Joseph Campau Avenue. Five persons burned to death.
1871. February II, Trowbridge Block, at foot of Bates Street, on west side, partially burned. Loss, $60,000.
March 1, Peninsular Dressed Lumber Company's Works, on southeast corner of Atwater and Riopelle Streets. Loss, $50,000.
May 11, Pullman Car shops, on northeast corner of Croghan and Dequindre Streets; three cars and one of the shops burned. Loss, $50,000.
June 11, F. Stearns' drug store, on west side of Woodward Avenue near Larned Street. Loss, $16,588.
July 31, Excelsior Club Boathouse and boats, on south side of Atwater, between Chene Street and Joseph Campau Avenue; also four ice-houses be- longing to Seitz Brothers.
December 4, the tobacco factory of M. Rosenfield & Co., 19 Jefferson Avenue, on north side, between First and Second Streets. Loss, $20,000.
December 30, F. Stearns' drug store, on west side of Woodward Avenue, burned,-second time this year ; four lives lost. Loss, $64,000.
1872. July 14, brick store at 522 Gratiot Street. Loss, $10,000.
July 29, four stores, numbers 948 to 954, on Michigan Avenue. Loss, $9,500.
August 5, match factory, on corner of Grand
498
IMPORTANT FIRES.
River Avenue and Thirteen - and -a- half Streets. Loss, $20,000.
September 10, the gymnasium building, on the southwest corner of Congress and Randolph Streets ; also a picture-frame store on Jefferson Avenue. Loss, $30,000.
October 7, brick store, 145 Woodward Avenue. Loss, $43,000.
November 15, brick carpenter shop and wood- working room of M. C. R. R. Loss, $100,000.
December 5, fire at Pullman Car Works. Loss, $18,000.
1873. February 9, foundry on corner of Atwater and Dequindre Streets. Loss, $11,500.
April 13, Tribune printing building, on north side of Larned, between Griswold and Shelby Streets ; also property belonging to the Michigan Farmer and Commercial Advertiser offices. Loss, $112,000; insurance, $55,000.
May 15, Schulenburg's billiard factory, on Ran- dolph Street, partly burned. Loss, $15,000.
June 7, Propeller Meteor and Buckley's ware- house, at foot of First Street. Loss, $87,000.
June 30, destructive fire in K. C. Barker & Co.'s tobacco factory, south side of Jefferson Avenue, near Cass Street.
September 2, Republic Brewery, on Elmwood Avenue. Loss, $14,000.
October 11, Weber's planing mill and lumber yard, a brewery, nine dwellings, and other buildings in the block bounded by Hastings, Rivard, Maple, and Sherman Streets. Loss, $35,000.
November 27, distillery on corner of Larned and First Streets. Loss, $12,000.
December 20, Hinman's oil store, 54 Jefferson Avenue. Loss, $12,000.
December 30, Farrington, Campbell, & Co.'s spice mills. Loss, $25,000.
1874. February 18, tobacco works, 152 Ran- dolph Street. Loss, $20,000.
March 5, Kieler's Hall, 339 Lafayette Street East. April 14, burial-case factory, on southeast corner of Congress and Third Streets. Loss, $75,000.
1875. April 29, at night, Weber's furniture fac- tory, on corner of John R., between High and Montcalm Streets; also fifteen dwellings. Loss, $250,000.
June 14, Adams' saw mill. Loss, $8,000.
June 30, bridge and iron works, on Foundry Street, near Michigan Avenue, partially burned. Loss, $30,000.
1876. March 25, Fort Street Presbyterian Church, on corner of Third and Fort Streets, a large and elegant stone building, was almost entirely destroyed. The fire was probably caused by a defective chim- ney. Loss, about $100,000.
June 13, market shed on Michigan Grand Ave-
nue. The heat was so intense that the plate-glass windows in the Russell House, Mckinstry and Williams Blocks, were largely destroyed.
December 30, Wight's saw mill. Loss, $30,000.
1877. May 7, Phillips's show-case factory and D. M. Ferry & Co.'s box factory, on northwest corner of East Fort and Beaubien Streets. Loss, $23,000.
May 29, seven small houses and three barns on cor- ner of Hastings and Marion Streets. Loss, $8,000.
June 5, Charles Tegler's planing mill and other buildings on north side of High near Beaubien Street. Loss, $15,000.
June 10, steamer R. N. Rice, of the Cleveland line, burned at foot of Wayne Street. Loss, $40,000.
July 5, house, barn, and sheds, 46 Lewis Street. Loss, $2,600.
July 22, Theatre Comique, on Jefferson Avenue opposite the Biddle House. Loss, $12,000.
September 17, the cracker factory of Vail & Crane, on southeast corner of Woodbridge and Randolph Streets. Loss, $9,700.
September 20, several factories at 34 Atwater Street, occupied by C. B. Seitz, W. H. Scott, and W. O'Callaghan. Loss, $7,000.
November 9, frame store and dwelling, III Joseph Campau Avenue. Loss, $2,200.
December 14, M. M. Gisler's house, 1062 Wood- ward Avenue. Loss, $4,000.
1878. January 13, Amos Chaffee's brick store, occupied by Barnes Brothers and Hazard & Brew- ster, on Jefferson Avenue. Loss, $32,000.
March 26, tower of engine-house on Alexandrine Avenue struck by lightning and destroyed.
April 29, Free Press Building burned. Loss, $44,000.
May 22, coal-shed and coal of Gas Company, and Bigley's packing and ice houses, at foot of Twenty- second Street. Loss, $12,000.
May 23, Berry Brothers' varnish factory. Loss, $45,000.
August II, several one-story stores, dwellings, and sheds, at 485 Grand River Avenue. Loss, $6,500.
October 24, Doane's flour mill, corner of Larned and Second Streets. Loss, $12,000.
1879. May 11, Post and Tribune Company's printing office. Loss, $30,000.
May 28, Holy Trinity Anglo-Catholic Church and rectory partly burned. Loss, $2,000.
August 13, propeller Steinhoff and a warehouse at foot of Griswold Street. Loss, $19,000. Two persons burned to death.
November 23, brick house, 169 Fort Street West. Loss, $5,500. Also, Kaiser's brick tannery, 219 Rio- pelle Street. Loss, $4,000.
1880. May 3, M. Maier's trunk factory, 55 Mon- roe Avenue. Loss, $6,000.
499
IMPORTANT FIRES.
July 27, brick store and dwelling, 316 Rivard Street. Loss, $4,200.
October 13, old warehouse, corner of Second and Front Streets. Loss, $4,700.
November 4, H. McCain's dwelling, 379 Clinton Street. Loss, $2,000.
1881. January 2, M. J. Reardon's store and dwelling, 445 Trumbull Avenue. Loss, $1,250.
January 12, boiler explosion and fire at Union Steam Mills, corner of Ninth and Woodbridge Streets. Loss, $25,000.
January 22, comb factory, 203 Mullett Street, owned by William Roth. Loss, $4,303.
February 6, a two-story dwelling, 474 Congress Street East, occupied by H. Hunter. Loss, $1,000.
February 27, store of Amos Chaffee, 141 Jeffer- son Avenue, occupied by Barnes Brothers.
March 18, two dwellings, 280 Congress Street East. Loss, $1,000.
March 31, G. M. Traver's store, III Woodward Avenue. Loss, $8,000.
April 20, store and dwelling, 646 Twelfth Street. Loss, $1,500.
April 30, Frost's woodenware works, Wight near Adair Street. Loss, $41,000.
May 4, barns and dwelling, 268 to 272 Alfred Street. Loss, $1,500.
May 6, Detroit Lithographic Office, 54 Bates Street. Loss, $6,000.
May 16, frame store and dwelling, 356 Chestnut Street. Loss, $1,200.
July 20, J. E. Davis & Co.'s store, corner of Jef- ferson Avenue and Wayne Street. Loss, $45,500.
August 23, frame buildings, 70 to 74 Catherine Street. Loss, $6,500.
September 3, Delray Glass Works burned.
October 27, L. Laurense's moulding factory, on Atwater Street near Bates. Loss, $2,000.
December 5, Sowden's Mills, on Gratiot near Dequindre Street. Loss, $1,325.
December 12, store 271 Michigan Avenue. Loss, $1,100.
December 29, J. E. Davis & Co.'s drug store, on Woodbridge Street near Bates. Loss, $3,000.
1882. January 20, C. Schulte's soap factory, Woodbridge Street West. Loss, $1,768.
January 22, Horace Turner's upholstering stores, foot of Woodward Avenue. Loss, $17,550.
March 7, Barnum's wire works, 12 and 14 At- water Street East. Loss, $5,549.
March 23, T. Hawley's building, 280 Atwater Street East. Loss, $6,500.
May I, Martz Brothers' brewery, 487 Orleans Street. Loss, $4,500.
June 19, Shefferly's planing mill, 193 Croghan Street. Loss, $16,300.
July 22, McGregor's machine shop, corner of St. Antoine and Atwater Streets. Loss, $3,500.
August 5, J. Hartness's soap factory, 119 Father Street. Loss, $2,500.
September II, Seitz's icehouses, foot of Mc- Dougall Avenue. Loss, $2,500.
September 20, Detroit Dry Dock Co.'s sawmill, foot of Orleans Street. Loss, $18,000.
October 24, Backus & Sons' planing mill, corner of Fort and Eleventh Streets. Loss, $150,000.
November 14, William Saurs's cooper shop, Ber- lin Street. Loss, $10,000.
November 18, Backus & Sons' lumber yard, cor- ner of Fort and Eleventh Street. Loss, $4,682.
December 30, carriage factory, Randolph Street. Loss, $5,776.
1883. January I, candy store at No. 8 Grand River Avenue. Loss, $3,296.
January 8, Telegraph Block, southeast corner of Congress and Griswold Streets, badly damaged. Loss, $19,414.
January 22, factory on the corner of Randolph and Atwater Streets. Loss, $3,058.
February 28, Miller's soap works at 606 Wood- bridge Street West. Loss, $7,100.
March 30, Gisler's carriage shop, on Larned Street West. Loss, $6,000.
April 4, lumber yard of Mr. Japes, at 643 Gratiot Avenue, burned. Loss, $5,500.
April 13, furniture stores at 47, 49, and 51 Jeffer- son Avenue. - Loss, $30,410.
May 10, John Marr's cooper shops at corner of Bagg and Twelfth Streets. Loss, $5,000.
May 21, explosion of boiler and fire at Wolverine paper mills. Loss, $14,650.
August 2, Henkel & Voorhees's flour mill at south- west corner of Randolph and Woodbridge Streets. Loss, $31,450.
August 10, Saurs's cooper shops at corner of Arndt and Berlin Streets. Loss, $18,376.
November 21, Detroit Dry Dock engine works badly damaged. Loss, $5,747.
Since the organization of the Fire Commission, great care has been taken to keep a record of fires, with the following result :
Year.
Number of Fires and Alarms.
Total Loss.
Year.
Number of Fires and Alarms.
Total Loss.
1867
212
$185,473
1876
232
202,433
1868
I 37
99,828
1877
340
238,832
1869
152
240,490
1878
234
177,933
1870
190
172,960
1879
261
89,687
1871
191
239,006
188
191
77,619
1872
I28
192,935
1881
230
150,01I
1873
154
390,315
1884
338
306,302
1874
240
195,249
1885
327
273.856
1875
322
250,909
1886
332
1,117,997
500
FIRE MARSHAL .- FIRE LIMITS. - CHIMNEY SWEEPS.
FIRE MARSHAL.
This office was first established by ordinance, approved April 3, 1860. The ordinance greatly curtailed the powers of the chief engineer, and gave the marshal power to enforce ordinances as to fires, to cause chimneys to be cleaned, to examine premises as to their safety against fire, and to over- see the fire wardens. The salary of the marshal was fixed at $600, and that of the chief engineer re- duced from $500 to $200. The proposed action greatly displeased some of the firemen, and on April 2, 1860, they held a large meeting at Firemen's Hall to protest against it. Their protest, however, was of no avail, and the ordinance was approved the next day. The office of fire marshal was abol- ished on March 26, 1867, by the Act creating the Fire Commission.
The following persons have served as fire mar- shals: 1861, H. A. Snow; 1862, James Battle; 1863-1866, William Champ; 1866, J. H. Van Schoick,
By Act of May 23, 1877, the office was revived, but with such additional power and increased duties as to make it virtually a new office. The Act provided that a fire marshal, and, if need be, an assistant fire marshal, should be nominated by the fire commissioners, and appointed by the council.
It is the duty of the marshal to be present at all fires, to inquire into their origin, recommend pre- cautionary measures, and to prevent the transporta- tion and storing of dangerous materials; and all persons erecting or altering buildings are required to get a permit from him. The charge for a per- mit within the fire limits is, for repairs costing less than $1,000, one dollar ; for repairs costing over $1,000 and less than $5,000, two dollars; and for every additional $1,000, twenty cents.
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