Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-19

Is agent for furnishing the Capitol; the &C.
counts and vouchers OF Tench Francis, pur-
veyor of public supplies, for purchases from
July, 1887, to September. 17ss, &c.
TIE FIRST FIRE LAW.
January 10, 1903, an act was passed by the
city council, approved by Robert Brent. mayor
and certified by James Barry. president of the
first chamber, and Daniel Carroll Of budding
ton. president OF the second chamber. providing
for the prevention and extinguishing of fires
Section provided that every proprie tor of any
dwelling house or store house should prior to
the first day Of March ensuing, at his or her ex-
pense, provide as many fire buckets of leather
| and containing two and a half gallons as
there were stories in such house. Every
proprietor negiecting to procure the proper
number of buckets should forfeit 81 for each
bucket If the proprietor Of any dwelling
house or store house not residing within the
limits of the city failed to procure buckets the
occupant was authorized to procure them
under the same penalty for neglect and recover
from such defaulting landlord the expense
thereof.
Section provided that all the buckets
| should be entered and numbered in the office
of the register. whose duty it was to record the
name of the proprietor of houses with the
number Of tenants, who were required to have
the name and number painted on the buckets,
under penalty of 81 for each neglect.
Section made it the duty of the occupants
Of houses to preserve the fire buckets without
! suffering them to be used for other purposes;
If any bucket was lost or destroyed they were
to replace them within one month under pen
atty OF S5 for neglect.
They were required to keep them in o con-
spicuous place in the house and send them to
any fires that might break out
Section authorized tie mayor to Immediately
procure ladders and hooks to be deposited with
such citizens as were disposed to take care of
them and use them, and $50 was appropriated
for the purpose of supplying the public with
them.
Section made it the duty of the sealer of
weights and measures twice each year to visit
every house and examine the number and state
OF the buckets and report the same to the reg
lister, and authorized the law officer OF any
precinct to receive one-half of the fines and
forfeits under the act
Section authorized the procurement, by
the mayor, prior to the LIST Of March, 1904. of
one substantial engine to be kept near the Cen
ter Market, and SO soon thereafter as may be
two additional fire engines were to be procured
by him, to lie severally kept near the eastern
and western markets. for which purpose the
sum OF S300 was appropriated out OF any money
In the treasury. This law was carried into ef-
feet at once, but many citizens and owners Of
houses being unable to get their buckets ready
IN the time prescribed in the act, on the
18th OF March, 1903, bill was passed that SO
much OF the first act as required the providing
Of fire buckets prior to March l be repealed
have until the LIST of June following to do SO.
The association has unearthed q number of
these buckets.
FIRE WARDS ESTABLISHED.
July a. 1904, an act Of the city council Of
Washington to establish fire wards and fire
companies was approved, 1t provided that the
city be divided into fire wards, all west of 10th
street to constitute the first fire ward; tho Sec
ond bounded on the west by 10th street. on the
south by q street south until it intersected
with ID street, and by such street from such
intersection to the extreme thereof. The third
hre ward to constitute ali of that part of the
city southwark of such street, and the fourth
lire ward to constitute all OF the remaining
part of the city.
point one man residing in each ward who shall
can q meeting OF the citizens who shall
game themselves into fire companies, which
shall pass such rules for government as they
may see tit, the company to annually elect one
of Its members, who with the four citizens APP
pointed by the mayor. shall be denominated
fire directors and constitute "a board OF general
superintendent. DC. This act was signed by
samuel IL. Smith, president of the first cham
Der OF the city council of Washington; Nicholas
King, president of the second chaLbe and
approved by Robert Brent. mayor.
The same day an appropriation of S400 was
made by the councils for sinking wells, repair
ing and erecting pumps.
Messrs. JAS ID. Gillis. JAS Hobar, Nicholas
Voss and Griffith Coombs were authorized to
cali the meetings for organizing the companies
in the four wards
August H. 1904, meeting was held at the
West market and JOS Stretch, John Woodside
and Thos. H. Gillis appointed to make rules for
the government OF the fire company for the
first ward
Meetings were held at Rhodes Hotel August
20 and September and the Union Fire Com
pany (afterward the Franklin) organized BY
electing James Hoban president, Andrew
way, ]r.. wee president; Washington Poyd,
treasurer; James kearney, secretary; Clot-
worthy Stephenson, Peter Lomax. Lewis
NORM and Henry Langtry, engineers; John
Hewitt, Thomas Thorpe, Thomas Carpenter,
Henry Herefard, John p. Van Ness and Joseph
Calvert. firemen; James Huddleston. John Ar
Ken, Orlando Cook. George Moore, Hugh Boyd,
Thomas Given. John Dobbin, G. n. Nantz.
ladder men; David Shoemaker. Richard For
rest, John ii. GowaB, George Way, Lewis Cle-
plane and Thomas Herty. sentinels; John
Payne, Edward Frethy. b. l.. Mccormick, Ezra
and James Thornton, firemen. and John Hewitt,
board OF general superintendent
Many OF these names are prominent in the
annals OF the District. Mr.. Hoban was the
architect of the Capitol; Mr.. Way. a we'll
known printer; Peter Lenox, the father of
Mayor Lenox; Gen. Van Ness. member of Con-
gress, afterward mayor; Thos. Given, father of
John I. Given, and Lewis Ciephane (uucle of
the present Mr.. Lewis Clephane). who had but
recently arrived in the country and had
promptly declared his intention to become a
citizen. From the fact that an appropriation
was made in 1915 to replace the treasury en-
gines it is presumed that they we're DESTROYED
by the British.
On December 81, 1914. the company which
afterward became the Franklin was organized
and given in charge the treasury engines 1t
was located in a house south of the treasury
building, but few months after was removed
near the present north front, and was then
known as the Alert In 1896 one of the en-
gines was located in frame house on 18th
street, north of Pennsylvania avenue. and was
then known as the Star. 1t was in a few
months removed to the corner OF I4th
and pennsylvania avenue, and in the
following year the company was reorgan-
lied under the name of the Frank
lin and Chas. l.. Coitman was elected presi-
dent The company in the first ward reorgan-
lied In IL hall If the western market winch
was then and many years afterward used as q
town hall. taking the name of the Union. The
apparatus consisted of an old-fashioned hand
engine, which was kept il ashed at the western
end of the market, and for q time was on the
opposite side Of the avenue, and in the SOS
they also ran an old-fashioned two-wheeled
reel or .crab" with limited supply Of leather
hose. They then in the so s had no uniform.
fireman wore q beaver hat and carried about
with him an oilcloth badge, On which was
Drinted IIniop Epoipo Haze 1