The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I, Part 84

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I > Part 84

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In 1858 the city was divided into two districts, the first, second, fifth, eighth, and ninth wards com- posing the First District, and Companies 2, 4, 5, 8, IO, and 12, and the Hook and Ladder Company were to do duty therein. The Second District com- prised the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, and tenth wards, and Companies 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, and II, and the Hook and Ladder Company were to attend all fires in the district.

In 1866 the entire city was divided into five fire districts, and two companies were designated to attend all fires and alarms originating in each dis- trict. A general alarm was first sounded by ringing all the bells, and then the number of the ward was given.

Turning again to the history of the companies we find that on October 4, 1836, the mayor noti- fied the council that he had contracted with Mr. Smith of New York for a new fire engine of the most approved kind, to be delivered in New York, October 15. On January 23, 1837, the Commit- tee on Fire Department was "requested to ascer- tain the most eligible site which can be obtained for the erection of a permanent building for the use of Engine Company No. I, the Hook and Ladder Company and a Hose Company, and the terms upon which such site can be had, and whether by purchase or by lease." On February 3 it was resolved " that the fire engine lately arrived be delivered to Engine Company No. 3, provided the number of members of that company shall be increased to not less than twenty-five by the 18th inst." It was also resolved "that the sum of fifty

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dollars be appropriated, and expended under the direction of the Chief Engineer, for painting the engine formerly belonging to Company No. I, and lately in possession of Company No. 3, and that said engine be hereafter designated and considered as engine No. 4," also that "the Chief Engineer be requested to use his efforts to embody a company to be attached to Engine No. 4." The effort to organ- ize this company was not immediately successful. A house was built for them in the rear of Washing- ton Market in the summer of 1840, but the company was not officially organized until May 18, 1841.

The names of the officers of the companies in January, 1837, were :

Company No. I: C. Hurlbut, foreman; John Owen, assistant foreman; A. Ewers, treasurer; R. E. Roberts, secretary ; James W. Sutton, steward.

Company No. 2 : Thomas J. Reese, foreman ; G. H. Jones, first assistant foreman ; Charles C. Trow- bridge, second assistant foreman ; H. J. Caniff, sec- retary and treasurer ; W. H. Wells, engineer.

Company No. 3 : Francis E. Eldred, foreman.

In January and April of this year very disastrous fires occurred ; the supply of hose was insufficient, and the firemen declared that they were unable, on that account, to do good service. There can be no question of the heroism that some of them displayed. The members of Company No. I suffered severely, and many had their coats entirely destroyed by the flames. At the burning of the Great Western, in 1839, the gallant boys of No. 4 stationed themselves within fifteen feet of the fierce flames, and remained until they were extinguished. The heat was so in- tense that it was necessary to throw the water over them as they stood at the brakes.

On June 6, 1837, Hurlbut Hose Company No. I was formed, and in February, 1844, LeRoy Hose Company No. 2.

In 1838 the firemen had so increased in number that plans for mutual improvement began to be suggested, and on August 21 they opened a reading room and library.

In January, 1839, the council obtained the use of the lot on the northwest corner of Larned and Bates Streets, and the same year the first Firemen's Hall was erected, at a cost of $3,300. It was paid for by the city, aided by the firemen. It was of brick, thirty by fifty feet, and was first occupied in Decem- ber, 1839. The lower story was used by Protection Company No. I, Hurlbut Hose Company No. I, and the Hook, Ladder, and Axe Company. The upper room was used for some time by the common coun- cil, and in 1852 for a public school ; it afterwards became the office of the Water Works. The entire building was finally occupied for business purposes. It was torn down in 1872, to make room for the store of Farrand, Williams, & Co.

During 1842 one thousand feet of hose was con- tracted for, and for nearly six months the question of how to obtain $860 in good money, to pay for it, was before the council. So difficult was it for the city to support the department that a propo- sition to turn over the engines and apparatus to the Fire Department Society was seriously discussed. The records of the council for June 15, 1842, con- tain the following :

Resolved, that a committee, with the Mayor as chairman, be appointed to receive proposals from, and to confer with the Fire Department of the city, relative to the sale to them of the fire engines, hose, hose carts, and other apparatus now in use by the Fire Department. And that said committee be authorized to make such sale and conveyances for such consideration as they deem most advisable for the city.

FIREMEN

OLD FIREMEN'S HALL.

On June 27, 1843, the council further

Resolved, that the Recorder be authorized, in consideration of the valuable services rendered the city by the firemen thereof, to sell and convey, for and on behalf of the Mayor, Recorder, Alder- men, and Firemen of the city of Detroit, all the fire engines, hose, hose carts, hooks and ladders, trucks and the appurtenances of the various fire companies, and now owned by the said city, to the Fire Department of the city of Detroit, provided that said matters and things continue to be used for the purposes for which they were obtained.

As the Fire Department Society did not dare to assume the risk which the purchase would involve, this piece of financiering failed. The hard times finally passed away, and there was no occasion for further considering the proposition. The credit and ability of the city was, however, so uncertain that, lest the property should be attached, a law of Feb-

THE OLD FIRE DEPARTMENT.

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ruary 6, 1843, and amendment of March 9, 1844, exempted it from execution.

By this time the growth of the city made another company desirable, and on August 19, 1845, Phoenix Company No. 5 was organized. A new engine was then procured, and in 1846 an engine house was built for this company, on Clifford, at the head of Griswold Street.

PHENIX C. N. 5.

OLD NO. 5 ENGINE HOUSE, CLIFFORD STREET.

About this time it became the custom for firemen to visit other cities and receive visits in return. On these occasions the Detroit Fire Department always performed its part thoroughly and well. Concern- ing the preparations for one of these events a paper of August 12, 1845, says:

At a meeting of the committee on behalf of the Fire Depart- ment of the city of Detroit, convened at the National Hotel on the morning of the 11th inst., the following preamble and resolu- tions were adopted. Whereas, Ithaca Hook and Ladder Co. No. 3, having complimented us by a visit to the " City of the Straits."

Resolved, that there be a torchlight procession, to form at eight o'clock this evening at King's Corner.

Resolved, that we invite our guests of Ithaca to partake of a dinner on the late Camp ground on Jefferson Avenue, at two o'clock P. M. on Tuesday.

On July 2, 1849, Company No. 2 went to Roch- ester, New York, on the steamboat Baltic; their engine was sent on the Mayflower.

The popularity of these occasions made the office of a fireman attractive, and when the growing city required a new company its formation was not diffi- cult. The residents of the Third and Fourth Wards met on Monday, September 22, 1845, at the Firemen's Hall, and resolved to form a company, to be called Michigan Engine Company No. 6.

The following temporary officers were appointed : N. Greusel, foreman ; F. Raymond, assistant fore- man; W. W. Duffield, secretary. The name of the company was soon changed to "Alert," and then to "Rough and Ready." A new engine was provided in October, and the company was officially recognized by the council on November 6, 1846. A building was erected for them in 1857 on the northwest corner of Larned and St. Antoine Streets.

In January, 1849, two companies, Union No. 7 and Mechanics No. 8, were organized. The house of No. 7 was on the corner of Larned and Riopelle Streets. Company No. 8 was located on Third Street, between Lafayette and Howard Streets.

From the year 1830, it had been customary to have an annual review of the Department. In 1849 a firemen's parade was arranged for September 26, during the session of the State Fair, and a torch- light procession for the evening. For some reason, Company No. I was disaffected, and voted not to turn out, and on November 20 it was disbanded. The other companies paraded, adding greatly to the attraction of Fair week. These parades were always occasions of great interest. The gayly dec- orated engines, polished to the last degree of brightness, the festoons and wreaths of flowers with which they were ornamented, the red shirts and spotless black pantaloons of the firemen, and the firemen themselves, were the admiration of all eyes; and the "throwing " was watched with anxiety and delight by both boys and men. Members of the company which threw the largest stream, high- est or furthest, were as proud as Grecian victors. A victorious engine was mounted with an immense broom, and sometimes with several, and to say "She carries the broom" was the highest praise. The steeple of the Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Larned Street, the steeple of the Baptist Church, on the corner of Fort and Griswold Streets, and the Cupola of the City Hall, were favorite places for testing the "highest water."

Different companies often challenged each other in order to test the muscle of members and "ma- chines." Sometimes bonfires were built, or false alarms raised, that one company might mislead or defeat another and be first at a fire. In case defeat seemed probable in a trial of skill, members of some companies did not hesitate to cut their own hose, or the hose of other companies, in order to carry out their plans or make good their claims.

These were days when not only the safety of the city was in care of the firemen, but they also held the balance of political power, and neither council nor citizens dared refuse their requests. Because of the power the organizations possessed, disreputable persons sought to become firemen, and in some

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companies they were admitted. The firemen's balls then became disgraceful routs, and as these balls succeeded each other in rapid succession, and as every one was expected to buy a ticket whenever asked, the tax became somewhat oppressive. The worst characters among the firemen, however, would, at the time of a fire, do deeds of daring that were the admiration and pride of the city.

A fire of any moment afforded a scene of excite- ment that now is never paralleled. The loud cries, the hoarse shouting, the rattling thud of the breaks, and the picturesque dress of the firemen, were in marked contrast with the quiet and system of the present day. "Start her live- ly!" "Jump her!" were the cries heard as the brave and bois- terous "b'hoys" tugged at the ropes, and "pulled away" for a fire. Of- tentimes a ri- val company reached the scene before their hose-cart arrived, and to prevent another company from getting water that they wanted themselves, a barrel or box would be hastily thrown over the hydrant, and it could not be had without a strug- gle. If noise could have drowned a fire, few fires would have made any headway after the engines were fairly at work. In his energetic endeavors the foreman often mounted the "machine," and "Up with her, boys!" "Down with the brakes !" "Be lively !" and a hundred other ejaculations flowed from his lips as fast as the stream from the nozzle. Often, just as the stream began gaining on the fire, the hose would burst and drench the bystanders, and then there was loud and fervent comment. Sometimes, owing to the scarcity of water or of hose, one machine played into another, and an engine that could not throw out water as fast as another threw it in was said to be

"washed." This was considered a deep disgrace, and when such instances occurred, firemen have been known to throw up their hats and abandon the engine. In order to avoid such difficulties, great care was taken that no one of the companies was supplied with an engine better than the others.

During these years the duties of firemen were very laborious and exhaustive, and it became cus- tomary to supply them with refreshments after a fire, especially if in the night. Citizens whose property was saved often vied with each other in the hospitalities which they prof- fered to

A "MOSE" OF THE OLDEN TIME. (From a painting by Robert Hopkin.)

the faithful fire- men, and many gallons of coffee and baskets of hard boiledeggs, with other acces- sories, were pro- vided. The fol- lowing notices tell their own story :

The undersigned takes this method of gratefully acknowl- edging his indebted- ness to the firemen of the city for their prompt efficiency in saving his residence from destruction by fire on Sunday morn- ing ; and to his neighbors for the important assistance rendered by them, in arresting the con- flagration.

Z. PITCHER. April Ist, 1851.

Protection Co. No. I tender their thanks to Dr. Pitcher and Mr. Thomas C. Sheldon, for refreshments after the fire on the morning of the 30th ult.

JESSE McMILLAN, Secretary.

Money was frequently sent to the companies or the Department in acknowledgment of services ren- dered, and from time to time elegant speaking- trumpets of silver were presented. One such was presented by the citizens of Windsor for valuable services rendered at the time of a fire.

If the people neglected to furnish refreshments, the companies after a fire often regaled themselves with hot coffee and " sundries " at their own houses.

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THE OLD FIRE DEPARTMENT.

On such occasions the following song was popular with many of the firemen :

FIREMEN'S DRINKING SONG.

Here is to Number One, drink her down, Here is to Number One, drink her down, Here is to Number One, for their boys are full of fun, Drink her down, drink her down, drink her down.

The first two lines of each verse were constructed alike, and the refrain was the same in all, the third lines of the verses were as follows :

Here is to Number Two, for their boys are good and true, Here is to Number Three, and you'd better let her be, Here is to Number Four, for the boys they make her roar, Here is to Number Five, for the boys are all alive,

Here is to Number Six, for the boys they give her fits, Here is to Number Seven, for they are all a going to heaven, Here is to Number Eight, for they never get there late,

Here is to Number Nine, for they make the best of time,

Here is to Number Ten, for they are all Irishmen,

Here is to Number Eleven, hope to meet them all in heaven, Here is to Number Twelve, they 're too far away to hear the bells.

Further recollections of the "old days" are con- tained in the following lines, written by William H. Coyle, and forming part of an ode read at a fire- men's benefit at the National Theatre on July 8, 1850:

When, in the deep and dim midnight, Is heard a cry of wild affright,

A shriek, that pierces slumber's ear,

And chills the blood with horrid fear,

While peals th' alarm from many a spire, And the dread sound of " Fire ! Fire !"

Wakes the still city, who appears, Swift thro' the darkness, with loud cheers ?

" Protection." gallant Number One, When bell and trumpet calls each son Of daring forth, lifts her broad shield, The first to rescue, last to yield.

The noble " Eagle," Number Two, Often tried, and ever true,

With engine new, that can't be beat, Comes thundering down the torch-lit street.

The " Wolverine " next, Number Three, No laggard in the field will be. Stout arms are theirs, that never tire, But bravely work, thro' smoke and fire.

Old " Lafayette," staunch Number Four, A torrent, long and strong, will pour ; With zealous pride in her loved name, She '11 front the hottest, fiercest flame.

Heroic " Phoenix," Number Five, Impatient, dashes on, to strive Against the foe, on fearless wings, And from the ashes conquering springs.

Old " Rough and Ready," Number Six, Mounts foremost on the roof to fix Her pipe ; in peril sure and steady, At the bell tap always ready.

Intrepid " Union," Number Seven, When cinders flash and fly to heaven, Wheels into line, a Spartan band, And fights the fire-fiend hand to hand.

"Mechanic," veteran Number Eight, On duty never known too late,

Mans her brakes, and makes them ring, As flood on flood the quick strokes fling.

Now " Hurlbut Hose," and young " Le Roys," Take each their post, while 'mid the noise And smothering smoke, the trumpet blows, " Clear the track !" " Keep off that hose !"

"Hook, Axe, and Ladder, scale the walls !" " Pull hard, my lads! it rocks, it falls, Down tumbling in a blood-red blaze ! Hurrah !" And now in chorus raise

Three cheers, my boys, we 've won the fight ; Three more ! Good night ! good night ! good night !

The mottoes of the companies also indicated the spirit of the times. That of No. I read, " Deeds are fruits, words are but leaves." The motto of No. 4 was "When danger calls we're prompt to fly, and bravely .do, or bravely die." The back of Engine No. 5 bore the legend, "Man the brakes and keep me clean, and I'll take the butt from any machine." Rescue Hook and Ladder Company No. I had for a motto the words, "We raze to save."

In 1851 the condition of the Department was as follows :

Protection 1, eleven members, engine built 1835, 250 ft. hose.

Eagle 2, fifty-one members, engine built 1848, 500 ft. hose.

Wolverine 3, forty-four members, engine built 1851, 350 ft. hose.

Lafayette 4, fifty-four members, engine built 1851, 400 ft. hose.

Phoenix 5, forty-three members, engine built 1848, 500 ft. hose.

Rough and Ready 6, twenty-nine members, en- gine built 1846, 500 ft. hose.

Union 7, forty members, engine built 1851, 500 ft. hose.

Mechanics' 8, thirty-two members, engine built 1850, 400 ft. hose.

There were also four old engines not in use. Hook and Ladder Company had no members. The company officers consisted of a foreman, first, second, and third assistants, and a secretary. Com- mittees were appointed by each company monthly, to care for the engine.

The upper story of each engine house was fitted up as an assembly room, and many of the rooms were really elegant and inviting. Oftentimes the firemen plated their engines at their own expense, and the members of some companies contributed more than the city to further the objects of their organizations.

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THE OLD FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The condition of many of the streets at this period oftentimes made the drawing of the engines a very hard task, especially if but few members of a com- pany were present.

There was great rivalry among the companies to get the "first stream on." Drays were frequently used, and paid for by the council; if no dray was at hand, the companies ran on the sidewalks, to the danger of pedestrians, and the damage of shade- trees and other property. As the companies in- creased in number, the rivalries increased in intensity, until legitimate and praiseworthy emula- tion was transformed, in some cases, into petty and malignant jealousy, and in the effort to be first at a fire, some of the companies would crowd others from the walks, and even run into them, Vhen DANGER damaging the $4 engines, and making the costs for repairs frequent and ex- pensive. There was also much disturbance at the engine houses caused by the boy mem- bers of the hose companies, and for this reason in March, 1855, d. bravely do the boy com- panies were dis- banded, and the hose was there- after cared for by the men. This entailed more work and increased the dissatis- faction and disorder.

In order to remedy some of the existing evils, the council, on April 24, 1855, prohibited the running of fire engines upon the sidewalks of paved streets between the hours of 6 A. M. and IO P. M., and prescribed a penalty of five dollars, or five days' imprisonment, at the discretion of the mayor's court. This greatly displeased the firemen, and on the following week the council repealed the clause imposing the penalty of imprisonment, and adopted an ordinance providing for the expulsion or suspen- sion of the guilty party from the Fire Department. Certain of the firemen, however, were still dissatis- fied, and at the semi-annual review, on May 2, they held a meeting to discuss their grievances, after

which some of the members of Companies 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 abandoned their engines and left the service; numbers of them marched through the streets with hats reversed. On the same day, at the call of the mayor, a meeting was held, and a large number of prominent citizens, many of them old firemen, tendered their services for the protection and management of such engines as were unmanned. On the following day the employees of the M. C. R. R. and of Jackson and Wiley's Foundry organized a fire company, called Mayflower No. 76, and vol- unteered to go to all fires needing their services. On May 15 new companies for Nos. 5, 6, and 8 were organized by the council, and by June 13 eight new Prompt to FLY companies had been formed. The names of some companies were then changed as fol- lows : Phoenix 5 to Washington, and then back again to Phœ- nix; Rough and Ready6 to Nep- tune 6; and Mechanics' 8 to Continental 8. The members of this last com- pany were uni- formed in Con- tinental -soldier style, and in the summer of 1857 the or bravely company built a new house on the site of the old one. Besides

FIREMEN'S BANNER, COMPANY NO. 4.

the furnishing it cost something over $5,000, of which the company raised $3,000, and the remainder was paid by the city. The speedy and successful re- organization of the Department did not please the dissatisfied members of the old companies, and for nearly a year there were numerous false alarms believed to have been given by former firemen.

On June 10, 1856, Detroit Company No. 9 was organized, and on November 21, 1856, took pos- session of a new brick building on north side of Gratiot near St. Antoine Street. They were provided with a new engine, which was first used on May 26, 1857.

On June 9, 1856, Operative Company No. 10 was organized. They occupied a brick building on the north side of Orchard, corner of Fifth Street. A

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new engine for this company arrived, and was tested at the same time as the new engine of No. 9.

A company known as Spouters No. II was or- ganized February 11, 1857. They were originally designated the Hamtramck Spouters. Their engine house, built in 1859, was located on the corner of Jefferson and St. Aubin Avenues.

Woodbridge Company No. 12 was organized in March, 1857. They were located on the corner of Fort and Thompson, now Twelfth Street.

A company, styled Gratiot Fire Company No. 13, was organized November 23, 1857, but a committee of the council reported against accepting it.

By firemen, and especially by members of Com- pany No. 2, "Old Joe," the firemen's dog, will be remembered. He was a large black Newfound- land, bought, when two years old, by John Atkin- son of a sailor, and given to Robert McMillan. He belonged to Eagle Company No. 2 for six or seven years, was always on hand at fires, and ready at the first tap of the bell to seize the ropes and bark the alarm. He was provided with a fine collar, and was a general favorite, and on his death, in May, 1858, was sincerely mourned. The accompanying picture of Old Joe is from an oil painting, and the painter alone is responsible for the perspective.

EAGLE.

OLD JOE, THE FIREMEN'S DOG.

Even after the reorganization of the department in 1855, peace did not always reign, and among those who joined the companies were many un- worthy members. On August 4, 1858, some mem- bers, or pretended friends, of Company No. 4 started a dangerous bonfire on the corner of Larned and Wayne Streets, and when No. 8 arrived they cut their hose and threw stones at the men. In fact, the disorder was almost as great as it had been in 1855; the property of the companies was neg- lected, and the hose allowed to go uncared for un- til much of it became unfit for use. September 2, 1858, marked the beginning of a new era. On that

date a steam fire engine was first tried in Detroit. It was one of Silsby & Co.'s make, and by agree- ment its merits were to be compared with the ser- vice rendered by hand engines. The trial took place on the Campus Martius.

The engines on a bell signal were to start at 2 P. M., and meet in front of the City Hall. Long before two o'clock the avenue was thronged with people anxious to see the race and the trial. En- gine companies 8 and 10 were selected as repre- senting the hand-engine companies. The time of arrival and commencement of throwing was as fol- lows :

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The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I, Part 84

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902 Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co
Number of Pages: 1096