The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 145

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 145

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BROOKLYN'S FIRST FIRE-ENGINE.

Havens, J. Van Cott and Martin Woodward, all of whom were commissioned for one year. The meeting also resolved to raise the sum of £150 by tax, for the purpose of procuring a fire-engine. This engine, the first ever used in Brooklyn, was built by Mr. Jacob Roome of New York, the first fire-engine builder of

that city, who had at that time just commenced the business, all former engines having been imported from England. It was about eight feet in length, three feet in width, two feet six inches deep, and stood about three feet high. The box was square, heavy, without ornament, and made for service, being well bolted and ironed together. The condensing case, enclosing the works, was placed in the eentre of the machine, and stood three feet high, with an elbow or " goose neck" on the top, to which, when the engine was at work, a pipe was attached, through which the stream of water was directed upon the flames, the use of hose and suction being at that time unknown. The wood-work was of ash, the air cylinder of copper, and the chambers of brass, five inches in diameter, having a twelve inch stroke, and with puppet valves sheathed with leather. She was what is termed "a long stroke," and worked quite easily, throwing a stream of water at a distance of sixty feet, through a pipe six feet long, with a three- quarter inch nozzle. As she had no suctions, she was supplied by means of buckets, the water being drawn from neighboring wells, and carried to, and emptied into the engine, by the firemen, through an aperture in the side of the box, so placed as not to interfere with the working of the machine. The capacity of this box was about one hundred and eighty gallons. The. arms were placed fore and aft, working lengthwise of the box, the levers striking on the ends ; and, when full manned, but four men could work on each arm, making eight in all. The drag-rope was a single one, without

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a reel, the engine being guided by the tongue. Such was the engine used here a hundred years ago, and upon its reception from the builder's hands, it was christened the Washington No. 1, which name and number has been retained by its successors down to the present day.

It was further enacted at said meeting, that the fire- men should regularly play, clean and inspect the en- gine, on the first Saturday in each month; and that, in case of the non-attendance of any of the said firemen, upon due notice given them by their captain, they should be fined eight shillings, and that the captain for any neglect of duty in notifying the members, should himself be fined sixteen shillings.

The firemen were chosen annually at town meeting, and the office, although at that time it conferred no peculiar privileges or immunities upon its incumbents, was much sought after and valued as a position of respectability and honor in the community. Indeed, the name of fireman in those days was a passport into the best society. They were regarded, not only as a safeguard against fire, but as the protectors, advisers and patriarchs of the town. No citizen made any al- terations in his domicile or other buildings, without first consulting the firemen, and their expressed opinion was rarely disregarded, or deviated from. At a town mecting held on the 14th of April, 1786, the following persons were elected firemen : Henry Stanton, captain, John Doughty, Jr., Abraham Stoothoof, Anthony Rensen, John Garrison, John Van Nostrand and Jas. Leverich. At a town meeting, held on the 3d of April, 1787, the following firemen were appointed, the meet- ing having previously resolved to increase the number to nine : Henry Stanton, captain, John Doughty, Jr., Joseph Carwood, George Stanton, Thomas Havens, James Leverich, John Van Nostrand, Thomas Bow- rans and John Garrison, It was also resolved that each fireman should take out a license, for which he should pay four shillings, the avails of these fces being applied to the current expenses of the company. No records of the payments of these licenses were kept until 1821, after which they were regularly entered upon the accounts of the trustees, and receipts issued for the same.

First Organization of a Fire Department .- In 1788, a special meeting was held by the in- habitants, at which it was resolved to petition the leg- islature for a public enactment, whereby the fire de- partment of Brooklyn should be organized on a more extended basis, and endowed with privileges similar to those enjoyed by the city of New York. In compli- ance with their petition, the legislature granted an " Act for the better extinguishing fires in the town of Brooklyn in Kings county," passed March 15th, 1788, and which authorized " the freeholders and inhabitants of the town of Brooklyn, in Kings county, residing near the ferry, within a liue to begin at the East river,

opposite to, and to be drawn up the road that leads from the still house, late the property of Philip Living- ston,* deceased, and including said still house and other buildings on the south side of same road, to and across the road leading from Bedford to the ferry, t south of of the house of Matthew Gleaves, and from thence north-westerly, including all the houses on the east side of the road last mentioned, and east of the powder magazine of Comfort and Joshua Sands, to the East river aforesaid, and from thence down the East river to the place of beginning," at an annual town meeting on the first Tuesday in April in every year, to appoint ciglit able and sober men residing within the limits aforesaid, to have the custody, care and management of the fire engine or engines, and other tools or instru- ments ; and who were to be called the firemen of Brooklyn, and to be ready at all times, as well by night as day, to manage, work and exercise the same fire en- gine or engines, &c., and to be subject to such rules, orders and regulations as the freeholders and inhabi- tants of the town should imposc. Each fireman was to be exempted and privileged from serving in the office of overseer of the highways, or constable, and from being empanneled upon any jury or inquest, and from militia duty, except in cases of invasion or other immi- nent danger. All moneys necessary for the expenses of this fire department were to be raised by the town at the same time, and in the same manner as those for the support of the poor.

In accordance with the provisions of this act, the citizens, April Ist, 1788, appointed the following per- sons firemen : Stephen Baldwin, captain, Benjamin Baldwin, Silas Betts, Thomas Havens, Joseph Stevens, Gilbert Van Mater, John Doughty, Jr., and John Van Cott, all of whom held their office by annual re-election, for three successive years.

In consequence of the daily increase of fires, arising from the foulness of chimneys, and in accordance with the ample provisions of the act of 1788, the freeholders at their annual town meeting, April 1st, 1789, created the office of fire or chimney-inspectors. ; John Van Nostrand and Jacob Sharpe were appointed inspectors, and the following persons firemen : John Van Nos- trand, captain, Theodorus Hunt, Nehemiah Allen, John Doughty, Jr., John Dean, Daniel Hathaway and Joseph Carwood. At this meeting, it was also "resolved, that the firemen shall mect on the first Monday in every month, at an hour before sunrise, under the fine of four shillings for every neglect." This salutary regulation

* Now Joralemon street. + Now Fulton street.

# These Inspectors, two In number, annually elected, were to Inspect the insufficiency and foulness of the chimneys within the fire district, once in every six weeks, giving notice when necessay to the proprie- tors of faulty chimneys to have them swept or cemented properly within six days, under penalty of ten shillings for any neglect of such order; and the owner or occupant of any house whose chimneys should take fire and blaze out at the top, should be fined twenty shil- lIngs, with costs of suit. The captain of the fire company was author- Ized to ask, prosecute for, and receive all such fines, the avails of which were to he appropriated to the use of the engine.

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

probably had reference to the fact that, previously to this time the firemen had not been in the habit of hold- ing any regular company meeting, and seldom visited the engine house, except in ease of a fire, a matter of so infrequent oeenrrence, that the engine was liable to be neglected and unfit for use in any sudden emergency. The new rule was then a gentle reminder to the eareless firemen that they had under their eare a costly maeh- ine, which they, as guardians of the public safety, were bound to keep at all times ready for instant nse. Reg- ular meetings were also justly considered as affording convenient opportunities of social intereourse among the firemen, of conference as to the proper methods of performing their duties, and of eneouraging and main- taining that esprit d' corps so necessary to their etti- ciency as a body.

On the first Tuesday in April, 1790, the following persons were elected firemen : John Van Nostrand, Captain; Thomas Everitt, David Dick, Burdett Stry- ker, Nieholas Allen, Peter Cannon, Abiel Titus, and John Garrison. Inspectors of chimneys the same as before, and though they were vigilant in the perform- anee of their duty, no person seems to have been fined for foul chimneys.

On the first Tuesday in April, 1791, at town meet- ing, the following persons were elected firemen : John Van Nostrand, Captain; Thomas Everitt, John Garri- son, William Furman, John Doughty, Jr., David Diek, Thomas Place, and Nicholas Allen. A fine of two shil- lings was also imposed on any fireman who should be absent whenever ordered on duty by the captain.

On the 3d of April, 1792, the following persons were elceted firemen : John Van Nostrand, Captain; John Garrison, Nicholas Allen, Burdett Stryker, John Doughty, Thomas Everitt, Abiel Titus, and Benjamin Diek, all of whom were reelected the next year. It was at this time eustomary for the eitizens to help at fires by passing buekets, twenty-four of which belonged to the town, and were kept in the engine house, which then stood in a lane in Front street, near the Old Ferry road, now Fulton street.

In 1793, the settled portion of the fire district, ex- tending from what is now Henry street to the ferry, contained some seventy-five buildings, and about fifty families, the entire population, inelusive of one hundred slaves, numbering abont three hundred and fifty souls. The remainder of this district, more than three-fourths of the town, was open country. Fires, as may be im- agined, were of exceedingly rare occurrence, and the solitary engine, possessed by the town, had grown rusty and unserviceable rather from disuse than from use. In view of this fact, it was unanimously resolved in town meeting, on the first Tuesday in April, 1794, that a subscription should be raised for the purpose of pro- curing a new engine, and in the course of six or seven months the sum of £188 19s. 10d. was snbseribed and collected iu sums varying from one shilling to two

pounds. Joshua Sands, Esq., then president of the Board of trustees, immediately contraeted with Mr. Hardenbrook, of New York eity, to construct a new and more powerful machine, which was finished in about four months, and delivered to the trustees, who ealled a special meeting of the freeholders and inhabi- tants, at which the new engine was exhibited, tried, approved and accepted. At the same meeting the office of clerk and treasurer of the fire department was cre- ated, and Mr. John Hicks unanimously ehosen as its ineumbent.

The firemen this year were : John Van Nostrand, Captain; John Garrison, Nehemiah Allen, Burdett Stryker, John Doughty, Thomas Everitt, Abicl Titus, and Theodorus Hunt.

Enlargement of Village Fire District, 1795 .- On the 24th of March, 1795, at the special request of the people of Brooklyn, the act of the Legislature of 1788 was amended so as to enlarge the limits of the fire district, and authorizing an inerease of the number of firemen to thirty; also confirming the office of elerk and treasurer of the fire department, created by the town during the previous year; and, furthermore, re- quiring each inhabitant and house owner to furnish himself with a suitable number of fire buekets, under penalty of proper fines, the avails of which should be applied to the expenses of the fire engine. At the next ensuing town meeting, the inhabitants eleeted thirty firemen, and ordered that each houscholder or owner should provide such house with not less than two fire buckets, at their own expense, under penalty of ten shillings for each default, after due notification. By this arrangement, about one hundred and twenty-five buekets were provided, one-half of which were required for the immediate use of the engine, while the remain- der were employed in the hands of the citizens directly upon the fire.

The First Fire Bell of the Village, 1795 .- About this time the project of setting up a fire alarm bell was warmly diseussed, and met with mneh opposi- tion from some economically disposed persons; in spite of which, however, it was resolved, at the annual town meeting of 1796, to authorize a subscription for its pur- ehase. In the course of three months, the sum of £49 4s. was subseribed, colleeted and placed in the hands of the elerk of the department, with instructions to obtain as large a bell as he could procure for the money. When purchased, a new difficulty arose in finding a place to hang it. Several persons, to whom application was made, deelined, apparently from a dread of having their nerves startled and their slumbers disturbed by its tones, for be it known that in those days all Brook- lyn went to bed early. Finally, however, the awful bell found a resting plaec on the ancient stone house of Mr. Jacob Remsen, situated at the corner of Old Ferry road (now Fulton street) and a lane now known as Front street. At that time, this honse was the last one

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on the road approaching the ferry, and within twenty feet of the tide of the East River. The trustees, also, agreed with Mr. Remsen that he should ring the bell for fire alarms, in consideration of which duty he was to enjoy all the privileges and exemptions, with which other firemen were endowed by the act of 1788. This building was pulled down about forty years ago, 1816, and the bell was removed to Middagh street, near Henry, where it remained until 1827, when, on the pe- tition of a large number of citizens, it was set up on an unoccupied lot of ground, bounded by Bridge, Gold, Sands and Prospect streets. Upon the erection of the Eastern Market in that vicinity, the bell was placed in the cupola, where, we believe, it still remains, although the building itself has been converted into a place for religious worship.

In 1797, the inhabitants of Brooklyn resolved, in consequence of the inefficiency of previous legislative aets, especially the clause relating to the occurrence of fires from burning out chimneys, to apply to the Leg- islature for a more stringent and effective enactment. And on the 21st of March, 1797, the Legislature passed another " Act for the better prevention of fires in the town of Brooklyn." By its provisions the inhabitants and freeholders were empowered to appoint not less than three, or more than five discreet freeholders, who should have authority to make such protective rules and regulations, as they should judge necessary for the prevention of fires by the burning of chimneys, and for the sweeping and otherwise cleaning them, under such penalties as they should deem fit, not exceeding the sum of $5, said fines to be applied to lighting the streets of the town. Accordingly, at a meeting on the second Tuesday in May, 1797, the following persons were appointed to that duty : Henry Stanton, John Doughty, Martin Boerum, John Van Nostrand, and John Stryker. These gentlemen shortly thereafter met, and enacted, that from and after the 11th day of July, 1797, a fine of ten shillings should be imposed on every person whose chimney should take fire from care- lessness, or be set on fire for the purpose of cleansing, all such penalties to be paid to the clerk of the fire company, who was also directed to keep a book where- in should be entered the names and residences of all persons owning chimneys, together with the date and hour of burning, etc. This book was called the Chim- ney Register, and the whole amount of moneys received for the chimneys, during the sneeceding nine years, was £20 78., which was duly appropriated to lighting the streets. The whole force of the department at this time was one engine, thirty men, and about one hun- dred and fifty buckets. By this act five men were added, enjoying the same privileges as the other fire- men, but not attached to the engine, whose sole duty consisted in a faithful general supervision over the in- habitants in regard to chimneys, ete.

Meanwhile, another engine had been procured and

narned the Neptune No. 2; and, about the year 1810, a third one was purchased at the town's expense, which was called the Franklin No. 3.

No other material change occurred in the depart- ment, except a gradual augmentation of men and appa- ratus, until the passage of the act of incorporation of Brooklyn as a village, April 12, 1816. By the 17th section of this act the trustees were empowered to appoint as many firemen as they might from time to time deem necessary, and they promptly availed them- selves of this authority by organizing two new fire companies of thirty men each, thus swelling the total force of the department to ninety-five members. This measure, which was imperatively demanded by the growing population of the village, now amounting to about 5,000, with a proportionate increase of dwell- ings, gave universal satisfaction.

Creation of Office of Chief Engineer, 1816 .- During the same year the office of chief engineer was created, at the suggestion of the firemen themselves, who were allowed to nominate a candidate for the place. Their unanimous choice fell on Mr. John Doughty, who was forthwith accepted and confirmed by the trustees, as the first chief engineer of the Brooklyn fire depart- ment. This year, also, the system of regular annual appropriations for the maintenance of the department was initiated by the resolution to raise $300 by tax for that purpose. No member of the corps, at that time, received a salary, and the usual deficiency which had occurred between the expenses and receipts of the de- partment, in former years, had been defrayed by the voluntary contributions of the members. From 1794 to 1816, the department had received from chimney fines, penalties imposed upon firemen, etc., the sum of £899 08. Id., while the expenses during the same period amounted to £964 38. 3d., leaving an excess of £65 38. 2d., which had been liquidated by the firemen them- selves. Thus it will be seen that for 22 years the de- partment had been maintained at an average of $210 per annum. The appropriation of $300, made in 1816, was so economically managed, that at the end of the year an unexpended balance remained in the treasury.

During the year 1:17, certain improvements were in- troduced in the fire engines, enabling them to be sup- plied with water from the back in-tead of the side, and shifting the levers so as to strike on the side of the ends, by which means a larger number of men were admitted to work them, with a corresponding increase of case and power in the action of the machines.

Fire Wardens Appointed, 1817 .- In June of the same year, the trustees, under the provisions of the act of 1:16, appointed John Doughty, Isaac Moser, John Harmer and John Moon, as fire wordena, for the purpose of inspection and supervision of all buildings that should be erected within the village.

Organization of the First Hook and Ladder Company, 1817 .- About this time, also, inca-ures

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were taken for the organization of a hook and lad- der company. A most serious difficulty hitherto experienced by the firemen had been a want of ladders to assist in conveying the hose to an extraor- dinary distance from the engine, and they were fre- quently obliged to leave walls and ruins standing in a very dangerous manner, simply from the need of suit- able means with whieh to pull them down. Two re- cent cases, where the falling of walls after the firemen had left the ground, had nearly proved fatal to the spectators, tended to alarm the public mind and call general attention to the subject. The plan of such a company was not altogether new or untried in Brook- lyn. As early as 1812, a company had been formed, purely voluntary in its nature and independent of the department, its members claiming no exemptions or privileges, and being bound merely to aid those of their own number who might be in danger from fire. This association, secing the state of the public mind in re- gard to the subject, reorganized under new officers and with a new code of regulations. The inhabitants, how- ever, were desirous of having a hook and ladder com- pany regularly organized by the trustees, and attached to the fire department. This popular feeling found unanimous expression in a petition from the citizens and firemen, and presented to the trustees, who signified their approval by offering, in case a company should be formed, to supply them with the necessary apparatus. This being deemed rather indefinite, the trustees, on the 13th of October, 1817, further resolved to establish a hook and ladder company consisting of fifteen men. At the next meeting of the board, the following nomi- nations were received from the firemen and confirmed as members of the new company : Samuel S. Birdsall, foreman, Cornelius Van Cleef, John S. Doughty, Eg- bert K. Van Buren, William R. Dean, Robert W. Doughty, Stephen Schienek, Elias Doughty, Erastus Worthington, Isaac Denyse, Walter Nichols, William Phillips, Samuel Watts, Robert S. Dykman and Elias M. Stillwell. These gentlemen were all shortly equip- ped for service, but nearly two months elapsed before the proper apparatus was furnished to them, and then, only the hooks and ladders, which they were obliged to carry by hand. This extremely laborious work did not dampen their zeal, but its onerousness soon com- pelled them to petition the board of trustees for an in- crease of men, and a carriage. On the 1st of Decem- ber, 1817, the trustees voted to increase the hook and ladder company to twenty-five members. This failed, however, to satisfy the company, who shortly after re- newed their application for more men and a carriage. The trustees, June 22, 1818, increased the number of men to thirty, but did not grant the carriage. Nothing daunted, the company now addressed a petition to the trustees in language too strong to be disregarded, and finally, on the 27th of June, their wishes were gratified by the appropriation of $125 for the purchase of the

long asked for, and much needed, carriage. At the same meeting the trustees voted to raise $200, by taxa- tion, for the rent of a lot, and the erection of a tempo- rary building for the use and shelter of the Hook and Ladder company's apparatus; which, it seems, had hitherto been kept in an open lot.

The firemen next turned their attention to a better supply of water; for the engines of that day, not hav- ing any suctions, were supplied by fire buckets which in the case of a large fire were quite inadequate to the demand. The trustees, therefore, in compliance with the wishes of the firemen, passcd, on the 6th of October, 1817, the following act ; " And be it further ordained that the owner or occupant of every house in the vil- lage, having less than three fire-places, shall provide and keep one leather bueket; and having three fire- places and less than five, two leather buckets ; and having six fire-places and less than nine, four leather buckets; and having nine fire-places and upwards, six leather buckets to be marked with the name or initials of the name of the owner, and the street where they be- long; and owners or occupants of every brew-house, distillery, sugar-house, soap and candle manufactory, and other ship chandlery store shall provide and keep six leather buckets, and every bake-house and air fur- nace four leather buckets, besides the necessary buckets for dwelling houses aforesaid, each such bucket to con- tain two and one-half gallons, and to be suspended in some convenient plaee ready to be used in extinguish- ing fires, and shall be brought to and delivered for use at a fire whenever an alarm is given." This was to be done on penalty of one dollar fine per month for each neglect ; and persons who should " wilfully take and keep from the owner for twenty-four hours any bucket," which had been used at a fire, were to be mulcted in the sum of five dollars. Engineers and firewardens also directed to wear hats, having black brims, and white crowns, with the name of their respective offices painted thereon in black letters; and were to carry speaking trumpets. The members of the Hook and Ladder company were to wear white hats, the foreman having office distinctly painted on his.

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The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 145

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1114

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114