The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-06-12
sANcoR's BOAST.
A story of an old Contest of Port
lands Fire Engines.
Bangor Commercial

lBangOf commercially
OF course, No. 3, like No. 6, entertained
many visitors and accepted many invitations
to go abroad Once, after the Cascos and
and the Volunteers, both of Portland, had
been here, they invited No. 3 to make a re-
turn visit No. 3 started subscription
paper. headed by Geo. W. Pickering and
added to by Messrs. Jewett, Stetson, Prem
tiss and others, until 500 was raised, and
then an acceptance was sent. Money always
came easily when the firemen asked for it,
and so enough was secured to take along a
band of 20 pieces, and when the time came
100 men besides the musicians, took the
boat. Previous to the start, Fenno made an
address, asking the men to pledge themselves
to go as temperance company, which they
did, and not man of them drank, although
1t is said ole good old Bangor deacon was
persuaded to try some red headed lemonade
which contained stick" whereby he got
"fuddled" Arriving in Portland a big din
ner was had, visit was made to the islands
in the harbor, after which a big torehlight
company surrounded No. 3 and escorted
them about the city.
keep your wits about you, and your
clothes on said Capt. Fenno. to the men, as
they were about to retire for the night. IF
Portland gets up blaze, We'll have chance
at her boys and every man must be on
hand"
Sure enough, Portland had rousng fire.
Itwas in the City Hotel, and the Bangor
boys were early on the spot with their
machine. and got station about 200 feet
away, but not near water. Evidently some
thing was in the wind, for soon 1t was an
nounced a Portland tub. was to give her
water. The boys were in for it and they
braced for the contest They, too, had an
''annex,' and were pretty sure OF victory,
though they did not expect such an over
whelming one as came to them.
PUNK PUNK PUNK came stream, and
with pulleys out, and hundred strong fell
lows on them, and the brakes. the Bangor
men set their stroke and soon No. 3
sucked" The Portland engineer was sur
prised and soon put on his heavy tub, but
again No. 3 got short of water. The crowd
now clustered abour the Bangor tub, and the
Portland men. leaving the fire, rushed away
for big reserve engine built in Philadel-
phia, and added her. Now it was that No. 8
had three streams playing into her, the SAN
mex" was thrown wide open, and every east
ern man went his bigness How the crowd
yelled! The Portland men had left the fire,
but way up ON a ladder were the Bangor
iremen sending big stream into the flames,
rapidly subduing them.
Now the crowd howle and cheered on
the Portland men, but 1t was no go. Ban
gor had them, and fairly beat out the
three best tubs Portland could produce.
plauded them for their victory, and the pa
pers Of the next day said Bangor had the
best machine in the country. They came
home, as may be supposed, full to the brim
with joy, and one member said had it not
been tor the pledge, they would have been
well filled with something a great deal
stronger than joy ever was 1t was preba-
bly, the first and last time that engine COM
pany took a temperance trip, for those were
days when the social glass could be found in
n1, nxrnr nd xrn xrfaH
equipped grocery store contained one or
more hogsheads of W. l. rum.
When the Portland lads came east there
was of course a fire, but in this case No. 3
putt il out, although. that company were en-
pertaining the visitors The fire was in
Dole's shop, and he was a No. 3 man. To
this day members of other companies smile,
and say Dole was very accommodating when
No 8 wanted to show her proves.
Probably Mr.. Dole's shop took fire in a
regular way, but in those days members of
engine companies set lots of fires. Mr. Farm
ham, father of Col. Farnham, was marshal,
and he at one time undertook to break up
the practice. Then there was fire every
night. and one or the other engines would
rush away before an alarm was even sound
ed Marshal Farnham ttationed two men in
citizens dress, on each side of the stream,
ordering them to catch on to the drag ropes
Of the first engine OUT one near the tongue
or pole, and one near the head of the rope,
and listen for any accusing remarks. The
first fire was in an old barn on the East side.
Without any alarm, No. 6, fully manned,
came tearing out of the house, and her bell
brought out No. 3, also having her crew.
Two men on No. 6 talked; one said they
were 'too early" but the other answered
that an inch of candle wouldn't burn over 10
minutes; and sure enough, the flames were
| just well under way, but had not attracted
the attention of the neighbors when the tubs
arrived. Ii was unauestionably one of 6's
fires, but No. 3 put tout One or two men
were arrested, but the practice continued
| long afterwards.