USA > Missouri > Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. II > Part 82
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bership, recollections of its former useful- ness and the many deeds of heroism performed. While they opposed the depart- ment from honest, but mistaken, motives, their reputations and standing in the com- munity made the task more difficult and gave encouragement to the "b'hoys" to hamper and impede its progress in every way. The men who had left the volunteers were re- garded as traitors, and were hooted and jeered at whenever they appeared on the streets. False alarms were very numerous, given for a double purpose-first, to tire out the horses of the new department, and to furnish opportunities to hurl volleys of stones, brickbats and other missiles from places of concealment at the men, who were termed "Hessians," "hirelings," etc. Fire- arms were also frequently used. At fires many cowardly assaults were made, horses were stabbed and killed, hose was cut and destroyed, and taunts and jeers freely used to force the paid men into fights. One ever fruitful source of trouble was the possession or right of way to the fire plugs. The plugs then in use were of the upright pattern, with two outlets. There was a sort of unwritten law which gave the first company to arrive the choice of outlets. The limited capacity of the city water works and the small mains used made the lower outlet the most desira- ble, as the pressure was insufficient to furnish two engines with a full supply. The volun- teer companies, being most all located in the business section of the city, on the occur- rence of a fire there considered it quite a "smart trick" to take possession of all the closest plugs by leading off a few sections of hose from each, thus preventing the steamers from using them. This bit of strat- agem was, however, of short duration. To defeat this scheme, the paid men fitted up the "Mound City Belle," a light four-wheeled hose carriage, with a pair of shafts, put a few lengths of hose on it, and hitched it to the old gray horse "Mike," a fine trotter. This outfit was put in charge of Mike Dres- sell and Henry Marquis. They would patrol the business portion of the city during the night, hiding in alleys and nooks on the lookout for fires. They made their head- quarters in the Union house, within hearing of the College Church bell. On the discov- ery of a fire they would drive at a terrific pace to the scene and take possession of the
449
FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ST. LOUIS, PAID.
most available plugs for the use of the steamers. The volunteers, on arriving later, finding themselves outwitted, swore ven- geance against the perpetrators of the "trick." Many curses were heaped upon the heads of these men, to say nothing of the stones they were required to dodge on the street. The officers and men of the new de- partment bore all the insults and indignities heaped upon them with patience and forti- tude, and by their demeanor rapidly gained the public confidence and favor. Too much praise can not be bestowed upon that hardy, brave and determined band of pioneers of which the department was made up, who thus risked their lives to bring about one of the greatest reforms of the age in municipal af- fairs. In October of that year two additional hand-engine companies were put in service, the South St. Louis, on Allen Avenue, be- tween Seventh and Eighth, and the Jefferson, on Franklin, between Twenty-second and Twenty-third, with the following crews: South St. Louis-Joseph Hercules, captain ; John Humbach, Jacob Zepp, Arnold Orle- man, William Goetz and Louis Fullerman, stewards. Jefferson-John C. Vogel, cap- tain; Dan Hazzard, David Carr, C. A. Meyer, Adam Newman and Ernest Hilgen- dorf, stewards. The following December a hand engine was placed on Broadway and Anglerodt, in charge of David Akens, stew- ard. It was manned by a crew of sixty men, who claimed no pay and were in full sym- pathy with the paid department. A short time prior to the starting of the depart- ment Mr. A. B. Latta, the famous steam fire engine builder of Cincinnati, visited the city, bringing with him one of his improved en- gines, the "Eclipse," which was built for Louisville, and gave an exhibition of its workings at the courthouse. This trial proved it to be greatly superior to any en- gine built up to that time. On September 28, 1857, the board of engineers contracted with Mr. Latta for three of these engines, to be delivered, one in ten, one in thirty, and one in sixty days from that date. The first arrived in October, and was stationed on Eleventh, between Wash and Carr Streets. It was named "George Kyler," in honor of the president of the board. The second ar- rived in January, 1858, and was stationed on Third, between Elm and Clark. This was named after Davis Moore, also a member
of the board. The third arrived in March following. It was named "John M. Wimer," in honor of the mayor, who had rendered invaluable service in the inauguration of the new system. It was located on Broadway, between Brooklyn and Mound. These en- gines were a decided improvement over the old Union in every respect. They were three- wheelers, with a square circulating coil boiler, direct double-acting pump, with click steam valve gear. The pump and cylinder were placed crosswise in front of the boiler. The front of the engine was mounted on a single wheel in the center of the frame, and it served for a turntable, enabling the engines to be turned in their own length. The steam cyl- inders were 10 inches and the pumps 572 inches in diameter by 12-inch stroke. They weighed about 11,000 pounds each. Steam was raised from cold water in five minutes, and they threw a one and one-fourth inch stream 250 feet horizontally. They were powerful and durable machines, and did active and continuous service for twenty years after. With the addition of these steamers and the completion of the Game- well fire-alarm system, February 22, 1858, the new department was greatly strengthened. The alarm system was then in an experi- mental stage, having had but a few months' trial in Boston, St. Louis being the second city to try it. Although its construction and the appliances used were somewhat crude and primitive, a short trial demonstrated its great usefulness, and proved it to be one of the most important adjuncts ever intro- duced in the fire service. It has since been vastly improved and is universally used throughout the country. It was constructed by Gamewell & Co., of New York, and cost the city $23,000. (See "Fire Alarm System.") With the telegraph completed and the addi- tion of the three new steamers the depart- ment was greatly strengthened, and by its systematic, orderly and e effective work rapidly gained the confidence of the general public. The Board of Underwriters of the city took a deep interest in its welfare, and gave it their hearty support from its incep- tion. In April, 1858, after a few months' trial of the system, the underwriters made a pro- position to donate two new engines to the city if the city would buy one. This was readily agreed to, and on May 3d the con- tract was made with the builders. The first
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450
FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ST. LOUIS, PAID.
of these arrived June 30th. It was named "Missouri, No. 5," and was stationed on Sev- enth, between Pine and Olive, in the quar- ters of the volunteer company of the same name and number, that company having dis- banded a short time previous. Mr. P. W. Branson, a prominent member of the old "Missouri," was appointed captain of the steamer. The second arrived in August fol- lowing, and was named "Underwriter, No. 6;" it was stationed in the Phoenix house, on Broadway, near Park Avenue. Both of these engines bore a silver-plated inscription on their cylinder heads, "Underwriters' Gift to the City of St. Louis." The third arrived in September of the same year. It was called "Deluge, No. 7," and was stationed on Market, between Fourteenth and Fif- teenth. On the forward wheelhouse of this engine was inscribed the timely and appropri- ate motto, "Veni, Vidi, Vici," for from that time forward the opposition of the volunteers ceased. Many joined the new department ; others gave up the struggle in disgust and retired. One by one the companies dis- banded, sold their property and divided the proceeds. While the contest was at its high- est the volunteers were in the habit of dis- playing placards bearing various mottoes, one of them being calculated to give offense to the paid men, reading thus: "Public servants, not hirelings." The paid men were equal to the occasion, and each of the steam- ers bore a motto. The Kyler's was "Light- ning Line ;" the Union retained the old motto of that company, "In Union There Is Strength;". the Davis Moore had "A Dead Open and Shut ;" the Missouri was "A Sure Thing ;" the Wimer, "E Pluribus Unum," and the Deluge, "Veni, Vidi, Vici." The department was now very well equipped, and was regarded as having reached the highest state of perfection; and so it had, when com- pared with the volunteer department. The quarters of the companies were much too small and illy adapted to the purpose. The ceilings were too low to admit the engines with stacks erected, and they were hinged at the back and lowered, resting on an iron fork while in the house. On leaving quar- ters the stoker would raise the stack, with the aid of the fork, to a perpendicular posi- tion, and the engineer would fasten it with guy lines in front. Attached to the rear of the engine, like a trailer, was a two-wheeled
cart, called a "dinkey," in which a supply of coal for the engine was kept. These were not used long, however, as it often oc- curred that, after making a run, nothing was left but the "dinkey," the coal having been strewn along the street on the way. The horses were stabled in the rear of the en- gine room. The harness of each was hung on pegs at the rear of the stalls. On receipt of an alarm the men rushed to the stables, harnessed and bridled the horses, led them to their places and "hitched up." It those days it was considered fast work to hitch up and leave the house before the last round of the box number was struck, which opera- tion required about two or three minutes. With the present appliances twenty seconds is only average time for the same perform- ance. The engines were drawn by four horses driven by a "jerk line" in the hands of the driver, who was mounted on the near wheel horse. This line was attached to the bit of the near lead horse. A steady pull on the line turned the lead to the "haw"- left-and a series of jerks to the "gee"- right-side. Much, therefore, depended upon the intelligence of the leader, who guided, the whole team by means of a "jockey stick" attached to the bit of the "off" leader, pull- ing the latter "haw"or pushing him "gee" as required. It was a thrilling sight to wit- ness those ponderous engines making a run driven in this manner, with the horses going at full gallop and urged on by the driver's "black-snake" whip. The hose-carts were drawn by one horse, and were a cumbersome affair, mounted on two large wheels and devoid of springs. They weighed about 4,000 pounds each, with full equipment of hose and two men. They were fittingly termed "horse-killers." The horses used by the de- partment were the best that could be found' in the market, as the heavy apparatus and the long distance traveled made this impera- tive. Company districts were unknown then; every alarm given in the city was responded to by all the steamer companies. September 14, 1858, the department celebrated its first anniversary and the downfall of the old sys- tem by a grand parade. The engines were burnished and profusely decorated with flags and flowers, and, preceded by a band, the procession passed through the principal streets amid the plaudits of admiring citi- zens. The parade closed with a "squirting
451
FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ST. LOUIS, PAID.
contest" at Broadway and Pine. No further additions were made until September, 1859, when a hook and ladder truck was put in service. The wheels and gear were made by J. & B. Bruce, of Cincinnati, and the lad- ders by mechanics in the department. It was an unwieldy piece of apparatus, but withal rendered good service. For a steer- ing device it was provided with a pole at- tached to the rear wheels, and in turning corners the tillerman was obliged to dis- mount and turn it by hand. When again straightened out he would mount the truck and fasten the pole with a strap. In Decem- ber, 1860, the old Union steamer, having become badly out of repair, was discarded and replaced by a third-class Neafie & Levy, Philadelphia, engine. Nothing of special in- terest occurred in the department until Sep- tember, 1862, when Chief Sexton and Sec- retary Tennille were removed on account of their supposed Southern sympathies. They were succeeded by George N. Stevens, as chief, and Charles H. Tilson, secretary. Mr. Stevens served until January, 1867. During his term two Silsby rotary engines were pur- chased, the "Veto, No. 8," and the "John F. Thornton, No. 9." The former was sta- tioned at Twelfth and Salisbury, the latter on Barton and Bismark. In October, 1866, the department bought the first and only self-propelling steamer ever used here. It was called the "Hampton Woodruff, No. 10," and was some time afterward stationed on Jefferson Avenue and Walnut. It was drawn by horses until sufficient steam was raised to propel it, after which the horses were used to guide it. It was known as the "Grass- hopper," from the resemblance in its out- lines. While at work at fires the rear wheels were jacked up and served as fly-wheels. It was a powerful machine, but the propel- ling feature never proved a success. It re- mained in service until 1875, when it was wrecked and replaced with a modern engine. Stevens was succeeded as chief by A. C. Hull in January, 1867, who served until the following May, when John W. Bame re- placed him. During Bame's term a new hook and ladder truck was bought to re- place the old one. It was named "W. T. Sherman," in honor of the famous general. H. Clay Sexton again took command of the department in 1869, having been appointed by Mayor Nathan Cole. He was induced to
accept the position at the earnest solicita- tion of the underwriters, who paid him a salary of $3,000 in addition to the $2,000 paid by the city. During his second term many additions, changes and improvements were made in the service. In October, 1870, the first improved "Ahrens" engine was bought. It was a new departure in engine- building. It was considered a "wonder" be- cause of its light weight and great throwing powers and rapid steaming qualities. It weighed 7,200 pounds, raised steam from cold water, draughted water from a cistern, and played a stream through 100 feet of hose in three and a half minutes. It threw a one and one-quarter inch stream 275 feet horizon- tally. This same engine is now doing duty in the department as a reserve engine. Christ Ahrens, the builder, succeeded the Latta Brothers after their retirement. He had served his apprenticeship with that firm, and, after acting as superintendent, finally became head of the firm. He is now president of the American Fire Engine Company, composed of the Ahrens, Silsby, Button, and Clapp & Jones Companies. All the engines now used here are of the Ahrens pattern, though of much improved style. In July, 1871, an engine company was put in service at Caron- delet, and the Union, No. 2, was trans- ferred there. In 1872 three new companies- Nos. 12, 13 and 14-and one truck were added. The month of December, 1872, will long be remembered by the older firemen and citizens generally. The epizootic swept over the entire country, disabling all the horses and mules. Every business requiring their use was almost entirely suspended for several weeks. The department hired 350 extra men to pull the apparatus to fires. This compulsory resort to the old system was a revelation to the regular men that they did not relish. The weather during its preva- lence was very cold, and quite a number of fires occurred, causing much suffering among the men. In 1873 three new companies were organized-Nos. 15, 16 and 17. In October, 1874, the National Association of Fire Chiefs held their convention in St. Louis. A large display of engines, hose, trucks, chemical engines, and other appliances was made at the Fair Grounds during the session. All the prominent chiefs of the country were in attendance. The "Skinner Aerial Truck," a new departure in the hook and ladder serv-
452
FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ST. LOUIS, PAID.
ice, arrived at this time. It had been pre- viously contracted for by the department, and was immediately put into service, on Seventh, between Pine and Olive, St. Louis being one of the few cities using such trucks at that time. It was an awkward, unwieldly contrivance, requiring great care in its manip- ulation, but it rendered invaluable service at the Southern Hotel fire in April, 1877, en- abling the department to save many lives that, but for its use, would have been lost. In 1875 Chief Sexton determined to replace the old and heavy engines with lighter and more improved machines, but being unable to secure the necessary appropriation from the city authorities, he appealed to the State Legislature and succeeded in having an act passed by that body authorizing the city to issue $100,000 in bonds for that purpose. With the funds thus acquired most all of the old apparatus was discarded and replaced with new. On February 6, 1877, the board of engineers was abolished and the manage- ment of the department vested in the chief, under the provisions of the Scheme and Charter adopted by the city.
The decade following the great fires of Chicago, Boston and Portland aroused the energies of the firemen of this country to make extraordinary efforts to strengthen the departments in equivalent and to improve the methods and appliances in every possi- ble manner. This set busy hands and minds to work all over the land to solve the prob- lem, and the result is that in that period of time marvelous changes and improvements were made, almost completely revolutionizing the former methods. Among the first things to which attention was given was the reduc- tion of the minimum of the time required by a company to hitch up and leave quarters. To accomplish this, stables were arranged, facing the horses toward the apparatus, which was so placed as to leave passages for the horses to run through. Chains were placed in front of stalls, which were at first dropped by hand, but afterward automatically with the alarm. Next came the sliding poles for the men to descend from the bunk-room. After this the "joker" or register was brought into use, giving the location of fires, far in advance of the old method. Front door openers and arrangements for turning up house lights followed. Heaters were at- tached to the engines, keeping the water
always at the boiling point ; then the swing- ing harness, relieving the poor horses of the burdens of carrying night and day the heavy harness. Engines, reels, hose wagons, aerial ladders, chemical engines were simplified and improved. Siamese outfits for concentrat- ing the power of several engines into one large stream were introduced, and the water tower, for delivering it at great heights, to- gether with "shut-off nozzles," relief valves- in fact, even the minutest details were not overlooked. At the burning of the Southern Hotel, April 11, 1877, with its great loss of life, it was demonstrated that the life-saving appliances of the department were inade- quate. This led to the introduction of the Pompier system of life-saving corps, similar to the European plan. Colonel E. D. Meier, of St. Louis, and several other citizens raised a fund with which to organize and equip a volunteer corps. After a few weeks' practice a public exhibition of its workings was given at the Peper warehouse, on Twelfth and Market Streets, and the trial was so satis- factory that it was adopted permanently by the department in December of that year. Trucks Nos. 3 and 4 were supplied with the outfit, and Christ Hoell, William Ruetz, George Dauber and J. Pillman, of the vol- unteer corps, were appointed members of the department. Mr. J. Toensfeldt, a prominent Turner, was appointed drill master for three months. After his retirement Christ Hoell succeeded him as instructor. He had been a member of a corps in Germany, knew its workings thoroughly, and had designed and assisted in the manufacture of the ladders and appliances in St. Louis. He patented many of these, and sold complete outfits to all of the leading cities, which have since adopted the system. In 1883, by request of the fire commissioners of New York City, he was granted three months' leave of absence to accept the position of instructor for the corps organized there. At the expiration of the engagement the commissioners urged him to accept a permanent position there, which he declined, preferring to return to the St. Louis department. He, together with B. McKernan and F. McDonnel, was killed by falling walls on Second, near Washington Avenue, in August, 1887. In the summer of 1878 a Firemen's National Tournament was held in Chicago, at which a large purse was offered for the best drilled Pompier
453
FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ST. LOUIS, VOLUNTEER.
corps. A team of eight men from the St. Louis department competed for it, and won the first prize easily. Sexton served as chief until May, 1885, when he resigned and was succeeded by John Lindsay, his first assist- ant. During Lindsay's term, engine compa- nies Nos. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and hook and ladder trucks Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9 were put into service, together with several combination hose wagons with chemical tanks, and in December, 1890, a Hale water tower was added.
In November, 1885, the Firemen's Pension Fund was organized. Mr. Lindsay took an active interest in its formation. Its first offi- cers were John Lindsay, president; E. J. Gross, secretary, and F. F. Espenschied, treasurer. All members of the department contributed by initiation fees and monthly dues, and entertainments were given yearly, to which the public contributed very liber- ally. In nine years the association paid out $30,000 in benefits to the widows and or- phans of deceased firemen, leaving a surplus of $85,000, which amount was turned over to the board of trustees provided for its manage- ment by an act of the Legislature. The pres- ent surplus is $106,377-77.
Mr. Lindsay was retired May 15, 1895, be- ing succeeded by Charles E. Swingley. Since that date engines Nos. 33, 34, 35, hose com- panies Nos. 36, 37, and trucks Nos. 10 and II, and water tower No. 2 have been added. The present equipment consists of 35 engine com- panies, 2 hose companies, II hook and lad- der companies (6 of which are of the aerial pattern), 2 water towers, 9 combination hose wagons, 9 combination hose reels, 20 hose carriages, 9 fuel wagons, 4 chemical engines, 8 reserve engines, 2 reserve trucks, 8 reserve hose reels, 8 hauling wagons, 12 officers' bug- gies, 225 horses, 50,000 feet of 21/2-inch rub- ber hose, 16,000 feet cotton hose, 4,000 feet of I-inch rubber hose, 12 officers and 463 men. The annual cost of maintenance is $653,300. The officers are as follows: Charles E. Swingley, chief; E. J. Gross, first assistant ; Thomas Rucker, Thomas Maines, J. F. Barry, Benjamin Fath, William Hillenkoetter, A. Coughlin, August Thierry and William Busch, assistant chiefs, and C. T. Moss, sec- retary. Following is a list of assistant chiefs since the organization of the paid fire depart- ment: Richard Beggs, appointed September 14, 1857, died August 4, 1881 ; John W. Bame,
appointed September 14, 1857, died Septem- ber 17, 1887; Jacob Trice, appointed May 10, 1867, died March 1, 1879; John Lindsay, appointed February, 1876, promoted to chief May, 1885; John W. Shockey, appointed February, 1876, killed October 2, 1881 ; M. J. Brennan, appointed November 21, 1877, re- signed; M. J. Hester, appointed August, 1881, resigned June 1, 1895; E. J. Gross, ap- pointed October 3, 1881 ; Thomas Finnerty, appointed June 19, 1885, resigned June I, 1895; John F. Barry, appointed January I, 1886; Thomas W. Rucker, appointed May 22, 1887; Benjamin Fath, appointed April 13, 1888; Andrew Coughlin, appointed Au- gust 1, 1892; Roger Walsh, acting assistant chief, appointed August 1, 1892, resigned June 1, 1895; C. E. Swingley, acting assist- ant chief, appointed December 18, 1893, pro- moted to chief May 15, 1895; Thomas Haines, appointed June 1, 1895; William Hil- lenkoetter, appointed June 1, 1895; August Thierry, appointed August 1, 1896, and Wil- liam Busch, appointed August 1, 1896.
EUGENE J. GROSS.
Fire Department of St. Louis, Volunteer .- The date of commencement of any effort looking to the extinguishment of fires in the village of St. Louis can not be arrived at with certainty, though early in the century we have evidence that parties, gen- erally well known citizens, made it a practice -as has been done from time immemorial in all small places too poor to have a regular apparatus-to attend all conflagrations in a neighborly way, laboring to the best of their ability. It was not until the year 1822, the date of recognition by the Legislature of the town of St. Louis as a city, that any officially organized effort was made in this respect. One of the first measures put on foot by the new city government was the appointment of a number of prominent citizens in each ward -then three in number, the northern, central and southern-whose duty it was to attend all fires occurring in the embryo city, and the passage of an ordinance for the purchase of the necessary equipment. Such equipment consisted of a strong leathern bucket and a badge, or frontispiece, of white muslin, such badge being of sufficient length to reach around an ordinary hat, semi-circular in form at the top, with the name of the district painted thereon, and with tapes attached for
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