The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-05
THE FOREMAN OF BIG SIX.
AVOID FIRE COMPANY from WINCH
TWEED SPRANG TO POWER.

| Of CITY History -Oiden Times and Obsolete
Customs Revived in niemory-wheu Red
shirt Firemen were n Power In Politics.
Americas Fire Engine Company No.
was Instituted In January, lSi9. being assigned
the number made vacant through disarmament
| OF Neptune Company, previously designated by
the same number. Tho new organization was
| located Ia the house In Gouverneur street. Tor
mcrly occupied by tho famous Hlack Joke No.
80, esteemed the leading fire company on the
east side during the days when each company
| could boast a host Of runners or volunteers.
| who, houRh not members OF the department,
were permitted to do nre duty in aid OF pet
machine. substituting In place Of q legitimate
nreman's cap or helmet a sailors tarpaulin hat
emblazoned In front with a distinctive emblem
or inscribed with the name OF the apparatus
the enthusiastic volunteer rejOiced to run
| with. The moro reputable companies, however.
were opposed to the existence OF runners,
and would not permit them on the rope, in
asmuch as they were almost invariably the cause
OF tho frequent nremen's fights, originating In
rivalry between the companies, bringing tho
general department into disrepute. Neither was
1t permitted any company to participate as such
| In a olitlcal parade or demonstration. 1t was
| for violation of this wise regulation. through
taking part IN n Polk and Dallas procession, that
No. 80 was disOanded by Cornelius Anderson,
| then Chief Engineer, who consigned the engine
| to the corpor ition yard and the vacant house to
The officers elected at the time Of the Ameri-
Gus organic ,ton. were ,yid Smith, a veteran
Ore liddc, for mau: George De Nit. a painter
In Etst iitoadwa, ani distinlushed member ot
OF "JS,' assistant fOrem IN, aud william NJ.
Tweed, secretary. Tweed WIS at that time en-
gged ~ the brush business G riied on oy
Daniel Berrian ana the father in-law Of the
embryo lioss. Tweed then dwelt IN asmall two
story brick house ON Whitewater street, directly
10 the rear OF Ockershausen's sugar house on
Rose street lhe house was one " those unpre-
tending dOmciles, lew Of which are still to be
seen on the borders OF the swamp whose street
dooistcps ran parallel win tue house font 50
that entrance TO cellar ana Atchen might lie OBJ
tanned directly from the street. Ockcrsh" usen
himself was a fireman OF note, foreman Of
L igle Company No. IL. located in Duane street,
near Rose, comOany composed OF the " silk
stocking gently whose engine excited the
enylous admiration OF tue department on ac-
count OF its costly and elaborate urname ut ttinn.
Dunne the first years OF its existence the Ameri-
Gus tned little glory or renown until 1t 9 mo
into notonety through its achievements at the
burning Of tue sugar house foot Of Montgomery
street.
TWEED AS FOREMAN.
At the next years COMPANY election George
De Milt was promoted to the forenanshiD ana
Iweed succeeded him as assistant, tue compa-
ny having gradually augmented IN members.
After serving few months De Milt resigned
ana earring the earliest DAYS Of MS foremansnip
good fortune smiled upon him, although sue
arose IRON the MIDST OF narrowing Gallant v.
Upon the occurrence Oi the HAgue street ex. lO-
zion. at an cry hour IN the DAY Tweed anu mis-
cOmp,ny were among tae brst to reach the
scene OF tue Catastrophe, aud 90 them, as a
matter OF right. was cOuimi ted the task Of ex-
tricdting tho living ana dead from the ruins
taIthi fully anu la Vriousy did they toll. remain
iug upon tue grounI all that day and night un-
I'll o'clock IN the mOrnlnx Of tue next. while
the members Of Otner comp inies retired after
several hours OF lanur. At that nour tue heroic
boy Hidden. linned 10y n fallen beam TO the mass
| oi ruins almost i'm osslDie to be removed wys
rescued by a freud Of the company, VINO very
arly petished ia the attempt. Overcome by
| his ex-rtons, he would have fallen himself
amid the dangerous ruins had ue not been
| caught aud carried out by John Betts, one VI
"Six's" Original members.
. | n "A. aIp0TintRndad
Z | Of his colleagues from nrst until last, anu so
J hehiy was his energy and JUDGMENT appreciated
by the members of n MIilamsbursn COMPANY,
, VINO haI crossed tue ferry upon first learning II
the Disaster and VINO remained upon its scene
I all day tnat they ca ised porir 1t OF Tweed to
! be iuted upon panel of their en- Inc. almost
twin brother to ing SIX" His residence
| being not f.r distant from tue theatre OF the
calanit,, Iweeu keut open house all day Tor
the entire IRE department. MS iamilv serving
rious kinds OF staple refreshments. The
young man VINO Rescued the boy iiiden was al
terwdrd ass ,sSinAtcd IN OncrTV street. near On
= vuT, Dy an unknown murderer, wnertuDpn, ia
memory of MS assistance on tue even iul day
r 81 thu explosion. " Dis SIX took charge OF his
funeral, and attended IL IN solid DIdy. 1his
Hague sire. t disaster NAV be deemed tue com
: meucement 81 the popularity Of tue Americas
= Company AID OF That OF its cnlef, a. from that
d.te tue roll 81 menoers steadily augmented,
l untli tue name OF " Dig SIX became house
. mold word with me entire depart neat. AID tnat
Of It's foreman wi h tie people VI the east side.
ORIGIN OF BIG SIX.
, The term Blk SIX" applied TO the Americas
|
1 ime of the REQ gauizauou Of No d the city hal
. caused to be CONSTRUCTED four engines VI tue
7 Philadelphia pattetn. Two OF the LARGEST OF
/ w"icn we're assigned TO rrorganizsd comOanies.
assuming the prefix "uig 10 distinguish tueui
from tneir predecessors. NIAGARA Company
I thus bec-me SHOWN among bremen "a - iil !
/ !. ur,' ana Amereus as " b1 SIX" La this con.
r necton II l. Intvtes ing to note dudl and
successive changes time and circumstances
A nave ~rpuzht IN tue szi ind ishion Of the On
giues used ~ our volunteer Fiie Department
during the last II AZ century OF us existence
. Originally COMPANIES employed the pfimi,iv
. style Of hre eng n, destitute of tne power OF
{ sucLon, Yet iHrnlshed win goose neck,'
A wulch term denotes "A species OF universal joint
!. attached to the tube running down into the an
q cnarnoers' 10 whcn 1oint could he screwed tue
Il discharge pips, rendering II capable OF being
turned IN any dlrecdon by the pipemin, WAC
. played directly on the fire from ms station on
a top OF the case containing tue air chambers. Ia
/, supply water tor this machine tns citlzens we're
i pressed INTO service, e.ch mouse being ny Law
r com, elled TO Keep hinging IN the hall near the
q street nunoer Of leatneln buckets, Inscribed
a with tue owners ma ue. Upon an alarm of lire
$ In the neighoOrhood, eacn householder tossed
: MS collection Of bucke.s into tue street, u DO
l. picked up ny passers Dy hurrying to the cound
= grafton, Al tue nrd the bucket holders were
g formed into TWO hues extending from tue EN-
h the one line 10 pass the buckets wnen filled [.
u tue engine, wnlcn hau "A oux at the rear end Il
Il tue empty ones To the bumpers. After tho hrt
Is WIS exslngulsuei tue bucket- were pied In
huge pyramid in front OF tue City IL IL. and OF
the morrow tue Park svarmed with darkeys Ia
search VI tue properly VI tuer respective mas
tefs.
a BRILLIANT TRANSPORTATION.
After this primitive fashion was constructed
the old Original No. t. and II 50 continued uni
" some genus lnNcu,eL nose an another 20
J. s.oNed up N the ar chdm 81 pow r OF sue ION
= wnen IA new style Of engine became udspensa
u Die. Again NU.8 chan-ed form, mt lhis timt
. sue redppedted as brilliant AS IA bu tritly, anu
. with a name. the INTRODUCTION Of CrOtOn wa
ter ana tue establishment of numerous slree
u MIGRANTS prompted our metcndn to agitate IN,
U iutrod acton OF the powerful engines used II
u Putlduelpnid suoseQue II 10 the erection Of tnt
u FIiImOunt WAGER " urks, ana generally knowf
y asg llery engines or double -dccKers," .ch Sc
5 Of levers. pl ICED at ends Ut the mIcnine UetnG
- worked " TWO ranks OF men, one standing on Il
platform level witn tue en-lne's deck, while tnt
u other stood upon the ground. Tue corporation
hesltated about adopting the suggestion. wnict
Ia was unpopular vita the bremen general II
- whose eyes this cumbrOus looking, slow work
ing piece Of machinery found litte favor. lnt
insurance companies purchased in Pna lelphi3
: the southwark ana presented 1t To Comp 4nl
Z NJ. 80. located ~ Ann street, near Nassau, io
Il tue protection Of the tall buildings down town
AS the roots of stores were scarcely attain ole
10y water forced through man, leng rs OF nose
IS oN an engine ~ the prevailing make. The IN
= surtuca eX eminent proving eminendy pricti
. cable, our corporation ordered the construction
u Of tour powerful engines after the nOde OF the
/ Southwark, but with many improvements, In
= veuted by their builders Pyne X Hartshorn, one
lf "a ia IN Th.4 lar