History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 54

Author: Rann, W. S. (William S.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 54

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443

TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.

in 1854. The contract was let to Dugand, Cartwright & Co., of Philadelphia, Pa., who constructed works for the manufacture of gas from coal ; but in 1879 the process was changed, and petroleum gas is now made in its place. The village was first lighted with gas on the 15th of May, 1854. Movements are now in progress to light the city with electricity.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The first evidence of an organized effort to resist the dreaded element in Burlington appears in the laws of Vermont for 1808. On the IIth of Novem- ber of that year, Phineas Loomis, Stephen Pearl, Thaddeus Tuttle, Daniel Far- rand, Samuel Hitchcock, Ozias Buell, " and their associates," were incorporated into a company by the name of the Burlington Fire Company. The organiza- tion resulting from this act of the Legislature was very incoherent, however, and nothing of great moment was accomplished for a number of years. The equipment of the company consisted of leathern buckets, blankets and ladders. Every man owned and kept ready for immediate use a fire bucket, and nearly every man had a ladder. When a fire threatened any part of the town the neighbors and the members of this company hastened to the scene with their buckets and other apparatus, and formed a line from the source of water sup- ply to the fire. The buckets were filled by one man and passed along the line to the last man, who dashed it where he supposed it would do the most good. Adjacent buildings were protected by wet blankets and pieces of carpet. It must not be supposed that this primitive method of extinguishing fires was altogether contemptible, for in those days the buildings were not so thickly crowded, and the flames were more easily subdued. Moreover, the smaller structures that characterize the times were more easily reached without engine or hose, and the activity and determination of the pioneer firemen, when they were able to reach the scene in time, usually conquered the flames. For many years after this time the management of the fire department was left wholly to private enterprise, the idea that it should be sustained by the town apparently having never occurred to any one.

The Boxer Engine Company. - The burning of the old court-house on the 16th of June, 1829, aroused the attention of the people to the necessity of pro- viding a more efficient means of putting out fires. On the day of the fire fifty- six of the prominent citizens of the village subscribed $281.50 "for the purpose of purchasing fire engines and apparatus for the use of the village of Burling- ton." The largest subscriptions were made by H. Thomas and Ebenezer T. Englesby, each twenty dollars. Other subscribers were Adelia A. Moody, John N. Pomeroy, John B. Hollenbeck, Edgar Hickok and Dan Lyon. The funds subscribed were made payable to Nathaniel Mayo, Alvan Foote and John Peck. The ownership of property necessitated the organization of a body to control the same and render it valuable to the village. Therefore, on the 29th of Oc-

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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.

tober, 1829, the Burlington Fire Company (the second of the name) was incor- porated by the following persons: John Peck, James Dean, Luther Loomis, Guy Catlin, John S. Foster, George Moore, Nathan B. Haswell, Charles Ad- ams, Chauncey Goodrich, Lyman Southgate, Andrew Plympton, William F. Griswold, Alexander Catlin, Gamaliel B. Sawyer, and Henry Mayo. By the terms of the charter the company was permitted to hold property to the value of $3,000, besides the land on which to build an engine-house. Ten fire war- dens were to be chosen, who were to be provided with some distinguishing badge of office, and were endowed with authority to demand the aid of the in- habitants in extinguishing fires, to cause to be pulled down or removed such buildings as in their discretion it would be necessary to pull down or remove, and to suppress with force, if necessary, all tumults and disturbances which should occur at fires. The members of the engine companies formed under this. company were declared to be exempt from military duty under the militia laws of the State.

Meetings were held in Howard's Hotel at different times for the establish- ment of by-laws and the appointment of proper officers for the new company. By-laws were adopted on January 1, 1830, and among other provisions re- quired that besides the engine and its appurtenances which were to be kept in the village, the trustees should keep with it twelve good leathern buckets always ready for use and present at every fire. Each member was required to keep two such buckets or pails, labeled with his name, to be ready for use at a min- ute's notice at his residence or place of business, enginemen being excused from carrying any except those attached to the engine. To secure the proper ob- servance of this requirement, the wardens were made to visit the residences of the members once every quarter and inspect the manner with which they had provided themselves with buckets.

The articles of association, dated January 1, 1830, were signed by all who ever became members of the company. The first signers were Guy Catlin, Benjamin F. Bailey, Luman Foote and Sion E. Howard, and the last were Ed- ward Lyman, William Brinsmaid, James A. Shedd and Artemas Kilburn, who affixed their signatures later than 1851.

Not until about the year 1850 did the idea become prevalent that the town should contribute to the support of the fire department. In 1852 the town of Burlington appropriated the sum of $500. This unheard-of appropriation was resisted by those living at a distance from the business center of the village, who succeeded in getting the question into the courts ; but the result vindicated the claims of those who believed that the department should be maintained by the town. The Legislature then established the most thickly inhabited portion of the town into fire district No. 1, which was organized on the 10th of Janu- ary, 1855, by the choice of George W. Benedict, Charles F. Ward and George G. Catlin, prudential committee, William H. Root, clerk, and Samuel Hunting-

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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.

ton, collector. In consequence of the organization of this district the old Bur- lington Fire Company died, its last meeting being held on the 13th of January, 1857. The district performed its functions until the organization of the city in February, 1865, when the present fire department was established.

It is a fact that there was no engine in town previous to 1829. The Bur- lington Free Press of Friday, June 19, 1829, speaking of the burning of the court-house and the saving of the " Burlington Hotel," owned by Captain Henry Thomas, now Strong's block, contained the following : " Providentially the direction of the wind, a steady and gentle breeze from the northwest, was most favorable. To this circumstance, and one of Cooper's excellent fire en- gines," (which had been left with Captain Thomas two or three days before, for sale) " together with the active, persevering and (considering the want of all organization) well-directed exertions of our citizens, may be attributed the preservation of Captain Thomas's buildings."

The engine mentioned in this notice was soon after purchased for $300, and two other engines were bought soon after the purchase of the first, which was then named Boxer. On the 9th of February, 1830, the trustees appointed three persons to raise and organize an engine company for each engine, and report at the next meeting. The committee consisted of Nathan B. Haswell for the engine on the square ; Albert Day for the engine at the falls ; and John Peck for the engine at the glass house, which stood near the present residence of Frederick Smith, and was owned by the Champlain Glass Company. Ac- cording to the report of this committee the Boxer was to be placed at the dis- posal of the Burlington Fire Company, and the other two engines, the Cham- plain and the Hero, were to be placed respectively at the Glass House and the falls. These "machines " were crank engines, without suction hose, the water being carried to them in buckets and pails. They were manufactured at Wind- sor, Vt. A company was organized for each engine March 8, 1830, the Boxer company being officered as follows: George A. Allen, captain ; John Wick- ware, first lieutenant ; John D. Perrigo, second lieutenant ; Pliny M. Corbin, clerk. On the same day the fire company passed a resolution that engine No. 3 (Boxer ) be located in or near the square, and that the wardens of district No. 3 be directed to procure by loan or lease a suitable shelter for the engine, at the expense of the proprietors. As a committee for the fire company Mr. Haswell appointed twenty-five persons to compose the engine company No. 3, as follows : Chauncey Goodrich, J. Sinclair, G. C. Worth, Edward Smith, S. E. Howard, G. Peterson, A. Plimpton, E. D. Slocum, John H. Peck, H. B. Stacy, H. W. Catlin, W. Weston, E. L. B. Brooks, J. J. Landon, P. M. Corbin, W. Wells, S. Hickok, C. Wickware, J. Wickware, G. A. Allen, Z. R. Green, Horace Lane, J. H. Perrigo, J. D. Perrigo, and Henry Leavenworth.

The Boxer engine served this company until 1843, when it was replaced by a new and improved one from Hunneman & Co., of Boston, and itself took 29

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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.

the place of the Hero at the falls. The Champlain was also practically useless as early as 1840. For a number of years the village was allowed to remain undisturbed by fires of any importance, and the Boxer company, " for the lack of argument," disbanded on the Ist of June, 1853. A year and a day from that time occurred a destructive fire at the foot of Main street, which consumed the old foundry, machine shops and last factory, and demonstrated the need of a well-organized company. Accordingly, on the 7th of January, 1854, a meet- ing was held to discuss the matter. On the 3Ist of the same month the old company was reorganized as follows : Moses L. Church, foreman ; Selding Patee, first assistant; Charles P. Higbee, second assistant ; H. H. Doolittle, clerk; Carolus Noyes, auditor. This company and the present Boxer No. 3 are identical.

In 1857 the purchase by the fire district of a new engine for the Ethan Allen company stimulated the Boxer company to procure one with which they could more equally compete with their rivals, and on the 28th of April, 1858, the present Boxer was shipped by Hunneman & Co., from Boston. The price of the new engine with all its appurtenances was $1,056.50, towards the pay- ment of which the second Boxer went at a valuation of $525.

The Boxer engines have had four resting places during the career of the company. In January, 1831, the old engine was kept in Howard's shed on the north side of Court-House Square, for the annual rental of three dollars. It remained there until a year or two before the burning of Howard's Hotel, January 2, 1846, after which for a short time it was kept in Mr. Lyman's barn, on Pine street. It was then placed in the basement of the old court-house now occupied by the Fletcher Free Library. The next change brought it in- to its present quarters.

The company is officered for 1886 as follows : Foreman, Thomas E. Dooley; first assistant, George McCannon ; second assistant, Daniel Mitchell ; clerk, W. A. Roddy ; treasurer, Patrick Ritchie; auditor, D. E. Flynn; stewards, Geo. Munson and Daniel Mitchell ; committee on membership, Patrick Ritchie, L. J. Rush, H. S. Lane.

Volunteer Engine Company No. I .- The charter of this old and well-tried company was granted on the 15th of November, 1839, to the following cor- porators : E. C. Loomis, F. C. Vilas, Henry Hyde, M. B. Bennett, John K. Gray, Henry Loomis, William R. Vilas, A. W. Allen, Stephen Rice, William A. Hibbard, Silas Spears, D. A. Kimball, Daniel Kimball, jr., William E. Crooker, Antoine Decells, H. M. Geddings, Joseph Magennis, H. L. Moore, Charles Benns, jr., William Bailey, Charles P. Bradley, James B. Moore, Chas. Benns, Joseph Cubley, Heman A. Clark, John McIllroy, George H. Moore, J. W. Livocks, Joseph Little, John Little, Samuel Crook, jr., John Russell, J. B. Johnson, Erastus C. Davis, Joseph Cook, Laban Harris, Isaac Barnum. The incorporation of the company was the result of several destructive fires which

447

TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.

had occurred in rapid succession : the burning of the Green Mountain House on the site of the present Catholic College, the French Catholic Church, the old white church, which fronted on Pearl street from the northwest corner of the present grounds of the First Congregational Church, the American barns at the rear of the American House, and Fisk's Hotel. The first meeting of the com- pany was held on the first Wednesday of Deceniber, 1839, at the leather store of Edward C. Loomis. Some time previous to that date George Moore had heard of a new engine of Hunneman & Co., of Boston, and had purchased it for $300, together with seventy-five feet of hose. He then convoked a meet- ing at the store of E. C. Loomis on the 22d of October, 1838, at which the unincorporated company was organized by the election of E. C. Loomis as captain, John K. Gray, lieutenant, and Henry Hyde, secretary ; George H. Moore was made treasurer, and M. B. Bennett, engineer. Mr. Loomis offici- ated as captain for six years.

On the 10th of May, 1869, the following members were transferred to form the organization of the Volunteer Hose Company : J. W. Chase, C. P. Cur- rier, George M. Dodge, William Green, George R. Loomis, H. L. Loomis, C. H. Lewis, N. Lawrence, W. S. Langworthy, G. S. Moore, Charles H. Murray, Sayles Nichols, George T. Smith, James Stone, L. C. Stevens, James B. Scully, T. S. Peck, William M. Vilas, Ernest Spears, H. R. Conger, Marione Leprond, Alexander Tatro, and S. C. Avery. The Hose Company operates under the charter of the Volunteer Engine Company, and has practically superseded it. The engine fell into disuse when the city began to use hydrants, but the organization is kept up. Sayles Nichols was the first foreman of this company for four years. The present foreman is Joel Linsley.

The engine of this company was kept in the storehouse of E. C. Loomis, on the northeast corner of Pearl and Willard streets, until it was laid up. The company is independent and has never been connected with the regular de- partment of the city.

Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 .- This company was incorporated by the Legislature on the 23d of October, 1846. The corporators were as follows : George K. Platt, Stephen H. Russell, Daniel B. Buckley, James H. Allen, Nathaniel A. Tucker, John A. Arthur, jr., and James McM. Shafter. The corporators met first at the American Hotel on the 5th of December, 1846. It appears from the fragmentary condition of the early records that not much was done for several years beyond drafting, accepting and amending by-laws, and admitting new members into the company. The first election of which there is a record was held on the 2d of January, 1850, and George H. Platt was chosen foreman, John McCully first assistant, Denison Raxford second assistant, and Robert Conolly clerk. On the 6th of January of the following year a vote was passed that a subscription list be circulated for the purpose of raising money to enable the company to procure the necessary equipment, and

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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.

to head the list with a subscription of forty dollars by the company. Lemuel S. Drew was then, and for several years after, foreman. About that time the company was practically disbanded. In the spring of 1858 it was reorganized with a somewhat different personnel, new by-laws were adopted, and the old truck brought again into requisition. The present officers are J. W. Daly foreman, F. H. McCarty first assistant, M. Garvey second assistant, C. E. Kennedy clerk, and E. M. Sutton treasurer. The committee is composed of William Powers, P. Fitzsimmons and J. J. Sullivan.

Ethan Allen Engine Company No. 4 was formed in the spring of 1857, and the first meeting was held in the second story of the old concert hall building on the evening of April 12, 1857. The company was originally composed of Edward W. Peck, Bradley B. Smalley, Albert G. Strong, Robert J. Kimball, Gardner S. Wainwright, Edward B. Benton, Joseph W. Roby, Sayles Nichols, Edward Bradley, George H. Bigelow, William Brinsmaid, Cornelius W. Morse, and D. B. Peck. William H. Root took an active interest in the company from the first and was the nineteenth signer of the constitution. The first officers were : E. W. Peck foreman, A. G. Strong first assistant, B. B. Smalley second assistant, William H. Root clerk, G. S. Wainwright auditor. Mr. Root declining to act as clerk, was followed at once by R. J. Kimball. The engine was made by William Jeffers & Son, of Pawtucket, R. I., arrived in Burlington on the 23d of February, 1858, and was placed in the rooms of the hook and ladder company under the court-house. It weighed 2,250 pounds and cost $1,000. An act of incorporation received from the Legislature in 1858 was not ac- cepted by the company. The present officers of this company are: J. C. Rutherford captain, W. H. Zottman first assistant, F. E. Burgess second assist- ant, W. L. Burnap president, George E. Johnson secretary, C. H. Clark treas- urer, Robert Roberts vice-president, and F. H. Wells, F. E. Perkins, and F. L. Taft auditors. The engine and apparatus were first kept a year in the base- ment of the Fletcher Library building. In 1879 they were taken to the pres- ent quarters in Burritt's block.

Star Hose No. 2 was organized on the 18th of September, 1871, by the election of the following officers: Moses Pine foreman, Wilbur C. Spear first assistant, Henry Spear second assistant, Charles E. McEwen clerk, Louis Pine treasurer, and Hoyt Salls auditor. The present first assistant is Louis Sequin ; second assistant, Theophile Lepoint; clerk, Charles H. Lane ; treasurer, A. HI. Duhamel ; and auditor, Henry Lee.

Howard Hose No. 5 was organized on the 17th of October, 1871, and was then officered as follows: Edward Willard, foreman; A. A. Drew, first assistant; P. R. Rowley, second assistant ; J. W. Russell, secretary and treasurer ; P. H. Catlin, auditor ; and A. A. Taylor, trustee. The present officers are : Foreman, M. C. Graton ; first assistant, T. Morrison ; second assistant, J. P. McGrath ; clerk and treasurer, Thomas Coffey ; auditor, A. A. Drew ; trustee, John Black; steward, Alexander Morrison.

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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.

Clipper Hose No. 6 was organized on the 20th of November, 1871, by the election of the following officers : Foreman, J. B. Morse ; first assistant, John Murdock; second assistant, E. E. Beavens; clerk and treasurer, R. D. Wheeler ; foreman of hose, G. A. Rumsey; auditor, Orville Sinclair. The present fore- man is John W. Louthier, and the other officers are: First assistant, Israel Mayo; second assistant, Frederick Brouillard; treasurer, Leslie Jewell, and clerk, Nap. Pouquette.

Barnes Hose Company No. 7 .- The organization of this company was effected in 1873, when the following officers were elected: Foreman, D. R. Bracken ; first assistant, John H. Waters; second assistant, Edward O'Neil; clerk and treasurer, W. H. Lee ; auditor, Dennis Flaherty. William G. Hud- son is the present foreman, and the other officers are : First assistant, M. Wall ; second assistant, Ed. Hudson ; clerk, G. L. Neal ; treasurer, J. H. Finneran ; auditor, Joseph Woods; trustee, Alexander Crosby, and executive commit- tee, B. E. Riley, Antoine Alapa, and P. Kennedy.

In addition to the companies above briefly mentioned, three companies, named the Greene Independent Hose Company, the Sutton Hose Company, and the Garry-Owen Hose Company were organized, one about twelve years ago, one eleven years ago, and the other one year later. These three companies continued their organization for several years, and then discontinued from lack of occasion for employment.

By the original charter of the city the old fire district No. I ceased to exist and all the property and funds theretofore belonging to the district were vested in the city. On the organization of the fire department of the city, C. L. Nel- son became the first chief engineer, in the spring of 1866. His successors have been, P. D. Ballou, Robert S. Styles two years, W. W. Henry, Edward Murphy, Charles L. Nelson, Hiram S. White three years, George P. Foster, Albert S. Drew five years, Alexander Crosby, and Lowell C. Grant, who has entered upon his third term.

THE SUPPORT OF THE POOR.

In March, 1787, the Legislature of the State passed an act providing for the support of the poor, one section of which reads as follows: "That each town in this State shall take care of, support and maintain their own poor." The poor were first cared for by being "let out at auction"; in other words, the residents would agree to take care of a certain pauper for a sum named, which the town would pay. The lowest bidder "suc- ceeded." The expenses of caring for the poor of Burlington during the year ending March, 1809, were $47.64. In October, 1816, Henry Mayo and Lemuel Page were appointed a committee to examine and report upon the propriety of building or hiring a building for a "work-house." At the ad- journed meeting held the same month, the committee reported "that four

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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.

rooms in the high barracks can be rented for a small rent, that the rooms above mentioned will require but little repairs to make them suitable for the business. At present no water can be procured for the use of the rooms short of the lake. Your committee consider the above named room by far the most eligi- ble for the purpose of a work-house that can at present be obtained." The report was accepted. The succeeding spring it was ascertained that the ex- penses of the poor department were becoming heavy, being nearly $1,000, and treble those of the previous year. In 1821 a committee was appointed to ascertain the terms upon which a suitable house could be procured for a work- house, and in accordance with power subsequently vested in them they adopted a set of rules and regulations, and provided for the appointment of a superin- tendent or keeper of the poor, with power to "fetter, shackle or whip, not exceeding twenty stripes, any person confined therein who does not perform the labor assigned him or her, or is refractory or disobedient to the lawful commands," and also that " no person so confined shall be permitted the use of any ardent spirits unless the physician who may be employed to attend on any person so confined and sick shall deem the same necessary for the health of such person." This establishment was abandoned in two years. On the 9th of April, 1824, Charles Adams deeded to the town a portion of the land lying on the southwest corner of the present Union and College streets, now occupied by the Third Congregational Church. In the spring of 1836 a com- mittee was appointed to examine the expediency of purchasing a town farm, but nothing effectual was done until the following September, when a town farm of seventy acres was purchased from Frederick Purdy, which was situated about two and a half miles from the village, on the Shelburne road. The pur- chase price was $2,000. A new building was erected on this farm in the latter part of the year 1859, at a cost of nearly $4,000, which, with subsequent im- provements, has made a very pleasant home for the unfortunate poor of the town and city.

BANKING IN VERMONT.

Vermont was considerably behind the neighboring States in establishing a bank, a majority of the inhabitants being opposed to the issue of paper money. But as bills became the circulating medium in other States, it was impossible to exclude them from Vermont, and the people were frequently imposed upon by counterfeit bills and the failure of banks, without sharing the profits flow- ing from banking operations. The only remedy, it was acknowledged, was the establishment of a State bank, which would tend to prevent the circulation of spurious bills, and those of insolvent foreign banks. In April, 1781, the Leg- islature resorted to the emission of bills of credit, for the purpose of carrying on the war, paying the State debts, and enlarging the quantity of circulating medium. Matthew Lyon, Edward Harris and Ezra Styles were appointed a

45 1

TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.

committee to make "a form and device for said bills and superintend the printing." In October, 1786, the Legislature passed an act submitting to the people the question of the establishment of a bank. They decided it in the negative in the following January. In 1803 the Legislature was petitioned to establish a bank at Windsor and another at Burlington. In spite of strenuous opposition the House of Representatives passed a bill in favor of the former ; which, by reason of the non- concurrence of the Governor and Council, failed to become a law. The clamor for banks continued, however, and in 1805 two bills passed the House of Representatives establishing banks respectively at Windsor and Burlington. The Governor and Council again refused to concur In 1806 plans for the establishment of a State bank were matured, and on the IOth of November of that year the Vermont State Bank was established by the Legislature under the legal title of "The President and Directors of the Vermont State Bank." The bank consisted at first of two branches, one at Woodstock and the other at Middlebury. All the stock and profits were de- clared to be the property of the State, and under the direction of the Legisla- ture forever. There were to be thirteen directors, from whom the president should be chosen. The directors were to reside, " six in the two eastern and six in the two western districts of this State, and the other where prudence may dictate." Deposits were not to exceed $300,000. In 1807 two additional branches were established, one at Burlington and the other at Westminster.

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History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 54

Author: Rann, W. S. (William S.) Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Rann, W. S. (William S.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1054