USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Peterborough > Historical sketches of Peterborough, New Hampshire : portraying events and data contributing to the history of the town > Part 14
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SKETCH OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE AQUARIUS ENGINE COMPANY.
BY COL. CHARLES SCOTT.
DELIVERED AT PETERBORO, OLD HOME DAY, AUGUST 23, 1906.
MR. PRESIDENT, FRIENDS, AND FEL- LOW CITIZENS :- Some weeks ago the com- mittee having these Old Home Day exer- cises in charge invited me, being the old- est person living who was ever foreman of Aquarius Engine Company, to give a brief history of facts pertaining to the purchase of the engine used by the com- pany and its service and exploits from that date to the present time. I agreed to do so upon condition that I should not be required to furnish a written statement, but to give my recollections and such ad- ditional facts as I might obtain in a con- versational way. Soon after this the committee materially broadened my theme by requesting me to give a history of the means used or owned by the town for the extinguishment of fire since its incorpor- ation. I accepted this amendment of the committee, and in doing so I have found it necessary to record dates, to copy rec- ords and place my recollections and find- ings upon paper in order to give you a true statement of facts.
By careful examination of old town records and the records of other corpora- tions, it is evident that neither the town, or private citizens or corporations owned or used any machinery, apparatus or ap- pliances for combatting fire, or was there any organization for that purpose other than what was known as the "bucket brigade" prior to 1824. At an alarm of · fire every able bodied person was expect- ed to seize a bucket or pail and go at once to the scene of action and take his or her place in line. Two lines were quickly formed leading from the fire to the source of water supply, one line passing empty
buckets and the other full ones to the brave men who were pouring it upon the flames. It used to be said that a fire was the best place to find out who were the lazy men or men "constitutionally tired," for they would always be found in the line of empty buckets with the women and young folks.
The first mention made of any appara- tus for the extinguishment of fires is found in the records of the Phoenix Fac- tory corporation. This factory was orig- inally built by Samuel Smith. It was a wooden structure, 200 feet in length, and was used principally for the manufacture of paper until 1823. In 1820 a corpora- tion was formed by the name of the Phœ- nix Cotton and Paper company and pro- cured an act of incorporation from the N. H. Legislature. Under this act Sam- uel Smith was empowered to call the first meeting, which was held in Boston on the 24th day of February, 1823. At this meeting they voted to accept the act of incorporation passed in December, 1820, and also voted to purchase of Samuel Smith his factory establishment and priv- ilege at Peterborough, N. H., at the sum of $50,000, which sale was duly consu- mated and the new corporation com- menced the manufacture of cotton goods. In the clerk's record of a special meeting of this new corporation held in Peterboro, Sept. Ioth, 1823, the following appears : "Voted, that the directors be authorized to make such arrangements about an en- gine or engines as they think proper." No further mention of an engine or en- gines is to be found in the records of the corporation and no person remembers the
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exact date when the old Phoenix engine made its advent in Peterboro. Certain it is, however, it was not here in 1823, but was in 1828, as will be seen by the follow- ing extract from Dr. Smith's history of Peterboro, page 198 :
"This same building, with all its valu- able machinery, was destroyed by fire, Dec 18, 1828. This was the largest and most destructive fire that had ever oc- curred in town. It took fire from a small stove in the attic. The engine of the factory, just west of the building, after some delay, caused by its not having been used since the preceding October, and by the bursting of the hose from the hurry and inexperience of the men, was finally got into successful operation, which, to- gether with the engine from the Union Manufacturing Co., continued to throw a large quantity of water for four hours, and greatly backened the fury of the flames, and preserved the north half of the building."'
Thus it will be seen that these two en- gines, the old Phoenix engine and the Deluge from West Peterboro, were in ex- istence and on duty at this fire in 1828, and this fact, coupled with the other, that there is to be found no record of the exact time when the Phoenix machine came to Peterboro has led to a difference of opinion as to which of these two ma- chines antedates the other. To my mind it is perfectly clear that the claim of pri- ority for the old Phoenix engine is well substantiated. The mill at West Peter- boro was built in 1824, but not completely finished and stocked with a full comple- ment of machinery for manufacturing until 1826. In the clerk's record of the Union Manufacturing Co. for 1826, I find a report of the directors, from which I ex- tract the following :
"During the year the Factory Building has been completed in all its parts. Four double houses of brick have been erected, two of which are completed and occupied and the others are in forwardness and may soon be finished, and the frame of a commodious barn, capable of eight con-
venient divisions, has been raised, but not yet covered. A Fire Engine has been procured and on trial 'tis thought of suf- ficient capacity and power."
This engine was christened Deluge No. 2, thus recognizing the existence of an- other machine in town, which must have been the "Phoenix Factory Engine," No. I, probably purchased in 1824.
Neither of these machines ever be- longed to the town of Peterboro. They were the property of the Phoenix and Union Corporations, but their use in case of fire was freely granted to the town. It is to be regretted that the old Phoenix machine was allowed to fall into disuse and practically lost to us. Its quaint and primitive construction, so well remem- bered by a few of us, would be a matter of exceeding interest to the present and future generations and prized as a gem of antiquity. I well remember how it looked. A heavy, cumbersomely constructed ma- chine, painted yellow, had a high goose- neck standard, with swivel nozzle, to throw water in all directions, but so heavy and unwieldly to manage was of little ser- vice outside the factory yard. The ques- tion is often asked, "What became of the old machine?" I will tell you. It was kept in a building near what is known as "Little Jordan ; " was rarely taken out because of little use, and on a certain night some unruly lads conceived the idea of converting the brass and other metal on the machine into cash, and they disman- tled the old machine of its ornaments, took them to a dealer in town and sold them to him and received pay for the same. As is often the case, the con- science of one of those boys pricked him sorely and he made a full confession of the transaction. The boys were arrest- ed, tried, and fined, and then it was that the conscience of the dealer, quickened, undoubtedly, by the indignation of the community, came forward and paid the boys' fines and costs of court. After this happening the machine was taken apart, the running gear being sold to A. P. Morrison, Esq., who had a heavy flat
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Sketch of Fire Department and Aquarius Engine Company.
body placed upon it, and used it at his paper mill for carting wood and other heavy material until his death. The trucks were afterward bought by the Union Manufacturing Co., and have been used by them for the same purpose until the present time.
Deluge No. 2 is still in use. New parts have been added to it when needed, a company kept organized to man the ma- chine, and it has done good and effective service on many needed occasions.
The services of the men is paid by the town, also all necessary repairs. This machine, augmented by the bucket brig- ade, was all the means of protection from fire in town until 1856.
'In 1855 a more progressive spirit seemed to manifest itself. Better protection for life and property from fire was sadly need- ed and must be secured. The village was rapidly growing, many new buildings were being constructed, valuation being materially increased, and insurance com- panies loth to insure property at a fair rate because of the insufficient means of protection from fire. At the annual town meeting held March 13th, 1855, the fol- lowing article of the warrant was con- sidered : Art. 13. "To see if the town will vote to purchase a fire engine and. the necessary apparatus connected there- with for extinguishing fires, and to raise money for the same." A spirited dis- cussion followed the consideration of this article. The opposition to its passage came from two sources. From those who feared an increase in their taxes and from some owning property and living outside the village, who claimed they would in no way be benefitted, and if an engine was purchased it should be paid for by the property owners in the village and not by the town. A motion was finally made " to indefinitely postpone Art. 13 of the warrant," which motion was declared carried, and thus ended the first effort to procure an engine by the town. The same article was inserted in the warrant at a special town meeting held June 9th, the same year, and met the same fate.
This was defeat No. 2. But the progres- sive spirit of the younger voters would not down. The day following this meet- ing they circulated a petition and secured the names of 130 legal voters (seven only of whom are now living), asking the selectmen, under the statutes of the State, to set off by suitable boundaries a village Fire Precinct. Acting upon this petition, the selectmen set out by metes and bounds said Fire Precinct, compris- ing the entire Centre village and parts of the South and North villages as consti- tuting said precinct. They then issued a warrant directing the legal voters of the precinct to meet at the town hall in Peter- boro, on Saturday, the 15th day of Au- gust, 1855, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The warrant contained the following articles :
"Art. 5. To choose Fire Wards and Clerk for said precinct."
"Art. 6. To see if the legal voters of said precinct will vote to provide a fire engine, hooks, hose, ladders, and engine house, and raise and appropriate money for the same."
There was a large attendance at this meeting and the subject matter fully dis- cussed, and it was the prevailing senti- ment of the voters that it was a matter in which every tax payer in town was inter- ested and should share a portion of the expense, that if those living outside the village had no interest in the protection of the town hall, books of the library, school houses, churches, and the general improvement and welfare of the town, they would wait and try and educate them to a higher and more reasonable way of thinking, consequently, a motion was made which prevailed almost unanimous- ly, "to dismiss the warrant and adjourn without day." Thus came defeat No. 3 to those who were laboring for better pro- tection to life and property in case of fire.
At the next annual meeting, in March, 1856, the same article as in 1855 was in- serted in the warrant in reference to pur- chasing an engine, and met the same fate ; but even this 4th defeat did not
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quench the progressive spirit. You will now pardon me if to give you facts in connection with what occurred, I speak of myself. After this 4th defeat, I pro- cured a subscription paper from Stephen P. Steele, Esq., then a practising lawyer in Peterboro, with an office over the store now occupied by Miss Adelia A. Davis. This paper read thus : "We, the sub- scribers, agree to pay the sums annexed to our names for the purpose of purchas- ing a fire engine and all necessary appa- ratus. Peterboro, April 8, 1856."
Armed with this document, I entered upon a canvass of the town and obtained the names of III persons and a total sub- scription of eight hundred and nineteen dollars ($819.00). The names, and amounts subscribed by each individual, is as follows : -
E S. Hunt, 5.00
Geo. T. Wheeler, 7.00
Samuel Adams, 2d, 5.00
S. H. Caldwell, 5.00
John R. Miller, 5.00
Capt. Sam'l Miller, 5.00
S. B. Piper, 5.00
Stephen Felt, 5.00
P. D. Badger,
5.00
Norton Hunt,
5.00
Samuel Holmes,
10.00
Edmond Holmes,
3.00
Moses Wilkins.
5.00
A. A. Farnsworth,
8.00
Charles A. Miller,
5.00
Eri Spaulding,
3.00
Ira Cross,
2.00
Albert Stevens,
2.00
Henry Steele,
5.00
Luke Tarbox,
5.00
Stephen P. Steele,
$25.00
Albert Smith,
25.00
Asa Davis,
15.00
Thayer & Buckminster,
20.00
Watson Washburn,
15.00
Noone & Cochran,
25.00
Chas. Scott,
5.00
Mary P. Payson,
10.00
N. D. Stoodley,
5.00
C. H. Brooks,
20.00
Timo. K. Ames,
10.00
Amzi Childs,
15.00
Fred'k Livingston for self and
S. I. Vose,
5.00
N. B. Buss,
5.00
John Kingsley,
20.00
Franklin Mears,
10.00
John H. Steele,
10.00
Daniel Shedd,
5.00
Samuel Edes,
10 00
J. W. Little,
5.00
A. P. Morrison,
10.00
Albert S. Scott,
5.00
J. H. Ames,
10.00
W. E. Baker,
5.00
Col. W. French,
20.00
Noah Smith,
5.00
Wm. Follansbee,
10.00
Wm. B. Kimball, 5 00
D. B. Cutter,
5.00
Morrison girls,
5.00
Albert Frost,
5.00
Sam'l Converse,
5.00
Chas. Hadley,
5.00
Mrs. Goodrich, 5.00
Ebenezer Fairbanks,
5.00
Franklin Robbe,
5.00
Mrs. J. Barber,
10.00
Abisha Tubbs, 4.00
Jacob Longley,
5.00
Chas. G. Cheney,
5.00
Anna and Betsy Steele,
25.00
Horace Holt,
3.00
Margaret and Sarah Moore,
3.00
Marshall Nay,
3.00
E. S. Cutter,
5.00
Jno. Bowers,
3.00
D. Melvin,
5.00
Sam'1 Jaquith,
5.00
Thos. Little,
5.00
S. W. Billings,
5.00
Job Hill,
5.00
D. K. Boutelle,
5.00
Catharine Putnam,
15.00
John Swallow,
5.00
James Scott, 10.00
J. G. White, 5.00
Geo. W. Buss,
6.00
John Rourke,
5.00
Peterboro and Phonix Cos., 75.00
John Smith, 2d,
5.00
E. M. Tubbs,
5.00
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Sketch of Fire Department and Aquarius Engine Company.
John Allison,
3.00
Isaiah T. Scott,
3.00
Mrs. H. Gray,
3.00
Stephen White,
3.00
F. S. Bullard,
3.00
Sam'l Fisk,
3.00
R. L. Friar,
3.00
Jesse Upton,
3.00
Wm. Smith,
3.00
Adam Penniman,
.
3.00
Nathan White,
3.00
Thomas Hadley,
3.00
Mrs. Malinda Scott,
3.00
Mrs. B. Greenfield,
2.00
Joseph Cram,
2.00
Elvira Fife,
2.00
Elmira Fife,
2.00
Sargent Bohonan,
3.00
B. L. Winn,
3.00
Edward Danforth, .
3.00
Leander Clark,
3.00
F. Cragin,
2.00
I. F. Preston,
3 00
B. F. Merriam,
2.00
E. W. McIntosh,
3.00
Nathan Bailey,
3.00
Reuben Washburn,
5.00
Abial Sawyer,
25.00
Capt. Sam'l Adams,
3.00
D. F. McGilvray,
15.00
All of the sums subscribed were paid but thirteen (13) dollars, leaving a bal- ance of $806.00 to be applied to the pur- chase of an engine and apparatus. Of the III persons who subscribed, but six are now known to be living, viz. : Samuel Adams, 2d, Charles A. Miller, Ira Cross, Albert Stevens, George W. Buss, and Charles Scott.
Encouraged by the amount of subscrip- tion raised, the friends of the enterprise secured the posting of a warrant for a town meeting at the town hall, May 3d, 1856, and the following article of the warrant was acted upon :
"Art. 3. To see if the town will vote to purchase a fire engine and the neces- sary apparatus connected therewith for the extinguishment of fires, and raise such sums of money as may be necessary for the same."
At this meeting the town voted to pur- chase a fire engine and the necessary apparatus for the extinguishnient of fires, and raised the sum of eight hundred dol- lars for the same, and also voted to accept of the money raised by subscription for the purchase of a fire engine, and that the selectmen be a committee to receive said money and pay it over to the treas- urer, and further voted, " That the mod- erator nominate a committee to purchase a fire engine and apparatus therefor." The moderator nominated John H. Steele, Thomas Little and Granville P. Felt as said committee, which was approved by vote of the meeting. This committee, after careful inquiry and examination of several kinds of engines, purchased one known as a Button machine, which was christened Aquarius by Charles A. Wood, at that time a school teacher and a law student in the office of E. S. Cutter, Esq., here in Peterboro. Aquarius is a Latin word, the definition of which is " water carrier."
This same year (1856) a company was organized under the direction of the se- lectmen and fire wards, comprising sixty- six members. The first meeting of the company was held Sept. 6th, and the fol- lowing officers chosen : Granville P. Felt, foreman ; Ira Cross, clerk ; John N. Thayer, treasurer ; John Rourke, foreman of leading hose ; John R. Miller, Samuel Jaquith and Charles A. Miller, standing committee. The first words written in the clerk's record book of the company reads thus :
" Records of Aquarius Engine Co., No. 3, Peterborough, N. H., Sept. 9, 1856."
Here was a clear recognition of the fact that the old Phoenix engine was No. I, Deluge No. 2, and that Aquarius should be No. 3. At a subsequent meeting of the Company, when a constitution, by- laws, and rules of order were adopted, the name was changed to Aquarius No. I ; the old Phoenix having some time before gone out of commission.
The original members of the Aquarius company were : Granville P. Felt, Ira
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Cross, Charles Scott, Isaac F. Preston, Charles L. Fuller, Samuel Jaquith, Leon- ard E. Robbins, George W. Ames, Albert S. Scott, Geo. A. Felt, Albert Stevens, Cambridge Wheeler, John J. Barker, Charles H. Thurston, Charles A. Miller, Christopher Decker, James Leslie, Geo. W. Wait, J. N. Thayer, R. B. Richardson, E. W. McIntosh, D. W. Willoby, Geo. W. Buss, John R. Miller, Wilbur E. Davis, Josiah Osborn, Marshall Nay, B. F. Mer- riam, E. A. Robbins, S. I. Vose, John A. Bullard, E. G. Farnsworth, Daniel Osborn, John Rourke, S. G. Bassett, Myron W. Eaton, H. S. Carter, H. A. Lee, Ira Crombie, G. Woods, K. C. Scott, Thomas Daley, Elbridge Chapman, Wm. H. Scott, John Gibbs, M. Dillingham, P. C. Wheeler, T. P. Ames, John M. Mears, William Towns, L. V. Tupper, Charles F. Winch, John Swallow, Albert M. Smith, S. S. Hardy, J. C. Smith, W. R. Fish, Wm. Low, John Smith 2d, Sam'1 B. Piper, Sylvester J. Spofford, Henry H. Ferine, Dennis B. Piper, James G. White, Hub- bard Newton, and G. A. Forbush. This list of members contains 66 names. 15 only are now living.
At a meeting of the Company held Oct. 3, 1857, it voted : "That the Company erect a flag staff for their own use." They also voted: "That John A. Bullard, H. S. Carter and Christopher Decker pre- pare said flag staff for erection," and "that the foreman be a committee to pro- cure subscriptions to pay for same," and "to instruct the committee to procure and prepare said flag staff forthwith." At a subsequent special ineeting the Com- pany voted: "That the foreman and as- sistant foreman select a site for the flag staff," and at the same meeting voted, "to instruct the committee on flag staff to procure men and tools to raise the same." At the next monthly meeting held Dec. 5, 1857, the Company voted: "That all bills on flag staff go before the standing committee and if approved by them the treasurer pay the same," and at the same meeting voted, "to hold a Levee to raise money to defray the expense of
flag staff," and Charles Scott, Ira Cross, J. G. White, G. P. Felt and William Low were chosen a committee to make all ar- rangements for the same. The Levee was successful. It was participated in by the entire citizens of the town. E. S. Cutter, Esq., was chosen president for the occasion, A. P. Morrison and several others were chosen vice-presidents, Albert S. Scott, John R. Miller and James G. White were a committee on sentiments or toasts for the occasion. The exercises were held at Hamilton's hall, known as the upper tavern, and commenced at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. The levee to close at 10 o'clock and dancing to then be in order. Many short, but interesting responses were made to sentiments given by the committee, D. F. McGilvray clos- ing his remarks by offering the following sentiment: "Aquarius, may no great feat of hers ever burst her hose."
The entire proceeds of the levee were $246.28, and the total expense $93.00. leaving a net balance in favor of the Com- pany of $153.28. At the next meeting of the Company the committee. on flag staff made a final report and reported the en- tire expense of procuring, preparing and erecting the staff to be $110.34, thus leav- ing a net balance of levee money in the treasury of the company of $42.94.
The site selected by the Committee on which this staff or pole was erected was on the north side of Main street directly in front of the passage way between the buildings of S. Tenney and J. F. Brennan, near where now stands a beautiful elm tree. It was erected in Nov. 1857. The staff was in two sections and could be run up to a height of 184 feet. It had a cop- per ball on its top with the figures 184 in black upon it and a neat fence was built around its base.
Upon one occasion, a very hot summer day, when Aquarius company was prac- ticing in an effort to throw water over the pole, an onlooker, and elderly gentleman, who by his appearance had partaken more freely of Old Medford than of water, sang out in a sharp tenor voice, "Well, boys,
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Sketch of Fire Department and Aquarius Engine Company.
you didn't quite do it." "Do what," said one of the firemen. "Cool off the sun," said the old fellow, "you got it most up there but you didn't quite hit her." Water was thrown on this occa- casion many feet above the ball. This flag staff remained for the use of the Company for several years, but becoming decayed at its base was deemed to be dangerous and was removed.
Aquarius has proved itself to be a good machine, has saved property of many times its cost, and is in perfect working condition at the present time. In the clerk's record of Aquarius Engine com- pany, I find the following: Oct. 11, 1858, visit of Deluge company with Aquarius. Played on the pole-Deluge made 140 feet perpendicular stream, Aquarius 180 feet; then Deluge company played with Aquarius engine 165 feet. June II, 1859, proceeded to the pole and played over it. June 25. 1859, played over the pole as it usually stands. Sept. 25, 1859, played 15 to 20 feet over the pole. July 12, 1860, played up the pole 1821/2 feet.
She took first prize at Milford, N. H., in October, 1859, for throwing a horizon- tal stream the longest distance, also, in throwing a perpendicular stream at East Jaffrey, July 4, 1860, and at the fireman's muster in Gardner, Mass., on the 4th of the present month, fully maintained her previous reputation by receiving a record of horizontal throwing of 202 feet 2% inches.
The building in which the machine is now housed was built in 1862, the tower being added in 1872. The first house as a home for Aquarius was built by the committee who purchased the engine, upon a heater piece of land between High and Union streets near the junction of Main street, on land then owned by Sam- uel Holmes. In 1861, Mr. Holmes pre- sented a bill to the town for rent of land on which the building was standing. The committee claimed that Mr. Holmes agreed to let the town have the use of the land free of charge as the engine would be near to protect his property in case of
fire. 'An article was inserted in the war- rant for a special town meeting held Sept. 17, 1861. "To see what action the town would take in relation to paying Samuel Holmes rent for land now occupied by the engine house." On this article of the warrant the town voted not to pay Samuel Holmes rent for the land on which the engine house then stood, and that if Mr. Holmes demands rent for the same the Selectmen be authorized and directed to move the engine house to such a spot as they may think best. Mr. Holmes con- tinued to demand rent and the Selectmen having a chance to sell the old house sold the same and it was moved to Winter street and is now a portion of the build- ings owned by the Peterboro Creamery. At the next annual meeting held in March, 1862, the town voted to approve the action of the Selectmien in building the new en- gine house and selling the old one.
At the annual meeting in 1872 the town voted to pay each member of Aquarius Engine company, No. I, the sum of five dollars a year, not exceeding 40 members, and to Deluge, No. 2, the same sum per each member not exceeding 20 members. (An additional sum of 25 cents per hour has since been added for every hour ac- tually worked in case of fire. ) These two engines, Aquarius and Deluge, comprised the entire apparatus which could be used for protection from fire until 1868.
In the records of the Phoenix Factory corporation for that year, I find the ac- count of their purchasing and installing in their mill of a large force pump and the laying of pipes and putting in hy- drants for fire protection. The Peterboro TRANSCRIPT, published July 25th, 1868, speaks of this enterprise as follows: "The enterprising superintendent of the Phœ- nix mill in this village, Jonas Livingston, Esq., has lately put a new and powerful force pump into said mill, so arranged as to make it available to any part of the buildings and even to the surrounding dwellings. It is a valuable improvement and one which speaks well for the enter- prise and ability of the popular superin-
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