USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I > Part 20
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The inadequacy of the hand engines became apparent about 1854. On May 4, 1855, a steam fire engine from Cincinnati was displayed here, and an exhibi- tion of its work was given at the Bank street reservoir in the presence of the mayor, councilmen, and a crowd of wondering citizens. But the council opposed buying it, alleging that there was not enough water in all sections of the city to operate it, that the streets were in such bad condition that it could be hauled only with great difficulty, and that the price was too high.
On the 2d of February, 1863, the volunteer fire department was abandoned. In April, 1863, an ordinance was passed establishing a paid steam fire department. This was not done without violent opposition from several citizens, who thought it was a waste of public money, and others who believed that volunteers would give better service than "hirelings."
The first steam fire engine used in the city, was purchased December 17, 1862, and February, 1863, two others were purchased, followed by a fourth in June. The new fire department first displayed itself on the 4th of July, 1863, when, preceded by an American Express Company wagon, Clark's Forest City Cornet Band, and the council committee on fire and water, the four engines, and the "Mazeppa hook and ladder company," "drawn by splendid horses, and elegantly arrayed with bouquets," paraded the principal streets.3
In 1864, a fifth steamer was added. All of these engines were of Silsby make, second class, rotary power, manufactured in Seneca Falls, New York. It was customary to name them after men of local importance. "Engine company, N. P. Payne, No. I," was located on Franklin street, between Bank and Wa- ter, in the heart of the downtown section. "Engine company, J. J. Benton, No. 2," was located on Champlain street, between Seneca and Oregon, convenient to the manufacturing district on the flats. "Engine company, William Meyer, No. 3," was located on Huntington street, between Garden and Prospect, caring for the residence section of the east end. "Engine company, J. D. Palmer, No. 4," was located on Church street, between State and Hanover, on the west side. "Engine company, I. U. Masters, No. 5," was housed on Phelps street, between St. Clair and Superior streets, in the heart of a fine residence section. "The Mazeppa hook and ladder company" was quartered with No. I, on Frankfort street.
The first paid fire companies were annoyed at fires by the crowds of the curious, too turbulent for the marshal, and the establishing of a police system was a great help to the firemen. There were also other handicaps in the early days. In 1862, the chief engineer reported that the want of fuel had repeatedly delayed the work of the engines, and he asked for a supply wagon. A scant water supply (only twenty-two hydrants when the water works started) together with un-
2 See statement of Hon. John W. Allen, "Annals of Early Settlers Association," No. I, p. 61.
3 Anderson, "The Cleveland Fire Department," 1896, p. 25.
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paved and muddy streets, and many irresponsible alarms, made the work of the firemen unnecessarily burdensome.
In 1864, an alarm telegraph system was installed. Its signal boxes were placed on posts near the sidewalks throughout the business part of the city. There were twenty-three such boxes, six on the west side and seventeen on the east side. This was a boon to the firemen, for it greatly reduced the number of false alarms, the irresponsible ringing of bells ceased, and the sounding of alarms at the engine houses in the immediate location of fires was systematized. In 1859, the chief engineer reported, "False alarms and the uncertainty as to the location of the fires, are now costing the city double the amount of expense in- curred in the use of apparatus while in service."4
In 1867 the department was partially reorganized, and the rules governing it were made more stringent. The chief engineer was given two assistants, the first assistant to serve on the east side, and the second on the west side.
In September, 1867, the city bought its first engine of the first class, a rotary power Silsby. It was named the "J. J. Hill," and was placed in engine house No. 2, on Champlain street, while the "J. J. Benton" was taken from No. 2 and put into a new district, No. 6, on the west side in a new engine house, built by the city, on the corner of Lorain and Brainard streets. From this point the growth of the department was constant. New engines were added from year to year, and the efficiency of the equipment constantly increased.
In 1870 tests were made as to the best way of quickly heating the water in the engines. Cold water was first used and it took too much time to raise it to the steaming point. J. Vandevelde, engineer of No. I, devised the method finally adopted.
In August, 1872, the "Protection Company" was commissioned. It consisted of four men, with a wagon, canvass covers, and other apparatus, helpful in pro- tecting furniture and other valuables taken from burning buildings.
In January, 1875, No. 2 was equipped with the first piston engine bought by the department, a second class Amoskeg, built at Manchester, New Hampshire, called the "Charles A. Otis." February 9, 1875, Newburg got its first engine house, No. II, and the old steamer, "George B. Senter" and an old hook and ladder truck, No. 4, were sent there.
1877 the first Aerial ladder was brought to the city, and the swinging or suspended harness was introduced. It proved a great time saver.
In 1881 Chief Dickinson, newly appointed to the place, reorganized the force, forming all the companies into three battalions, each under the command of an assistant chief. Each company was reorganized, and in April, 1882, a captain with a lieutenant was placed at the head of each engine house. These appoint- ments were made from a list of names selected by examination, and they are im- portant as foreshadowing the universal application of civil service to all the men in the service. The first examining committee were Chief Dickinson, and Messrs. Wagner and Gloyd, of the board.
In 1881, another time saving device was introduced, the sliding pole, used by firemen in passing from their sleeping quarters to the engine floor below.
4 Report, 1859, p. 8.
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When they were first used, in No. 6, the poles were of wood, but the friction of the sliding generated so much heat that iron pipe was soon substituted.
In 1882 the city purchased its first chemical engine and placed it with a newly organized hook and ladder company, on Pearl street near Clark. In 1873 the city had tested a Steiner Chemical engine, at No. 10, but this apparatus was never purchased, although it was in the service several years. It was repaired in 1883 and put into service of No. 2. There was a deep seated public prejudice against chemical engines, people believing that the chemicals would ruin furniture.
In October, 1883, after some of the most disastrous fires the city has ever had, twenty-five thousand dollars was appropriated from the sinking fund for furnish- ing five new engines. A new Hayes extension ladder truck was placed with No. I, an astonishing piece of apparatus in that day, reaching to a height of eighty-five feet.
In 1886 the city built its first fire boat. Its advent was preceded by several years of discussion and many instances of the need of such a boat.
On the afternoon of August 4, 1886, the boat was launched and christened "Joseph L. Weatherley," in honor of a capable chief of the volunteer department, in 1840 and 1841 and the first president of the Board of Trade. The craft was of wood, seventy-nine feet long, with twenty-three feet, four and three-eighths inches in beam over all, a draft of eight feet, four inches, and displacement of one hundred and thirty-six tons. Within a week after her enlistment, she was initiated into fire fighting, when, on November 6, the Otis elevator burned down on East River street with a loss of forty-five thousand dollars.
In 1887 the city purchased a Pompier ladder, and sent a fireman to Chicago to study its use and teach his fellow firemen.
On November 3, 1887, Dr. D. R. Travis was elected the first surgeon of the department, with the official title of fire department physician.
In 1893 a program was adopted for the most extensive enlargement of the equipment yet made, including six new engines, three new trucks, a water tower, a new fire boat, and three new engine houses, all costing two hundred and forty- seven thousand dollars.
June 16, 1894, the new water tower was placed with No. I, on St. Clair street, and in March, 1894, old Engine company No. 3, moved from Huntington street into its new house on Central avenue.
The new fire boat was named after the mayor, "John H. Farley." It was built in Buffalo, and stationed at the lower Seneca street bridge. The old "J. L. Weatherley" had been condemned as unsuitable, and her machinery was trans- ferred to the new boat. Later, a new wooden fire boat, "The Clevelander," was built to take the place of the "Weatherley."
In 1903, a new central telegraph equipment was purchased and added at a cost of twenty-five thousand, five hundred dollars. In 1909 the entire equipment in- cluded thirty engine companies, eleven hook and ladder companies, two hose companies, manned by five hundred and fifteen men, classified as follows: One chief, two assistant chiefs, six battalion chiefs, one superintendent of machinery, one secretary, one assistant secretary, one store keeper, one medical officer, one veterinary, six wardens, forty-two captains, forty-six lieutenants, thirty engineers, thirty assistant engineers, five pilots, two hundred and eighty-two firemen, twenty
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cadets, fourth grade; nine cadets, third grade; four cadets, second grade; nine- teen cadets, first grade ; five operators and linemen and two employes.
The appointment of firemen was at first regulated more or less by political expediency. The disastrous effect upon the service made it apparent that a sys- tem of promotion must be devised and in 1882 civil service was adopted.
The pay of the firemen was at first regulated by the council, but on November II, 1889, at the behest of Dwight Palmer, a former member of the department and then a member of the legislature, a bill was passed regulating firemen's sal- aries. These have been increased from time to time. In December, 1908, the salary of the chief was four thousand dollars, that of the battalion chief was two thousand dollars, firemen one thousand, one hundred and four dollars, of the cadets from six hundred to nine hundred dollars, and of the captain one thousand, three hundred and twenty-three dollars; lieutenants, one thousand, one hundred and eighty-five dollars; engineers, one thousand, three hundred and eleven dol- lars; assistant engineer, one thousand, one hundred and seventy-three dollars.
As early as 1839, the firemen had organized a "Mutual Protecting Society," for aiding the firemen who were injured at the fires. Subsequently several plans of voluntary cooperation were tried, but they did not succeed. In February, 1868, after the city had taken control of the department, the "Cleveland Fire- men's Relief Association" was organized. A constitution was prepared and signed by sixty members. A fund of three hundred and sixty-two dollars and sixty cents was formed as a nucleus, and this has grown by voluntary contribu- tions, and monthly dues. The fund is wholly voluntary and not under the control of the city.
The "Firemen's Pension Fund" was begun in 1881. In 1886, the legislature passed Dwight Palmer's bill creating the board of trustees of the firemen's pen- sion fund, "for the amelioration of disabled firemen, and for the relief of their widows and minor children." On May 24, following, the department elected as trustees, John A. Barlow, Charles B. Knapp, William Clayton, who, with the board of fire commissioners, constituted the trustees of the new pension fund.
This fund has steadily grown. June 1, 1909, it had three hundred and forty- six thousand and forty-two dollars and eighty-one cents invested in bonds. In 1908 there were one hundred and fifty-six pensioners, seventy-one retired fire- men, fifty widows, thirty-five orphans, and had paid out in 1907, sixty-three thousand, two hundred and fifty-nine dollars and seventy cents. The law was substantially changed in April, 1902. The fund is administered by a board of trustees, consisting of five members of the department elected by the force.
Thus gradually, the city and the state have united in recognizing the import- ance of the fire department. It is significant that in 1896, when the city was planning its great forward movement in public works, the commission of cit- izens found it unnecessary to recommend a reorganization or great enlargement of the fire department.
The administration of the fire department, under the volunteer system, was in charge of the city council, and a chief engineer elected annually by the people. When the paid fire department was organized, the council committee on fire and water, and a board of fire commissioners elected by the people, con- trolled the department.
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By act of April 29, 1873, the board of fire commissioners consisted of the mayor and chairman of the council committee on fire and water, and three citi- zens appointed by the mayor for three years. This law was repealed in 1876, and the electors elected four commissioners for a term of four years.
With the inauguration of the federal plan, the department was controlled by the directors of public service, substantially as it is today.
NOTABLE FIRES IN CLEVELAND.1
The following is a list of the more important fires :
1834-January 20, occurred the first serious fire in the village. Fire was dis- covered at 2:00 a. m. in the second story frame building, erected in 1832 and occupied by Martin C. Hill as a store on Superior street. Loss, twelve thousand dollars on building and nine thousand dollars on stock. April 27th, the furnaces of the Hoyt-Risley Company, in Brooklyn, burned to the ground. Loss, ten thou- sand dollars.
1835-July 29, occurred the largest fire to date, in the history of the town. The fire started in the kitchen of Benjamin's boarding house, totally destroying Kelley's three story brick block on Superior street, one of the largest blocks in town, containing Kelley's book store, Strickland & Gaylords drug store, Camp & Clark's dry goods store, the Bank of Cleveland, and Benjamin's boarding house. West of this block four small wooden buildings were burned; west of these, Alden & Company's shoe store, Moses White's house, Clark's new three story wooden block, Moulton's comb factory, Seargent's mirror factory, Shepherd's chair fac- tory, and several other buildings. The fire was checked by the brick walls of the Mansion house. The loss was only forty-five thousand dollars, and throws some light on the cheapness of the buildings that then lined the principal business street of the town. The life of a domestic in Benjamin's boarding house was lost, the first life sacrificed to fire in Cleveland.
1837-April 12, a warehouse on Dock street, owned by John Blair and oc- cupied by Ward and Smith, commission and forwarding merchants, and adjoin- ing flour mill of Edmund Clark and Richard Hilliard. Loss ten thousand dollars. Incendiary.
1840-August 6, the new Cleveland Exchange, and an old tavern adjoining, also two stores and the Tremont house. Loss twenty thousand dollars. The Ohio City engine came over to help.
August 7, the distillery of Vinton & Chamberlain, on the west side. Cleveland engine companies Nos. 4 and 5, and the hook and ladder company went to help. Loss, fifteen thousand dollars.
1843-January 2, warehouse of Standart, Griffith & Company, on River street, the grocery store of S. Cleary & Company, the block and spar shops of William Nott & Company, two steamboats, the "Cleveland" and the "New England," frozen in near the dock, caught fire, but were not destroyed.
1844-November 19, the Lawrence building, Superior lane. Loss fifteen thousand dollars.
1 The details and figures of losses are taken from the newspapers and from the Annual Reports of the Department.
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1846-July 22, Stone's warehouse, at the junction of Canal and River streets, one of the oldest in the city, and adjoining building. Loss fifteen thousand dollars.
September 23, a fire on Merwin street near the canal, destroyed six stores, and destroyed the contents of Merchant's hotel. Loss fourteen thousand dollars.
1849-August 3, St. Paul's church, corner Euclid and Sheriff streets, which had been completed only a few months, was set on fire by an incendiary, who was afterward sent to the penitentiary.1
1852-October 12, a fire started in Kramer's store on Superior lane, near the railroad crossing, and spread down Water street, destroying a score of buildings.
1854-April I, incendiary fire on Seneca street, near Superior, destroyed old engine house No. I, and two adjoining homes, Dr. Purington's drug store, and the sparks set fire to the Sturtevant planing mill on Michigan street, John Schrienk's brewery and dwelling house, Gray & Smith's paint shop, and Farmstead & Doan's cooper shop. Loss eighteen thousand dollars.
1854-October 7, fire broke out 12 m. in a two story frame house on the north side of the square, and destroyed eight two story frame houses, and O. S. Mason's livery stable, damaging Mathew's brick block on Champlain street and partially destroying five frame houses on Seneca street. This almost denuded the southwest side of the square. The courthouse then on the southwest corner of the square was on fire but the flames were put out.
1854-October 27, a livery stable on James street was set on fire and the flames spread into one of the largest fires in the history of Cleveland. The New England house, the Commercial exchange, a three story brick building, the St. Charles hotel, and a three story frame building on Merwin street were totally destroyed. Also seven two story frame buildings, used for business pur- poses, on the west side of Merwin street. On the north side of Superior street, Oviatt's three story brick block, was entirely gutted. This fire destroyed nearly every building on Merwin street, and the entire block enclosed by Superior lane, James street, and the railroad. Loss, about two hundred and fifteen thousand dollars.
1854-November 29, Old Trinity church, the first church building in the city, corner of Seneca and St. Clair, a frame Gothic building, seventy by forty feet, had a bell and tower with four little spires, the building was completed August, 1829.
1855-August 20, at 10:30 p. m., Garland & Gould's drug store, on Merwin street. Loss, thirty-five thousand, five hundred and twenty-nine dollars.
1855-November 12, incendiary fire destroyed five buildings on Michigan street.
1856-May 4, Morocco factory on Leonard street, and the adjoining three story building. Loss, twenty-three thousand three hundred and twenty-five dollars.
1856-June 25, the two story frame building, on the west side of River. street, spread to Barney, Corning & Company's rectifying works, Taylor's lum- ber yard, and Gates' warehouse, and Fitzhugh & Littleton's grain warehouse. Loss, thirty-four thousand, four hundred and fifty dollars.
1 See Hodge Memorial, p. 42.
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1856-September 5, Leland's & Shepherd's shingle mill, on Division street, spread to Garlick's machine shop, Dewett & Howell's agricultural factory, on James street. Loss, thirty-two thousand three hundred dollars.
1857-March 7, at 11:30 a. m., fire was discovered in the Stone church, on the square. It was partly destroyed. Loss, thirty-three thousand dollars.
1861-February 8, at 10 p. m., fire was discovered in Hicks school, a three story frame building on the west side, due to defect in heating apparatus. The mercury was below zero, and "froze up" all the engines.
1865-March, the old Athenaeum building burned.
1868-February 22, at 3:50 in the morning, fire started in a brick building corner of Prospect and Sheriff streets, used as a boarding house. The fire started in the basement and soon cut off the front stairs; all the inmates, how- ever, escaped except one who was burned to death.
1868 -- April 6, Gabriels' Sons carriage shop on Michigan street. A fireman was seriously injured.
1869-February 24, three firemen were injured by falling walls during the burning of the New England block on Broadway. Loss, twenty-five thousand dollars.
1869-July 15, forty-three cars of oil burned on the tracks of the Atlantic & Great Western Railway. Loss, fifty thousand dollars.
1870-December 9, works of the Cleveland Iron Company were destroyed by fire. Loss, two hundred thousand dollars.
1872-March 16, explosion of the Austin Powder Mills, at 3 p. m., two men were killed. Loss, twenty-five thousand dollars. The shock shook the city and frightened many persons.
September 26, the Northern Ohio Hospital for the Insane was discovered on fire, the water supply was inadequate and the building was a total loss. There was great difficulty in rescuing the inmates. Nearly five hundred were removed to various charitable institutions in the city, and to the police station. Later they were sent to the Dayton hospital until a new building could be erected. Only two of the inmates were lost. Carelessness on the part of the workmen who were repairing the roof was supposed to be the cause of the fire.
1873-October 22, Corning & Company's distillery, River street.
1874-January 30, the buildings, 86-8 Water street, began to burn and the fire spread rapidly to George Worthington & Company's buildings, loss nearly five hundred thousand dollars.
1875-November 16, another explosion at the Austin Powder mills. They were instantaneously and utterly wrecked. Three lives lost. Many plate glass windows in the city were ruined by the explosion.
1876-Otis & York's grain elevator was burned, together with several small houses in the vicinity ; the wind carried fire brands to the roof of the Second Presbyterian church. Loss to church, seventy thousand dollars.
1878 March 19, the four story brick block. Atwater building on Merwin street, for many years one of the leading business blocks in town, occupied by the Non-Explosive Lamp Company. Loss, eighty-seven thousand, two hundred dollars.
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and all responded. Some came by special train within a few hours, and others did not arrive until after the fire was checked. By night it was under control. It was on Sunday, immense throngs gathered. and the Fifth regiment was called to its armory to be in readiness. The total loss was estimated at eight hundred and ninety thousand, seven hundred dollars. The principal losses were: Woods, Perry & Company, four hundred thousand dollars ; E. S. King & Company, lum- ber, one hundred and seventy thousand dollars; Potter, Birdsall & Company, lumber, one hundred thousand dollars; Variety Iron Works, sixty thousand dol- lars ; Davidson & House, lumber, sixty thousand dollars.
Two weeks later, Sunday, September 21, a second fire started at II a. m., in the lumber district, in Monroe Brothers & Company's yard. This was soon subdued and just as the engines were starting to their stations, the storehouse of the same firm was seen to be ablaze, and simultaneously, Brown, Strong & Com- pany's lumber yard. These flames spread rapidly and help was again called from Akron, Elyria, Painesville, Ashtabula, Sandusky, Lorain, Oberlin, Clyde, Dela- ware, Galion, Columbus, Toledo and Fremont responded. Only the engines from Akron, Elyria, Painesville and Ashtabula, the first arrivals, were placed into serv- ice. Losses : Monroe Brothers & Company, twenty-nine thousand, eight hundred dollars ; Brown, Strong & Company, eighty-one thousand, two hundred and ninety- seven dollars and fifteen cents. These fires were incendiary and called attention of the city to the need of a fire boat and better equipment. All but one of the engines then in use were old.
1885-April 12, fire started about three o'clock, Sunday morning in the attic, or seventh story of the Stillman hotel. This attic was of frame construction with wooden floors and the fire spread rapidly. All the guests, however, escaped, and the flames were confined to the upper floors. Loss, seventy-five thousand dollars.
May 15, A. Bailey's dry goods store on Ontario street burned at 10:30 p. m., an adjoining building used as a tenement, caught fire, one person killed, many injured. Loss, forty thousand, nine hundred dollars.
September 9, early in the morning, fire started in Doan's oil works near the new Kingsbury run bridge. Blazing oil ran down with the current to the Standard Oil Company, whose stills of gasoline were destroyed. On the after- noon of the same day, L. D. Mix's Oil Refinery on Commercial street was destroyed.
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