Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-13
THE OLD VAMPS.
A "Reminiscences OF the Volunteer Fire
Department.

A "Reminiscences OF the Volunteer FIRE
Department.
a writer in the Portland Sunday Mercury
of recent date contributes the following
article, which will be read with interest by
surviving members of the old Volunteer
Fire Department, and old-timers generally;
The death of John H. Lyons carries me
back long distance, to the California state
Fair of 1885, when a great prize OF $500
was given Tor engine playing. AT that
time lived in San Francisco and belonged
to Vigilant No. 9, housed on Stockton
street, near Pacific. Our "masheen was
side stroke piano" made by LETTERS, OF
Pawtucket, r. l., and our great rival was
the crack Big Six" or Monumental as she
was called, an end-stroke engine built by
James Smith, of Baltimore. The Young
America" No. 6, of Sacramento, was also
one of the same make and same size, but
had some new appliances on her pumps to
decrease the friction. Our foreman was
Captain John Short, of the San Francisco
police. Joseph Capprise was foreman OF
the Monumentals, and Sylvester Marshall
of the Young Americas. Geo. HI. Brickman
was Chief Engineer of the Sacramento Fire
Department. Our party went up on
special boat, the Flora Temple, and were
the guests of Protection No. 4. The boys
on SIS rope, however, gave us splendid
collation. on the night before the playing
took place, and it was there that | first met
the honest old fellow who was buried last
Friday. The late David Clapp was also
member of the same company, as we'll as
William Russ Sewell, who still survives his
old comrades. If | am not mistaken Clapp
was second assistant foreman of at that
4, ,,fNt trnr
with "4's fellows" at that time, and when
we marched up to house our engine in 6's
house during the collation., delegation OF
As men walked up and left us at the door.
That difficulty was afterwards bridged over
in manly way that involved no loss of
reputation to either company. Well. the
Protection boys walked back without
torches-unless it was some OF Browns
Bronchials-and we went up to the big
spread. Toasts were given, May the best
machine win" Marshall was a carriage
maker, and did the honors in fine style.
He was a Southerner by birth and went
crazy on the subject of civil war.
Next day we went out to play, only three
entries in the first class and nine in the
second. Scarcely had the three big engines
appeared on the ground when an angry
growl of derision arose from the ranks of
had come out with what were called ex-
tension levers" to enable them to work
sixteen more men on their brakes than
they were in the habit OF doing at fires.
Protests at this were made by Captain
Short in behalf of our company, but the
Young Americas lads declined to enter
any protest because the Monumentals were
visitors to Sacramento. They offered to
bet $4,000 that they could beat the Monu-
mentals if the latter would take off their
extension levers" but this was declined.
The Big SIX boys had come there to
win that prize, and money was secondary
consideration. Brickman also made a
Judy of himself by declaring that it was
" as fair for one as the other" and that the
Young Americas could put on extension
knew that the Young Americas
brake-sockets would have to be taken
off and altered to admit of extension levers
being used, which would cost three days
delay. So at it we went, with the result of
266 feet for the Monumental, 259 for Young
America, and 1854 for Vigilant. But every
body noticed the greater volume OF No. is
stream, notwithstanding the nozzles were
the same size and we were each playing
through 100 feet of hose. Next day ten of
US whacked up 500 apiece and published
challenge to play any engine in California,
except Young America 6 this was done
out of courtesy tor 81 ,0O0a g wash match, "
each engine to play into the other eight
minutes through $50. feet of hose. Each
engine to play in its fire-working gear and
no extension levers to be used. But that is
the last ever heard of it. Monumental
subsequently challenged the. State to play
for distance through 100 feet OF hose and
r,a11la Int r,nhndy racnnnHaH
The first prize in the second class was won
by the Warren of Marysvilie, now owned
by the Wasco Engine Company, of The
Dallps