USA > New Hampshire > Carroll County > Wolfeborough > History of Wolfeborough (New Hampshire) > Part 37
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488
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Charles Rollins was born at Somersworth, N. H., May 30, 1812, being a descendant of James Rollins, who emigrated to America in 1632 with the settlers at Ipswich, Mass., and in about 1642 he received a grant of land at Dover, N. H., where he permanently settled. Mr. Rollins came to Boston when quite a young man and engaged in the business of contractor and builder, which he carried on with great success until 1870. Many fine buildings were the result of his labors, among them being the Central Congregational Church on Berkeley Street and the Adams House on Washington Street.
Mr. Rollins was greatly interested, when a young man, in politics. A strong Republican, he declined to hold any public offices, although offered a number at different times in the city government, devoting nearly all his time to his business. In 1849, with Daniel Pickering, he erected the Pavilion Hotel and continued as its owner until his death. Mr. Rollins was always interested in the welfare and progress of Wolfeborough. He married Caroline Dana Pickering, daughter of Daniel Pickering, January II, 1848. Mr. Rollins died very suddenly at his home on Commonwealth Avenue, in Boston, March 4, 1897.
Mr. Rollins yearly visited Wolfeborough and his family still occupy as a summer home the handsome estate, formerly the Pickering tavern, on Main Street.
Thomas Lupton Whitton, son of George and Esther (Copp) Whitton was born in Wakefield, August 8, 1811. On his paternal side he descends from a noted family in Yorkshire, England, his father emigrating to this country when he was entering man's estate, about 1800. His sister Margaret was the wife of Daniel Raynard, Esq., who became owner of the Wentworth mansion and surrounding farm. George Whitton visited this farm and purchased one hundred acres of land nearby, but did not occupy it, as he had became acquainted with the family of Captain David Copp, of Wakefield, and marrying his daughter Esther, he settled in that town as innkeeper and farmer. About 1826 Mr. Whitton
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CHARLES ROLLINS
489
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
removed to Wolfeborough and made his home on that part of the governor's farm he had purchased so long before. Here he passed the remainder of his life, dying December, 17, 1852. His wife survived him, dying September 5, 1857. George Whitton was a man of fine proportions, six feet in height, energetic, and possessed of rare good judgment in practical matters. He was an "old line" Democrat. His wife possessed a large amount of that energy, capability, and attractiveness so characteristic of the best New England women of that period, and her home was a model one. They had three children, George Washington, Thomas L., and David Copp.
Thomas L. Whitton had common school and academic educa- tion. He married Sally, daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth (Page) Morse, of Kingston, where she was born June 29, 1812, and settled as a farmer near his father, and finally purchased the homestead, which he still occupies. He has been largely in- terested in raising, buying, and selling cattle, and his business has been purely agricultural through life, except that in early life he was for some terms a successful school-teacher. Mr. Whitton inherited many qualities from his mother, and has for long years been a most valuable citizen, popular with the people, and one of Wolfeborough's representative men. He has been moderator ten times, selectman nine times, representative four times, member of the governor's council twice, and twice delegate to constitu- tional conventions. Originally a Democrat, he was one of the earliest Free-soil men, and has been a Republican from the or- ganization of the party, and one of its most faithful and successful workers. He has been a member of the Congregational Church from early manhood, and a Freemason for many years. His public duties were ever discharged with conscientiousness, and his private life has been marked by warm social feelings and quiet unobtrusiveness. Mr. and Mrs. Whitton have four surviving children, Charles A., Oscar F., David E., William M. Charles A. married Annie E. Prescott. She died April 6, 1889. Their
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
children are Anietta Lilian, married Irving Gilman ; Abbie Anna, Ellie B., Oscar F., married Clarissa Blake ; children : Sarah M., married Frederick E. Meader; Esther C., Clara L. and Dorothy B. David E., married Annetta A. Tibbetts, who died Dec. II, 1875, they had one son, Thomas Edwin, who died April 24, 1896; William M., married Susan Haines.
The Remick family are of German origin, the name being cor- rectly spelt Remich, and they originally lived upon the Moselle River. Christian Remick came to this country prior to 1652, and settled upon the shore of the Piscataqua River in Kittery, Me., about a mile from Portsmouth bridge. The homestead has al- ways remained in the Remick name until very recently.
Charles Remick, the subject of this sketch, was born in Kittery, Me., May 12, 1815. He was the son of Josiah and Lydia (Fer- nald) Remick. His father died when he was ten years old. At the age of sixteen he came to North Wolfeborough to learn the car- penter's trade, and served three years as an apprentice ; beginning life at the end of this time with the capital of a new suit of home- spun, a rule, a jack-knife and a thorough knowledge of his trade. He married Elizabeth G. Huggins of East Wolfeborough. They made a home at North Wolfeborough, and here united with the Methodist church, where he became leader of a choir of thirty young persons. Later, when living in Boston, he was one of the founders of the Tremont St. Methodist Episcopal church of that city.
In 1848 Mr. Remick returned to New Hampshire, and spent the remainder of life
his at Wolfeborough
Falls. He and his wife were members of the Free Baptist church of this place until their death, and always contributed liberally to its support. As a mechanic, he excelled : and many of the best buildings in Car- roll County were erected under his supervision. During the civil war he was a quarter-master in the Portsmouth Navy Yard.
The one great delight of his life was music, and he had been
CHARLES REMICK
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
chorister thirty-one years when age compelled him to drop the work. His struggle to introduce into church service instru- mental music, the first of the kind in town, is one of the most amusing matters connected with local history.
He was a man of deep convictions and pronounced opinions. He early became interested in national politics, and threw one of the first free-soil votes cast in Wolfeborough. He was a strong ad- vocate of temperance, and an avowed prohibitionist. He died July 2, 1890. Children : Lydia F., married Joseph W. Chadwick ; Adelia A., married Wm. B. Hodge; Marietta, married Rev. J. Frank Locke; Everett H .; Everett. Of these only the eldest survives.
Alpheus Swett, who was born in Alfred, Me., in 1798, married Susan Rogers of Wolfeborough. Mr. Swett farmed for some years on Tuftonborough Neck and in 1849 removed to the Rogers farm in Wolfeborough village, where he lived until his death in 1884. After coming to Wolfeborough, Mr. Swett engaged in farming and, to some extent, in steamboating on the lake. He held several town offices in Tuftonborough and was known far and wide as a man of probity and high character.
Children : Eli C., born Nov. 2, 1826, married Sarah M. Hersey of Tuftonborough ; William T., married Kate Gray of Michigan, went west ; Charles, died young ; John R., married Mary Brown of Tuftonborough.
Eli C. has been a farmer and has had an active hand in lake navigation. He is referred to in the chapter on that subject. Children : Ella J., married Fred Stevens of Union; Etta M., married Fred L. Melcher of Brunswick, Me .; Wilbra H., married Priscilla Stearns of Cleveland, Ohio.
John R. lived in Wolfeborough for several years and was en- gaged in steamboating. He now resides in Ossipee.
Wilbra H., the son of Eli C., left home in the early '80's, and farmed a claim he had taken up in Mitchell, South Dakota. In 1889 he went to Butte, Montana, and entered the employ of
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
the management of the Anaconda and Butte and Boston Copper mines. He served in the state legislature two terms and in 1900 came back to his old home. He is now engaged in the hardware business here.
Joseph Lewando was born in Boston, Mass., Dec. 3, 1850, and is the son of Adolph and Emily (Smith) Lewando. He re- ceived his early education in the Chauncy Hall School, Boston, and at the Highland Military Academy in Worcester, Mass., and attended the chemical department of the Lawrence Scientific School at Cambridge during the years 1869 and 1870. His father had established at Watertown, Mass., the Lewando Dye Works, for the supervision and charge of which the son was trained. In 1870 he took charge and held the position for five years, when the business not being to his liking, he removed to Mt. Tabor, Oregon, where he engaged in general merchandise for eight years.
In 1883 hereturned east and settled in Wolfeborough-his wife's native town-where he conducts a general mercantile business. He was for three years in the New Hampshire National Guard as Captain of Company K., Third Regiment, and a member of the State Legislature in 1897 and 1899, serving in 1897 as chair- man of the Committee on Mileage and as a member of the Com- mittee on Banks, and in 1899 as chairman of the Committee on Military affairs. He was Alternate to the National Republican Convention at Minneapolis in 1892, and during the past fifteen years has held various offices in his adopted town. He is a member of Morning Star Lodge, of Masons, of Carroll Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and of St. Paul Commandery, Knights Templar, of Dover, N. H. Mr. Lewando was married Septem- ber 10th, 1875, to Nellie J. Morgan They have two children : Alice C. and Dolph.
THOMAS L. WHITTON
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CHAPTER XXXII.
CASUALTIES AND FIRES-WILLIAM FULLERTON DROWNED THE YEAR THE TOWN WAS INCORPORATED-NUMEROUS DROWN- ING ACCIDENTS-THE VARNEY AND JEROME TRAGEDIES- HENRY RUST'S BOYS BURNED OUT-THE SOUTH WOLFE- BOROUGH FIRES-THE BIG FIRE OF 1887-INCENDIARISM -LAST DISASTROUS FIRE.
IN 1768 William Fullerton was drowned in Smith River. Eleanor Hawkins was drowned in 1802. July 12, 1819, Mrs. Deborah Brown was killed by lightning. A babe on her breast was uninjured. In 1824 James Cate, while assisting in butcher- ing, fell into a tub of hot water and was scalded to death. Decem- ber 21, 1826, a daughter of Paul H. Varney was drowned in Crooked Pond while on herwayto school. John Judkins was killed by his son about 1830. In 1833 Stephen Giles was killed by the kick of a horse. A strange premonition of this was felt by Rev. Hiram Holmes on the Sabbath preceding. Mr. Giles was in his congregation in the morning and Mr. Holmes said that he was impressed that a person then present would die during the week. This he repeated with greater conviction during the afternoon. In 1802, Joshua Rust, son of Richard Rust, six years old, was thrown from a horse against the door-stone of his father's house, killing him. About 1840 Aaron Frost was drowned while crossing a flooded meadow. About the same year Samuel Young died from exposure on a cold night. December 26, 1840, David, son of Dr. David T. Livy, eight years old, broke through the ice in Lake Winnipesaukee and was drowned. Jesse Nute was found dead in the road in 1841. In 1845 a child of Robert Estes fell into a vessel of hot water and was scalded to death. August 10, 1846, a boat was capsized near Clark's sands, in Wolfeborough Bay,
493
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
and A. Brewer, of Boston, aged twenty, S. T. Perry, of New Durham, aged seventeen, and Everett Huggins, of Wolfeborough, aged nine, were drowned. In 1855 Dexter May, ten years, was kicked to death by a horse. April 10, 1857, William Fullerton, aged fifty-eight, was drowned in Lake Winnipesaukee. March 15, 1860, a cannon burst, killing Joseph Garland, seventeen, and Everett Warren, fifteen. December 27, 1861, Mark A. Lucas perished from exposure. March 12, 1862, Deacon Richard Bick- ford, aged seventy-eight, was crushed to death by a heavily loaded wagon that he was driving. December 21, 1863, a child of Charles F. Chase was so scalded that death resulted. August, 1868, Wil- liam J. Tilden, of Lawrence, Mass., was thrown from a carriage and soon died. December 18, 1870, Benjamin Kimball was skat- ing to Pleasant Valley to attend a baptism, when the ice broke and he was drowned. February 1, 1871, Samuel Jones was killed by the kick of a colt. March 13, 1874, Charles W. Varney, an active business man, twenty-eight years old, and George Stewart, a hired man, started to cross the lake to Alton and were never seen thereafter. Their horse and sleigh floated ashore in July. They were doubtless drowned, though divers searched for their bodies in vain. June 24, 1874, Dudley L. Avery, son of Augus- tine D. Avery, aged sixteen, was drowned near Wolfeborough Neck. September 12, 1874, Miss Fannie Horne, aged seventy, was burned to death by her clothes taking fire. October 16, 1874, Joseph Hayes, sixty-five, was crushed so that he died the same day, by a building he was assisting in moving. July 14, 1875, Freddie, son of Daniel Deland, aged eight years, and an- other boy of nearly the same age were drowned in the inner bay. Willie, a son of J. R. Duncan, was drowned in the lake May 8, 1878.
August 28, 1875, Lettie, a seven-year-old daughter of Rev. A. D. Fairbanks, fell into a cellar, receiving injuries from which she died two days later. April 6, 1879, Bertie, son of Arthur P. Young, a lad of four years, broke through the ice in the bay near
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ALPHEUS SWETT
495
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
the mill at Wolfeborough Falls and was drowned. Dec. 15, 1877, a daughter of James Bresnehan fell into a kettle of hot water and soon died. December 22, 1877, Daniel Wentworth, aged seven- teen, was drowned while trying to skate across Lake Wentworth in the night. May 28, 1886, Rev. Theodore Jerome and his three children, Paul aged eleven, Kate, aged nine, and Bernard, aged six, and Theodore Davis, aged nineteen, were drowned within two miles of the village. This was a strange and unexplainable accident. The day was calm ; Mr. Jerome and Davis were expert swimmers ; their boat was found quite near an island, while the bodies were not far off, in water of no great depth, and not far apart from each other. April 25, 1887, Ira Hanson, aged thirty- three, fell and broke his neck while walking. July 13, 1887, Thomas Geary, of Rochester, was drowned in Rust's Pond while bathing. Charles Harriman committed suicide by taking poison July 24, 1890. James W. Drew, a section hand on the railroad, was struck by a wild engine, September 26, 1890, and received injuries from which he died the next day. May 21, 1897, William C. Fox, Esq. and his son John W., were capsized while fishing near Mud Island, Lake Winnipesaukee. The son managed to reach the shore, but Mr. Fox was drowned. The body was re- covered on the following day. April 29, 1900, Frank P. Tracy and Henry H. Archer were drowned while fishing in Lake Win- nipesaukee. Notwithstanding a most thorough search extending over several weeks, the bodies were never recovered. Other casualties of which we know not the date are here given. Frank- lin Meserve, a lad, was crushed to death by a loaded wagon. A boy named Glidden was drowned in Lake Wentworth. John Bickford was drowned in Lake Winnipesaukee. An employee of the South Wolfeborough blanket factory was crushed to death. Ichabod Libbey fell from his carriage on the hill near Mark Fernald's and died from his injuries. Nathan Morrison was crushed to death by a heavy stone which he was trying to sink on the walk near his dwelling.
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Before Henry Rust, the early settler, had brought his family here, his camp was burned, destroying his guns, clothing, and provisions. About 1813 the dwelling of Samuel Nudd was burned, and in it his two sons, aged ten and eleven years. The Governor Wentworth house was destroyed in 1820 by fire caught from sparks falling on the moss-covered roof. Samuel Avery's store was burned in 1823. Running fires caused the burning of the dwelling of Isaac Poor in 1829. David Blake's residence was burned in 1830. In 1826 the home of Daniel Whitten was burned. Dec. 15, 1841, the woolen factory in Wolfeborough Falls, owned by the Pickering Factory Company, was burned. This factory was built in 1816, and became the property of the above firm (composed of Stephen and Daniel Pickering, Nathaniel Rogers, and Samuel Avery) in 1836. Insurance on buildings and ma- chinery, $5,000; on stock (owned by Stephen Durgin), $1,500. A tannery owned by Moses Varney was burned in 1845; loss, $10,000 above insurance. November I, 1845, Nathaniel Rogers' barn was struck by lightning, and consumed with its contents ; loss, $1,000.
December 5, 1846, a fire at South Wolfeborough destroyed a chair manufactory, a wool-carding and cloth-dressing mill, a tan- nery, a shingle mill, a carriage shop, and an unoccupied store. The losers were Henry B. Rust, Nathaniel Banfield, John C. Corliss, and William Deland. The whole loss was $5,000. In 1850 James Boyle's woolen factory at South Wolfeborough was burned, and near the same year John Haines lost his dwelling, and John Tabor a small pipe factory. March 7, 1861, a grist- mill owned by Mrs. Alphonso G. Colby was burned ; loss, $3,500 ; insurance, $2,500. January 21, 1862, a set of buildings, house, barn, etc., and contents, belonging to William Clark, were con- sumed. The Paul Varney house was burned in 1864. John A. Chamberlin lost a new barn, part of his dwelling, and two hundred dollars' worth of tools and hay by fire, July 11, 1868.
Libbey, Varney & Company's steam mill was burned June 24,
JOSEPH LEWANDO
497
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
1871; loss $12,000. March 29, 1875, the dwelling occupied by Samuel Jenness on Trask's Hill was burned. A tannery, barn, and shed, with a large amount of stock, all belonging to Moses Varney, was consumed by fire July 4, 1877 ; loss above insurance, $15,000. The Parker house near South Wolfeborough, formerly the residence of Colonel Henry Rust, was burned December 7, 1877. John Clow's farm building was burned August 10, 1878. A house owned by Paul D. Rand was burned September 9, 1878. A. S. Libbey lost buildings by fire November 9, 1878, amounting to $1,500 dollars. October 11, 1881, the dwelling of Jasper H. Warren was burned. January 21, 1885, a dwelling owned by N. T. Brewster and occupied by Isaiah Piper was burned. February 2, 1887, a fire destroyed two wooden buildings, used as stores, on the present site of Central Block. The postoffice was located in one of the buildings, but was removed without damage to mails. Piper Block was also damaged ; total loss, about $7,000.
August 9, 1887, occurred the most disastrous fire in the town's history. The newly erected shoe factory owned by citizens and occupied by Messrs. Cropley and Monroe was burned together with eight dwellings and a large quantity of dressed lumber. The fire department at that time consisted of two volunteer companies, with hand engines, and it is little short of miraculous that the fire was checked short of the lake shore. The property burned beside the factory were three dwellings belonging to Blake Fol- som, a carpenter's shop, double house owned by Sawyer & Tib- betts, three houses owned by William C. Thomson, one house belonging to Greenlief B. Clark, also a large quantity of pine boards belonging to Libbey & Varney. The total loss was $140,- 000. In October, 1887, a fire broke out in Piper Block, doing some damage to the property of occupants, among whom were the G. A. R. Post, Lake National Bank, Granite State News, Co. K. N. H. Militia, and several stores. Nov. 2, 1887, the stable of Jesse Gould on North Main Street was burned. The stable of I. B. Manning, his nearest neighbor, was set on fire the same day.
498
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Both these fires were incendiary. In June, 1888, the Free Baptist Church was damaged by a fire which destroyed the sheds. B. F. Garland's dwelling at Pine Hill was burned the same month ; loss, $1,000.
December 24, 1889, the Libbey and Varney mill burned. The fire was of small extent when discovered, but owing to the failure of the hand engine and the apparatus for the new hydrants, total loss ensued. Some dry lumber was also consumed. The Cole- man house near Wolfeborough Center was burned in 1893. This building was one of the oldest in town.
In 1891 the dwelling of Mrs. Lowell at Pleasant Valley was burned. March 3, 1894, a threatening fire broke out at Wolfe- borough Falls, which for a time bid fair to destroy the business portion of the village. An excelsior mill belonging to Frank Hut- chins was destroyed, with a loss of $6,000. Furniture and machinery amounting to $1,900, the property of William B. Hodge, was also lost. The buildings on the Hasty farm were burned October 18, 1894; fire supposed to be incendiary. The dwelling-house of Fred E. Hersey on Center Street, Wolfe- borough Falls, was badly damaged by fire Feb. 20, 1896. The "Estabrook," a Brewster Academy dormitory, was gutted by fire February 24, 1897. The mammouth barn owned by N. T. Brew- ster was burned Feb. 23, 1896, together with twenty tons of hay and a cider-mill. Most of the large stock of animals were saved. The barn was 150 by 36 feet and the cider-mill 40 by 30 feet ; loss about $6,000.
May 28, 1899, the town was visited by its most disastrous con- flagration since the factory fire of 1887. The fire started in the waiting-room of the B. & M. R. R. wharf building. This was quickly destroyed ; the flames then spread to the old C. & M. R. R. wharf structure. Goodwin's Block was also destroyed. In the B. & M. building were located the offices of the Granite State News, the laundry of John McHugh, rooms of the Wolfeborough Cornet band, and a storage room for carriages. The other wharf
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
was used for dwelling and storage purposes. Goodwin's Block contained the stores of Charles H. Johnson, Sylvester A. Edgerly, Everett S. Albee, and the Wolfeborough Drug store. The build- ing was owned by Mrs. M. A. Goodwin. Offices occupied by Sewall W. Abbott, Charles F. Parker, and Dr. F. E. Meader were in the building as was also the lodge room of Morning Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Carroll Chapter, R. A. M. The loss was about $60,000. As in all previous instances of this kind the town quickly responded to the emergency, and the burnt district pre- sents a better appearance than ever before.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
FIRE PRECINCT ESTABLISHED-FIRE ENGINE PURCHASED-HOSE COMPANIES SUCCEED VOLUNTEER FIREMEN-ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT INSTALLED-WOLFEBOROUGH WATER WORKS -POST ROUTES AND STAGES-PRIMITIVE POSTAL FACILI- TIES-THE DOVER-SANDWICH STAGES-FAMOUS DRIVERS.
M AY 2, 1866, the citizens of the westerly portion of the town took advantage of the statute providing for the establish- ment of a fire precinct, which was laid out as follows :-
Beginning at the westerly corner of John Folsom's land, on the lake, running northerly by said Folsom's land to the road leading from Wolfeborough to Tuftonborough; thence by said road to the westerly corner of Joseph Edmonds' farm ; thence by the westerly side of Joseph Edmonds', George W. Bassett's, and William Mason's land to the Pine Hill road, so-called ; thence by said road to the westerly corner of Zamander Garland's land; thence by said Garland's and Elisha Goodwin's land to land of Nathaniel Piper ; thence by said Goodwin's land to Crooked Pond, so-called ; thence across the end to the easterly side of said pond ; thence by the shore of said pond to land of Eli V. Brewster ; thence by land of said Brewster to South Branch Brook, so- called ; thence across said brook to the northerly side of Nathaniel T. Brewster's land; thence by said Brewster's land and Smith's Pond to the rangeway at the corner of Benjamin F. Thompson's land ; thence southerly by said Brewster's land and the rangeway to land of Addison W. Banfield; thence by said Banfield's land and the rangeway to the lake ; thence by the shore of said lake to Smith's Bridge ; thence by the shore of the lake to the Carrying Place, so-called ; running across said Carrying Place to the first- mentioned bounds, not meaning to include Wolfeborough Neck.
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
At the same meeting $1,075 was appropriated to purchase a fire engine and hose. This famous fire fighter was formerly Straf- ford Engine No. I, of Dover. The name was changed to Carroll, No.2, and under this appellation it is still treasured by the precinct. The engine house was built the same year on land leased from Moses T. Cate. The first board of firewards elected were Alvah S. Libbey, Eleazer D. Barker, and Joseph W. Goodwin.
The fire apparatus was added to from time to time up to 1888, when a ladder truck was presented the precinct by citizens and summer visitors, its need being demonstrated by the big fire of the preceding year. The old engine company was disbanded upon the installation of the water works in 1889, and since that date four hose companies have given adequate protection to the com- munity. South Wolfeborough still maintains its volunteer en- gine company.
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