Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-07
A FAmoUs RELIC OF BARLY DAYS

Yesterday morning brief dispatch from
San Francisco was published in the RECORD
UNION announcing that the old Confidence
Engine, Nc. l, for p long time in eervice in
tie Sacramento Volunteer Department, had
been purchased by the Tahitian Government
and would be shipped yesterday. The Call
has The following on the subject: Confidence
Engine, No. 1, for a long time in service in
tbs Sacramento Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, where il earned q record that
pany, No. l, are proud of at pre- :
ens, is standing on Pacific street
wharf ready for shipment TO Tahiti on She
brigantine Psloma, IL having been sold TO the
Tahigian Government by William 3. Hunt,
Jr., son of w. B. Hunt, ST., who, after sery.
ing as foreman of Confidence Company, No.
l. was chosen Chief Engineer Of the Sacrs-
mento fye department. The engine, sppar-
entity, is as strong and handsome as Ia the
old days. Il is oae Of the ola two decker
hsnd-engines, with brakes working fore and
aft Saturday it was tested on the wharf,
some forty sailors manning the brakes. They
were puff cg and blowing, the Precipitation
running dowa thsir tanned cheeks, when a
bystauder, remarkipg their distress. asked
Hunt, ST., if the natives would net find
working the machine difficult operation. :"
How much of q population hava they
down there ?" asked Hunt.
About 5000, !" was the answer.
"Oh With that many they can work her
easy"
Ooe old salt, after the laugh had subsi1ed,
explained that no matter how stiff the ma
chine was, it would be great Improvement
over the apparatus Of the fire department
used when he last was in Tahiti, some years
ago.
Old San Francirco fremen in many ia.
stances have o vivid remembrance Of toe
one about to be shipped down there. It
was made By Agnew, ia Philadelphia. in
1857, the Confidence boys forwarding u sst
IS 500 out Of their treasury aud the city Civ
ing 81 600 more. Orders for the finest and
prsttiest engine that could be made accom-
panied the money, and in the following
yesr the machine came around the Horn
and was set up in this city by the Penn
sylva1ia Company, No. u. Agnew sent
back to the company $500, saying that With
out he put further ornaments, ia geld or sill
rer, On the machine, he could fad no oppor-
tuuity of extending the money. The machine
was PRONOUNCED perfect, end attracted
great deal of attention. Grand preparations
were made TO deliver i in styls to the Sacra.
mento company. and the following January
the PennsylYaDis, No. Il. with sixty.two
members, the American brass baud. consist
ing OF eighteen mem bers, led by q. Walcott,
delegations from Kniekerbocker, No. 3, and
Empire, No. l, with the machine hand.
somely decorated, went aboard the steamer
Young America and steamed up the river,
the departure being witnessed by nearly
the whole city. The greatest enthus:-
asm prevailed, both en- shore and on
board the boat, the latter cheering and
the band playing, while on shore the
popuiacs were EQUALLY loud in cheering, and
hats and caps were thrown into the air. Ar
irving at Sacramento similar scene of wild
enthusiasm was witnessed, the party having
been met there by Confidence Company, No.
l. with 200 members, the new Confidence
Hook and Ladder Company of Plscerville,
delegates from other companies, and nearly
the whole populses Of Sacramento. After
housing the sDgine on Third street, between
J and I streets, all hands turned into the Or
leans House, where magnificent breakfast
was partsksn of. From this time on for a
week, round Of gsyeties was entered upon,
the reception costing the Confidence boys
over s., COO The San Francisco boys were
given carte blanche for every thing in the
town, and they were not permitted to spend
s cent. The christening of the engine was
! the main feature Of the occasion, and score
/ OF baskets of champagne were emptied into
( its tanks, GU. Of which anybedy and every
/ body was permitted TO partske. Among those
1 from this city that participated we're some of
1 =hs heavy weights-Captain kentZsl Colonel
+ Dick Sa0wden, ex Governor John Bigler. v.
/ D. Geiger, Jones of Jones' Hotel fame, Tim
| McCsrty, Jack McCarsy, and Dave Scan