Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-11-06
GRAND PARADE AND CELEBRATION
OF THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT OF Saint PAUL.!
PRESENT. TON AND RECEPTION OF
THE NEW ENGNES'!
Full Report of the speeches ana Cere-
monies.
Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the
Department.

Sketch of the Rise and Progress Of th'
Department.
History of the Various Companies
Sc, Sc, Nb.
In city so young as ours,-wlth SO httl
OF past of any nature, it might seem scarce
ly worth while TO speak of a " History o
the Fire Department But it is not for thu
past We do this 1t is for that GREAT FUTURE
which every one believes will come, when oul
city will number its tens of thousands of In
habitantS. and miles of solid blocks of stately
houses within its wide extended limits, and
when our FIRE DEPARTMENT, too, shall have
grown from its humble origin, and yet limit
ed numbers to number thousands of citizens.
1t is proper then, that the records OF an
Association, which is just now SprlnSnS INTO
a visible and active existence, and one destn-
cd to be much before the eyes of the public
in future. should be collected and preserved
now. while the actors in its various incidents
are still among us, and the most interesting
of the "reminiscences have not faded from their
memory Nor is it an easy task to explore
musty IT -ordS. or weave narrative from the
recollection of the "od settlers whom we
have questioned for facts 1t may be, there
fore. that errors will be visible to those whose
memory may be more perfect, but in the main
we believe the names, dates and facts are
correct
Like all other things in our city, the Fire
out of nothing In the early days of St Paul,
when it was ''wooden village" the ''fire de-
partment' comprised all able bodied men and
women, and when occasion demanded, they
rushed to the rescue, armed with household
buckets, tubs, tin dippers, gourds, or whatev-
er came handy" in the vessel line. This
primitive mode of extinguishing fires might
have sufliccd for frontier village of three or
four hundred inhabitants, were the denizens
satisfied that it was fated to remain so always.
But its future growth and prominence were
shadowed forth Enthusiastically in many minds
even then, and as it increased, and the build
ings grew closer to each other in many locali-
ties, some more organized and effective mode
of protection against fire, seemed to be de-
manded.
THE FIRST FIRE COMPANY.
The men who composed st. Paul in those
.almy DAYS were not the ones to talk over any
project until the day for action had gone by
They pitched in" at once, with real western
vigor, and canvaSsed the resources at hand.
The upShot of the matter was the organiza-
ton Of Ladder Company, prominent
among whose members the following names
are remembered; r. West McCloud, r. C.
Knox, C. ID. Elicit, John McCloud, W. B.
nodd, c. p V Lull. Robt. Hughes, Thomson
Ritche. and others, many OF whom are now
active and energetic members of our present
Fire Department.
This truly pioneer fire company procured
several ladders 10y subscription (the subscrip-
ton paper is still in exstence) and at once
organized for action. The ladders they used
are described as being rather cumbersome,
and probably felt more so, as the little compa-
nv had no Truck, but carried their clumsy
and heavy ladders to fires ON their shoulders.
We suggest as subject for some historical
painter, sketch of the gallant boys running
to a fire with ponderous ladder on their shOul-
ders. The present department ought to Sc
cure it by all means.
Sortly after the Ladder Company was got
under way, chance was given them, of pro-
wing the stuff they were made Of \ hotel
situated on the flat some where along on the
present location of Eagle street. and known
as Daniels Hotel, and which was just COM
pleted, ready for Opening,-took fire. AT
this time the ladders were kept in the little alley
between what is now the Apollo Saloon and
Morrow's Feed Store To tote" them all the
way down to Eagle street on run, was some
thing of job Nothing daunted, however
the boys shouldered the ladders, and put off,
making GOOD time. After running two OF
three squares, they came to the unanimous
conclusion to appropriate for the good of the
public, and the use of the department" any
team they might find Lying around loose u
At this Juncture a man came driving up with
ali empty wagon. R. C. Knox, director o.
the company, rushed up to him and in sten
torian tones, ordered the driver to get down
and give up his team. Whether the teamstel
was frightened at the gigantic figure, and per.
emptory highwayman-like demand of Mr.
Kdox, or understood what was wanted and
the propriety of acceding to the demand. we
cannot say-but she hoped off mighty
quick" as an eyewitness related it to us, and
in twinkling the boys pitched the wagon box
off, and had their ladders on, and were dash
over the hill towards the scene of danger a.
full speed.
After one or two such adventures as thi:
the ladder experiment was abandoned, anc
gradually fell into disuse, as other scheme
were projected by those who may rightfull.
claim the paternity of the st. Paul Fire De
partment. The apparatus was for lonl
time stored away along side of what was one
called the Central House." and seemed t
be considered pro bono publieO, as painters
masons and builders seemed to consider then
free to all, and used them accordingly. Afte
the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Comanv wer
organized, they received three of the ladders
and probably have them yet They ought t,
priced as relics.
PIONEER II. & L. CO. ORGANIZED.
However, not to remain idle in the exer
tions towards having complete and effectiv
fire department here, in the fall of the sam
year, a number of enterprising citizens organ
lied the "PIoNEER Hook AND LADDER Coz