USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 56
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The present police force is shown in the following statement: Chief J. N. Allaback ; captain, H. E. Laukhart ; lieutenant, E. S. Haley ; sergeants ten ; detec- tives eight; court baliff one; turnkeys nine; drivers of ambulance two; drivers of patrol wagon four ; ambulance men two; recording clerk one; superintendent of bureau of identification one ; electrician one; telegraph operators three ; ma- trons two; janitor one; surgeons two; safety clerk one ; patrolmen one hundred and twenty-two; total one hundred and seventy-three.
Three police stations are in use. Number I is the main station on Sixth street. Number 2 is at the corner of Linden avenue and Third street. Number 3, is at the corner of Third street and the Home avenue railroad. The patrol
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station on Sears street accommodates an ambulance, four wagons, a boat wagon and furnishes stable room for seventeen horses.
A police benevolent association was formed in December, 1877. The asso- ciation is managed in the interest of members by themselves, and through it timely benefits are received. Receipts for the police pension fund in 1909, were three thousand, nine hundred and eighty-five dollars and ninety-three cents. Of this amount two thousand, seven hundred and seventy-seven dollars and fifty- five cents was from taxes. The remainder was from rewards, interest on bonds and so forth. The amount paid on pensions was three thousand, and sixty dollars.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A fire department furnishes the best example of the change from that condi- tion in which everybody does everything to the condition in which a disciplined class do expert work for the whole community. The period in which every man was his own fire company, lasted till 1820. In that year, fire destroyed Cooper's mills, this being the first large fire that visited the Dayton community. The select council at once provided ladders which were to be kept hanging on the walls of the market house, probably under the wide-projecting eaves. Every house- holder was to procure two buckets made of heavy leather and have his name painted on them in white letters and keep them in a convenient place. Septem- ber 23, 1823, council directed the recorder to "write to H. G. Phillips, instruct- ing him to purchase a fire engine." He was doubtless then on one of his trips to Philadelphia to purchase goods. In the spring of 1825, council set aside $226 for the purchase of an engine. A little later council added to this amount $274 and placed the entire sum in Mr. Phillip's hands. While the engine was being constructed and on its way, the citizens at home were busy forming fire com- panies. February 9, 1826, a company of twenty-two presented themselves to coun- cil with George C. Davis, foreman, J. W. Van Cleve, secretary, and E. Stibbins, first engineer. At the same time, a hook and ladder company presented them- selves. Of this company, Joseph Hollingsworth was foreman and Daniel Davis first director. The freight on the engine to Pittsburg was $52, and from Pitts- burg to Cincinnati by boat $23, and from Cincinnati to Dayton by wagon $10. It reached Dayton in the spring of 1826. It was located in a frame building on the north side of the courthouse grounds. It had to be filled with buckets and the power was supplied by turning a crank. It was manned by twelve men. Relays of men were at the engine to keep it constantly going. Additional sup- plies of fire buckets were bought a short intervals. About this time, the first fire wardens, two from each of the five wards, were appointed. December 4, 1830, a small new engine was purchased at a cost of $300. January 10, 1833, a new fire company with thirty-two members was recognized by council under the name of Engine Company No. 2. Neither of the engines purchased was satisfactory and May 10, 1833, "a very large and respectable petition of the citizens" asked for "a good engine for the use of the town." June 12, the council authorized the pur- chase of a large suction engine. November 1, 1833, Safety Engine and Hose Company No. 2, with Peter Bear as engine foreman and Thomas Brown as hose company foreman was formed to "take charge of the newly purchased engine."
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The company was soon increased to a hundred men. The home of the company was on the courthouse grounds.
In 1833, a two-story brick building, 18 by 36 feet was erected on the Third street side of the courthouse grounds between the courthouse and the jail. From 1841 to 1845, the upper rooms of this building were used as a council chamber and mayor's office.
January 28, 1834, the president of a new fire company called the Independent Fire Engine and Hose Company No. I, with forty-eight members, presented the company to the council. The company had raised $1,050 and proposed to use this money together with an old engine belonging to the city, in securing a first- class engine and equipment. The proposition was accepted and a location was leased on the north side of Second street, between Main and Jefferson streets. Thus there were two good engines with good companies back of them in place of the smaller engines and companies existing before. In 1835, a hook and lad- der company was formed. The same year, the Enterprise Fire Company was formed and given the use of "the old green engine." But after a few years, it dropped out of existence.
In 1833, the fire wardens were Charles G. Swain, Henry Stoddard, A. Darst, C. R. Greene, John Steele, J. L. Brown, John Rench, Thomas Morrison and E. Stibbins. In the winter of 1835, Alexander Grimes, I. T. Harper, John Rench, D. Stone and others, formed a company called the Fire Guards. They carried white wands and it was their duty to protect property, and to keep order at fires. This year, council agreed to pay "fifty cents to each of the sextons of the several churches, as well as to the sheriff for ringing their respective bells at each fire to give the alarm more generally to the citizens."
About 1840, there began to be a demand for an engine house east of the canal. The Oregon engine house was built at the corner of Sixth and Tecum- seh streets. The Oregon fire engine sucked the water from the canal or from cisterns, as did some of the other engines purchased at an early time The new volunteer fire department fashioned out of earlier beginnings, was organized more fully in 1852, when three new engine houses were built. The Safety company lost its place on the courthouse grounds in 1846, and about 1850, passed out of existence. The Independent company continued at the place be- fore described. The Oregon company purchased ground and erected an engine house at its own expense on Fifth street, facing Brown street. The Neptune company was located on Second street, east of St. Joseph's school. The Deluge engine house was located on Main street, south of Fifth, where the National theater now is. The Vigilance or Miami engine house was located on a leased lot on Ludlow street, north of Third street, nearly opposite the Reformed church. The Pacific engine house was located at the corner of Fifth and Plum streets. The hook and ladder company was located on St. Clair street in an old building, where the Beaver and Butt building was later erected. Each fire company had one hundred and forty men, one hundred on the engine and forty on the reel. In addition to furnishing ordinary supplies, the city began in 1859 to pay $400 or more annually to the fire companies, for incidental expenses.
In 1856, when fire was destroying Thomas Morrison's carpenter shop, the Vigilance and Deluge companies got into a fight and William Richards was hit
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with a brick, causing his death two days later. The Vigilance company on ac- acount of its part in this affair, was disbanded by the mayor, but later was or- ganized as the Miami company. There was great rivalry between companies in reaching the scene of fires first and in obtaining advantageous positions.
When the Journal office was burned by a mob in 1863, the different com- panies were slow in coming to the scene, as they feared the mob would cut their hose and cripple their engines. At this point, John W. Harries sent word to all the companies that he would replace at his own expense all of the apparatus that might be damaged, whereupon, the men were soon at the scene of the fire work- ing with a will.
The efficiency of the primitive engines first secured may be judged from the fact that in 1858, the Niagara, the engine of the Independent company, forcing water from the canal through six hundred feet of hose, threw a stream over the steeple of Park Presbyterian church to the height of two hundred and five feet.
The destructive Journal fire of May 5, 1863, was the last large fire fought by the old volunteer fire department. In the fall of that year, three steam fire en- gines were purchased. These were placed in the Neptune engine house on Second street, east of Madison street, in the Oregon engine house, on Fifth street facing Brown street, and in the Deluge engine house on Main street, where the National theater now is, and were named respectively the Eastern, Central and Western engines. From this time, the steam fire department had a recog- nized place. The next step was to provide for a paid fire department. January 12, 1864, council resolved "That an appropriation be made in favor of fire depart- ment for the sum of $300, payable to the chief of said department for the pay- ment of employed men, purchase of feed, etc." Council also resolved at the same time "That the compensation of engineers of steam fire engines shall be $50 per month, and the firemen, drivers and pipemen shall be $36 per month until further ordered by council." The following resolution shows how the services of the voluntary firemen were dispensed with: "Resolved, That the city council disband the Deluge, Miami, Independent, Oregon and Pacific fire companies ; and be it further resolved, That all of the above named companies be disbanded from the first day of March, 1864, and that the chief of the fire department take charge of all the city property and have it placed in the several engine houses and fitted up for sale." We look in vain for any vote of thanks tendered to the fire companies for services previously rendered. The hand fire engines were sold, one of them going to Sandusky and another to Wapakoneta.
The old volunteer fire department, represented in its palmy days by six hundred men, must not be passed hastily by. Men who served without pay, re- sorted to every means to secure money for their equipment, fought with each other for the positions of greatest danger, deserve regard even yet for the part that they performed. So partial were these early fire-fighters to the part which they had been performing that their first impulse was to wish failure to the handful of men that supplanted them and to destroy the newfangled machinery, that was to take the place of their well-proved apparatus. The survivors of these early fire companies, like Napoleon's turned-out war-horses, still feel like trotting into line. when the old signals sound in their ears.
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The paid fire department for the period from 1864 to 1880, was under the management or mismanagement of council, through its "committee on fire." It was largely subject to the caprice, partisan aims and hunger of the politicians. At the close of this period, the department was represented by only nineteen men, three second class rotary engines, six cumbersome hose reels, twelve horses, and 8,000 feet of hose, half of a cheap and inferior quality, maintained at a cost of $20,000 per year. Yet, so far as efficiency was concerned, it was an improve- ment on what went before. Men who worked valiantly for the department in and out of council, were Ezra Bimm and George Lehman. The chiefs for this period were in order of time: William Patton, William Gill, Anthony Stephans, John H. Winder and James Lewis.
The year 1880, marked a new era in the history of the Dayton fire depart- ment. In April of that year, the legislature passed an act establishing the pres- ent metropolitan department on a bi-partisan basis. The first commissioners appointed July 5, 1880, were : John S. Miles, J. Linxweiler, Jr., John K. McIn- tire and E. F. Pryor. The first served till October 13, 1882, the second till April 15, 1883, and the third till September 14, 1883. Mr. Pryor served a period of twenty years down to July 5, 1900. Succeeding commissioners were : Andrew C. Nixon, April 15, 1883, to November 25, 1901; Joseph Kratochwill, September 14, 1883, to his death September 21, 1887; Charles H. Ware, May 25, 1888, to April 19, 1900; Mike A. Nipgen, July 5, 1886, to July 5, 1902; Charles C. Francisco, April 19, 1900, to 1903; Theodore Lienesch, July 5, 1900, to 1903; Edward G. Durst, November 25, 1901, to 1903 ; Reverdy E. Johnson, July 5, 1902, to 1903.
The first commissioners, after assuming control of the department in 1880, made the following statement to the public in their first report :
"Upon assuming the management of the department, the board found it with- out a chief officer, themselves inexperienced, and a general re-organization imper- ative. The houses in many cases were needing repairs. New hose was needed. The number of horses were not sufficient to move the apparatus, and in many respects the department was greatly in need of immediate improvement. The committee on fire department of council doubtless realized this state of affairs, as fully as we, but were as helpless financially, as we, to remedy the evil, and with less authority under the law, to raise funds for present wants * *
"It has been the aim of the commissioners, as fast as possible to effect a thor- ough discipline throughout the department ; to get the department out of politics, and away from its influences ; to encourage the men to make the business of a fireman a permanent one during efficient services and good behavior."
The commissioners of the fire department have been men splendidly quali- fied for their work and have given unstinted time and effort to building up the department. They at once appointed Daniel C. Larkin chief of the department. He continued to serve in the capacity of chief down to 1906 with marked ability and fidelity to his duties. He was succeeded in 1906 by Frank B. Ramby, the present chief. The annual reports in all their details show a continuous and commendable devotion to the interests of the public. A number of years, the fire loss per capita has been less than twenty-five cents. Up to 1900, the record of the department stood first among the cities of the country.
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In some of the more recent years, the fire loss has been large though not disproportionate as compared with the size of the city. The following figures indicate the fire losses beginning with 1903, $74,573.90; 1904, $73,132.67; 1905, $272,765.45 ; 1906, $107,849.55 ; 1907, $124,818.22; 1908, $312,174.84.
The per capita loss in 1907 was $1.13, and for 1908, $2.94. Over seventy- eight per cent of the loss in 1908, was in three large fires-the Dayton Motor Car Company, the Dayton Lumber and Manufacturing Company and the Schwind Realty Company fires. The fire losses for the first eight months of 1909, amounted to about $0.40 per capita. This favorable record was broken on the night of Octo- ber 20th, when a disastrous fire destroyed the Computing Scale plant, the plant of the Pasteur-Chamberland Filter Company, the Big Four freight house and other large establishments, the fire loss being placed at $577,632.33, over against which there was an insurance of $460,900. November 5th there was a fire occa- sioning a loss of $15,000.
The fire alarms for 1908, numbered 544. In that year for the first time, the alarms sent in by telephone outnumbered the box alarms.
Dayton has been saved from any general and disastrous fire. Yet there have been a number of large fire losses. The next greatest fire the city ever suffered was the Turner Opera House fire, which occurred May 16, 1869. Besides the opera house, a number of adjoining buildings were destroyed. The total loss amounted to $550,000. In the burning of the Winthrop hotel in 1869, two persons lost their lives and others were seriously injured. In the burning of the Eighth Ward House on Main street in 1870, a mother and five children lost their lives. In 1884, the Dodd's rake factory, on Second street on the west side and a number of adjoining buildings were destroyed. The fire loss was $26,000. February I, 1900, occurred the fire which destroyed the J. P. Wolf & Sons' tobacco ware- house on the corner of First and Foundry streets. The day was exceedingly cold, the water pressure low, and the flames had every advantage. Included in the destruction by the fire were the establishments of a number of firms. The fire loss was $383,000. These large fires are a strong admonition against any- thing that would impair the efficiency of the fire department.
Some facts with reference to engine houses will be of interest. Central En- gin House No. I is on Fifth street, facing Brown. This house was inherited from the volunteer fire company. Eastern Engine House No. 2, is on the old market house lot, between Second and Third streets, facing Webster street. Western Engine House No. 3, at first on South Main street, was permanently located on Fifth street, west of Wilkinson street, where in 1876, a building costing $10,000 was erected. Engine House No. 4, at the northeast corner of Main street and Monument avenue, at the first a remodeled frame building, took the place of the Miami engine house on Ludlow street in 1884. In 1887, the old frame house was removed and an up-to-date engine house constructed at a cost of $9,000. In 1897, the building was enlarged and in every way given a pleasing appearance. Hose House No. 5 is on Fifth street, near Olive. The first house used was the abandoned schoolhouse at the corner of Olive and Fifth streets. Engine House No. 6 was built in 1884 on June street, between Second and Third streets. Hose House No. 7 was also built in 1884. It stands on the northeast corner of Xenia avenue and Henry street. Hose House No. 8 is located on the corner of Light
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and Valley streets, North Dayton. It was completed in 1889. Hose House No. 9 is located on River street, Dayton View. It was also completed in 1889. Three new engine houses were built in the year closing March, 1893: No. 10, corner of Portland avenue and Washington street, Edgemont; No. II, corner of Brown and Patterson streets ; No. 12, corner of Linden and Huffman avenues. In 1901, two engine houses were completed: No. 13, at the corner of Third street and Euclid avenue, and No. 14, 1418 North Main street. In 1907, Engine House No. 15 was completed at the corner of Brown and Charles streets. In 1909, Engine House No. 16, located on Jersey street, near Third street. was completed. A number of the later engine houses are attractive structures. The equipment of the department now numbers eight fire engines, twelve com- bination hose and chemical wagons, three hose wagons, five hook and ladder wagons, one chemical engine, one water tower, four chief's buggies, one tele- graph wagon, one hydrant wagon, three supply wagons, one fuel wagon.
The fire department is manned by one chief, three marshals, eight captains, nine engineers, one hundred and thirty-two firemen and three operators, one hundred and fifty-six in all.
The Gainewell fire alarm telegraph, introduced in 1868, has had added to it the latest improvements that have been devised, and answers well the purposes of the department. The engine house at the corner of Main street and Monument avenue is now the department headquarters, the same having been transferred from the Western engine house on Fifth street, west of Wilkinson in 1901.
The Dayton department claims credit for the invention of the hose wagon now in use throughout the whole world. When Engine House No. 7 was built, the department had no money with which to buy a four-wheel hose reel costing $1,400. So Chief Larkin contrived the hose wagon costing $325. The wagon was used to carry 800 feet of hose, two chemicals, axes, lanterns and all necessary tools. The invention was such a matter of course that no patents were applied for. The sliding poles were introduced in the Dayton deparment in 1880, before they had generally been introduced elsewhere.
The firemen who watch the city by day and by night, are on duty or ready for duty almost the entire twenty-four hours. They were first given twelve hours off in every fourteen days, then twenty-four hours off in every fourteen days, and now are given twenty-four hours off in every five days and one week off in every year.
In November, 1874, a firemen's benevolent association was organized, but the results were small and after a few years, it disbanded. February 1, 1882, the Firemen's Benevolent Society was organized with Daniel C. Larkin, presi- dent, and W. H. Culbert, secretary. All members of the Dayton fire department and members of the board of fire commissioners, and all members of the former society. who were in good standing at the time of disbanding, were eligible to membership on the payment of one dollar as admission fee and six dollars yearly dues, to be paid quarterly in advance. Members of the society who became sick or disabled, and were in good standing, were paid weekly benefits of five dol- lars per week, during sickness or disability.
In 1902, the fireman's pension fund was established. It was the successor of the fireman's relief fund, established ten years before.
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WATER WORKS.
In the gravels underlying the original site of the city of Dayton and within a few feet of the surface an abundance of cool, wholesome water was readily secured. The first well was on the Newcom lot at the corner of Main street and Monument avenue. Afterwards, wells, both private and public, were sunk in all parts of the original plat. Many thought that no other provision would be necessary. When larger needs began to present themselves, attention was turned to Mad river as a source of supply. The clear, rapid current of this stream, with a fall double that of the Miami, was well calculated to capture the imagination and inspire the first efforts in securing an adequate water supply. June 2, 1826, the common council passed a resolution requesting Mr. E. Brab- ham and Mr. J. W. Van Cleve "to survey and ascertain the practicability of con- veying water from some point on Mad river into the town of Dayton" and to se- cure assistance if necessary and make a report as soon as practicable. There is no record of anything further being done at this time. March 1, 1845, the "Dayton Water Company" was incorporated by act of the legislature, Jonathan Harshman, William Eaker, Samuel Forrer, J. W. Van Cleve and other prominent citizens being the incorporators. The company was authorized to dig trenches, lay pipes and in every way necessary install a complete plant by which should be secured "good and wholesome water from Mad river." The company, however, accomplished nothing of a practicable nature.
December 27, 1845, on motion of Mr. Comly, the common council resolved as follows: "That the mayor of the city be directed to make application to the legislature for the passage of a special act authorizing the city of Dayton to bor- row a sum not exceeding $50,000 for the purpose of supplying the city with water from any point in the vicinity, which may be deemed most desirable, and the council be empowered to levy a tax (if deemed requisite), to pay the interest of said loan." March 15, 1848, it was resolved that it was expedient to give the Dayton Water Company the right to the streets rather than for the city to build water works for itself. September 17, 1852, the Dayton Water Company made propositions to the city, looking to supplying the city with water for fire protec- tion and other purposes, but a committee of council recommended the use and improvement of methods then in use. October 15, 1852, a resolution was adopted by the council in favor of giving to the Dayton Water Company, on certain con- ditions, the privilege of supplying water to the city. February 1, 1856, the ques- tion of water supply was again before the council.
February 13, 1857, an ordinance was adopted proposing to submit to the elec- tors of the city at an election to be held on the first Monday of April, 1857, a proposition that the city council issue $80,000 of bonds to erect water works. December 13, 1859, the question of water works was again before the council for consideration. We see thuis how slow was the course toward the construction of water works by the city. As the present system of the water works is the only form of public service of like character directly under the control of the city, we may well notice the steps by which the action of the city was taken. No one would expect the city to depend on private fire companies or a private police
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