The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-10
OLD MONUMENTALS.
Fire Fighters Who First Ran
With the Big Masheen."
Its Bell Used for Many Purposes-something
About the Veterans Who Were in the
Company Notable Anniversaries.

The Monumental Aid Association, COM
| posed of the surviving members Of big g."
will celebrate the anniversary of the COM
pany by a banquet on Saturday evening.
| The old, time-honored eompany's house.
built in 1855. is now occupied by the EX-
empts, situated on BRENNAN place, west side
CT Portsmouth Square.
The company was formed in June, 1850,
but was not regularly organized or admitted
| until September u, 1850, at which time there
| was nearly three hundred members attached
| to it. In those days when the destructive
| element was not kept within the narr Ow linz
| its TO which the efforts of the department.
! cOnfine it, everybody belonged to fire cont
| pany. Not to DO member was rather an ex-
! ception than the rule. At one time they were
divided into three branches, each running an
| engine. numbered Monumental g. and 8.
A house was built by the company in Oc-
! tober, 1850. on the site of the present one,
| which was torn down in 1856. John L.
| Durkee put several bottles of champagne
| between the walls when the cornerstone
was laid and had the pleasure five years
| later of taking them ont again. Their IA
nous old fire-alarm bell figured very con-
! spicuously in the history Of the city. The
bell was cast in Troy, n. Y, and was placed
in position in 1850 1t was the first bell ever
erected in California, except the ancient
| Spanish bells Its voice toIled the requiem
of the dead of many brave fireman and OF
statesmen Daniel Webster and Henry Clay.
1t pealed forth its noisy clansor to celebrate
the first anniversary of the admission of the
| State into the Union.
A USEFUL BELL.
As the red glare of the fire king beamed
across the city this bell was the first to send
forth its warning tones, and for long time
| it was the only bell in the city. In those
exciting days when the Vigilance Commit
tee held their dread councils they were
summoned by the two taps OF the Mont
| mental bell" The first fire for which the
bell was rung was at the burning OF the
steamers Santa Clara and Hartford at the
end of Long Wharf in 1S5G-a noted fire.
| Pictures of it are now in possession Of many
| old citizens. also in the rooms of the III
| emptS and Veterans, and are highly plizsu.
| In the cholera days OF 1850 eleven members
| were stricken down in one week.
HISTORY OF big SIX"
Its big hand, double-deeker engine, now in
possession of the Exempts, was the largest
| ever used in this department. On account
of its great capacity it was known as the
| Deluge. 1t was drawn in line on Tuesday
| evening and yesterday by the ExemptS.
1t arrived here from the East and was put
in service in 1854 The M0numentals glOrie1
| in having brought the first steam hre-engine
to this city in 1861. 1t is said the cempany
| heard that Penn sylvania No. u had quietly
| ordered a steam fre-englne OF tlTst-cla5s make
to be purchased in the East or to be built
TO order and sent out here. The MOnu-
mentals were not to be outdone. They sent
a reliable man East, had irst-class steamer
built and it arrived here some time ahead OF
the one Engine Company II was "X-
| npptiUp TbarA grand lOllteatlOu
over its arrival and Big had steamer that
could not be beat. IL was used Tor SOM
time in the present department George IL.
| Hossefross was the first foreman OF the
company and w. d. l.. Hall the last.
RAN WITH THE OLD '.MAsHEEN."
Hossefross was the father of the com
pauy. He served two terms as chief en-
| gineer and then retired to again become
| foreman of his company. lie died OF con-
| sumption, brought on by exposure IN the
service. in 1863, and was buried with great
| hOnOrs by the entire department His re-
mains now lie in Calvary Cemetery, over
which stands large monument to mark
the last IeStng-place OF true friend ana
noble man. Like all the MonHmentais,
| HOssefross came from Baltimore. He died
in his thirty-seventh year Among the
early members of the company were: John
/. Durkee, William Ii. SllyerthOrn eX-
License Collector 4. II. Sinton, Joseph
Figel, Detective Ben BOhen, Ii. Linthai,
| JOH0 N uBtUl, O6OIbt bdIIioleg ISsdg, Dtu
Adler. A. j. Hess, o. w. Savage, Henry
SutIiff, w. II. White and Henry Hall.
PRIMITIVE SYSTEM.
The Herald of July IL, 1852 said that ''the
city pays three men $50 per month each Tor
sitting on the roof OF the City Hall 10 give
an alarm when they see it" and suggests las
we have no city clocks that they strike The
hours of day and night
George w. Kennard, Second Assistant
| Chief Engineer, is the oldest of the Chiefs
| assistants in service. He was a member OF
| Kniekerbocker No. 8 of the Volunte er Fire
| Department, and was one of the first mrIn-
bers of Engine of the present Department
He became foreman in 1871, when }. L. Ross
| retired, and succeeded George w. C0rbell is
| Assistant Engineer in 1871.
1t is suggested by fireman that a fire
| alarm bell should be placed on the New City
| Hall, and a town clock, too, is suggested by
another
JOHN REuLY's RECORD.
John Reilly, the new Superintendent of
Steamers, Is an old fireman and a very
skilled machinist and engineer. He was for
| wears Engineer OF Steamers, before he SUE
ceeded James Stoddard as Assistant Ssper-
intendent of Steamers nearly twelve years
ago.
There is talk OF new hook aud ladder
company being organized in the near future,
to be located n the house OF Hose on Fol-
som street. near Twenty-SecOnd.
Fire Patrol Station No. 2 is located at the
corner of Eddy and Polk streets, anu the
force consists of Lieutenant, John +. o.
Comstuck, who has been in charge since its
existence. and one OF the pioneers oil Patrel
No. l, and four men.
AMONG THE VETERANS.
Fire Commissioner Andrew jackson Mar
tin is the son of an exempt and vsterau fire.
man, the late Captain John Martin. who
was foreman of BrOderick Engine Company
Nc. of the Volunteer Fire Department
ice
wards, who succeeded John Edwards in the
Board Of Fire Commissioners, is now em-
ployod by the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company.
Ex-Commissioner Frank G. Edwards APP
pears to take little interest IN fires yet, as
he has gong in his house.
John J. Skehan. an Old member o.
KnickeTbocker No. OF the Volunteer FIRE
Department, was foreman for over fourteel
years of Engine at the Mission OF the
present department. Before coming to this
city he was a member OF Engine Company
20 of New York. He is an active menu
Der of the Veterans, and shining light IN
the Manhattans.-
A NOTABLE CELEBRATION.
The first department to use steam fire ell
gines was that of Cincinnati. Ohio.
Oakland had a volunteer fire department
early IN the tiiteS, with Johu Scott as
chief.
A celebration Of Howard No. 8 was held ont
| ut Russ Gardens in tue Missi1 N on June Is.
1855, by a banquet. William Pierce. Chez
of Marysville, was present; William IL
Patten was then foreman ex-Chiefs k0hl-r.
| Whitney aud HossefrnSs replied t. the eX-
chiefs toast. Lonls Cohen. present DEPUTY
Auditor, proposed the health OF Ge0rEr
Hossefruss in this style: May his position
in the community require more than by
draulie power to depreeiate." tHosSefrnS,
was the first to introduce hydraulic power
In this city to raise buildings.l Dave Rand,
lately deceased, formerly Captain Of Pote
of Oakland, responded to toast TO Ella
| BscacclanIi: THE American vocalist
equal to any of her foreign competitors. aud
the first to contribute to the Charitable Fund
of the San Francisco Fire Department"