The Portland daily press., 1864-03-08
Our Fire Department.

thioiN SaiCiui III tut uoc vi ulC dlC iOuuo
in other cities, or that alarms are not as fire.
quent but we are aware that fire must work
insidiously until it is well diffused over a
building to get the start of our efficient Fire
Department. When hand engines were the
main reliance, it was the policy of the city au-
thorities to obtain the best the country affor-
ded, without much regard to price, and to
have them manned with the most efficient
men in the city, and they under the direction
Of men whose heads were always clear, and
who seldom made mistake in their judgment
as to the best course to be pursued in an
emergency. There have been connected with
our fire department, at various times and in
various capacities, some of the leading and
most successful business men in our city.
The oldest engine in the city is the "Cata-
ract." 1t was purchased in Liverpool in 1902,
and was in constant use for nearly fifty years.
1t is now a very good engine, capable of doing
good service, although it has to yield to the
march of improvement and its power is some
what lessened by wear and tear. The Cata-
ract has been neatly painted and is now care
fully housed in the new City building. The
first director of this engine was Elias Thomas,
Esq, who is still living. There are Others
in the city, who have, in their PALMER days,
been accustomed TO "run with de machine"
Other engines in the city have had connected
with them, in various capacities, some of the
leading and most successful business men of
the city; such as Jededah Jewett, j. b.
Brown, St. John Smith, Neal Dow, Thomas
Hammond, Charles Staples, Luther Dana,
Andrew T. Dole, f. C. Moody, Henry Fox,
S. c. Chase Geo. Worcester, Charles Q. Clapp,
and many others.
As soon as it was fully demonstrated that
steam fire engines could be used to better adj
vantage in putting out fires than hand engines,
the city authorities at once resolved to give
them trial. The second engine built by the
Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was pur-
chased by the city in 1859, at cost of $4,000
and is now under the management Of the
Machigonne Steam Engine Co. No. /, of
which S. r. Leavitt is Director, and E. w.
Porter, Engineer. 1t is manned by fifteen
men, each having his place assigned him. 1t
is located at 341 Congress street.
SO well satisfied were the authorities with
the advantages to be secured by the "Machi-
gonne," that they contracted with the Port
land Co. to build a larger and more powerful
engine than the one they had, which was CON-
pleted in 1861. This engine while it is found
to be a very powerful one and is capable of
doing good service when sin 'front.' of fire,
is:too heavy to be drawn by one pair Of horses,
which detracts very much from its practical
value. This engine is under the management
OF the Falmouth Engine Co., and is located
ON Congress street, between Lime and Pearl
streets. John II. Russell foreman, and John
Cousens, engineer.
Two additional steam engines have been
purchased within the last two years, one of
the Amoskeag Co., and located on Bracket
street, and the other of the Portland Co., and
located on Congress street between India
and Washington streets. The former is called
the Cumberland, No. 8, the latter the Casco,
No. 8. These are lighter engines than the
Machigonne and Falmouth, and in many re-
spects superior. The Casco, for beauty and
efficiency can't be beat.
There are now in active service in the De-
partment, four steam fire engines and four
hand engines. The steam engines require
fifteen men and two horses each, to be con-
stantly ready, night and day, at the sound of
the alarm. The hand engines require forty
men each. There is also a Hose Company
and Hook and Ladder Company, requiring
20 men each. The whole number of men un-
der pay in the Department, acting in volun-
teer companies, is 1856.
The building occupied by the Pacific engine
Company, No. 0, is found insufficient for the
purposes OF. the company, and arrangements
have been made TO erect, the present season,
on the lot between the Observatory and Meth
odist church on Congress street, such bull
ding as the wants OF the company demand, to
be used also for Ward purposes.
By reference to the reports of the Chief
Engineers of the Department, it will be seen
that the average loss by fire during the last
ten years has been s45,5i0 IA a year, while
the average loss, for the five preceding years
had been s1o2 $50 year. The loss since the
introduction Of the steam engines has been
regularly decreasing, until the past municipal
year, during which two fires occurred so far
from the location of the engines that they had
got well underway before they could be got
on the ground. With the exception of the
losses by the fires at VIM. Gray's Patent
Leather factory and the Wool factory, the loss
during the last year has been but $4,000;
these losses 10000 bring it up to $4,000.
The loss in 1862 was s23 1861, while in 1853 it
was S205,6l5. There have been but "a alarms
during the past year.
Immediately upon the discovery of fire,
general alarm will be rung upon all the bells
as usual except upon the two bells having the
alarm attached. Upon these bells, 1.-THE Gen.
trail and st. Stephens will be struck by
persons appointed for that purpose,
the number Of the district in which the fire
may be located, and this to be repeated, with
short intermissions, as many times as circum-
stances may require.
In order to still further perfect the plan of
the Committee, the persons discovering a fire
are requested to locate it by crying the num-
Der of the district and name of the street
where the fire may be burning, and this cry
to be repeated by the firemen and others, as
they may hear it.
There is connected with the Department a
Relief Association, with funds sufficient to
guarantee to any person in the Department,
who may be injured in the discharge of his
Att L.. l..