The Portland daily press., 1892-07-30

s'Now shake her out!'
s'There she goesr'
'sUp and down! Up and DOWN.
'sGive it to her boys
The old times were back again. 1t
was 1850; and the toughest fire of the
year.
..Break her down boys! Break her
DOWN. shouts Captain Dyer, who has
now forgotten all about his rheumatism
and his cane.
'sShake her out! Shake her out, shout
the boys, who are equally oblivious OF
certain g-standing cricks in their
backs.
There were at those brakes such vet
eran hands as these:
Charles H. Rich, VIM. H. Trowbridge,
William c. Googins, L. E. Robinson,
Edward Mason, j. ). woodbury.,
A. IT. Lehman, j. H. Fernald,
7. q. Davis, John F. Ellingham,
Joseph Dyer, E. T. Knight,
S. J. Kingsbury A. S. Spaulding,
John Tracey, David Virgins,
James w. Plaisted, Henry Fox,
Geo. H. McKenney, VIM. w; Davis,
Geo. r. Tuttle Chas: W: Skllllngs,
e. Russell Frank Pickett,
Henry A. Brown, u. .. ElChSbb,
VIM. F. Whitehouse, J. B. l. LIBBY
E. S. Griffin.
The pipemen were Capt. L. W. Briggs
and L. M. Black, both veteran sfiremen,
as well as active members of the present
department.. In the several trials three
fourths and seyen-eighths of an inch
MOBILES were used, and the line of hose
was 100 feet. in length.
The first trial was an easy one to linz
Der up the machine, but everything
worked all right and the second attempt,
40 feet, was covered horizontally and
probably greater distance perpendic-
ularly, for the firemen claim that they
can send water straight up into the air
farther than laterally, which seems rea-
sonable on account of the pressure of the
atmosphere on the horizontal. The en-
CINE worked better with each trial until
179 feet was attained, and this was in
creased to 1874 feet, one of the best rec
ords ever made in this city. The yeter-
ans were highly pleased with the perfor-
nance of the rejuvenated old Atlantic,
and they manned the drag ropes and
pulled her into Hovey paint shop where
she will be beautifully ornamented.
After Captain Dyer finished his trials
and was heartily cheered as he dis
mounted. Captain Charles FL. Rich, for
merly of Ocean Four, mounted and
many of his old 'sboys'' grasped the
brakes and he in turn was followed by
Captain r. H. Murphy of Portland Five
in the old hand department They were
duly greeted with cheers.
The trial took place under the dlrec-
ton of President Henry Fox, Vice Pres
ident J. w. Plaisted, ex-engineers, and G.
F. Plummer, secretary, very active Tor
many years in the old department. Ex-
Chiefs Ezra Russell and Nahum Little
| field were also present.
The Atlantic was built by Leonard
Crockett, at his works on Fore street in
1S4S. She was known as
The Zimmerman Tub
pattern, Mr.. Crockett having secured
the right to build for Portland. He af-
forwards built Casco 1, Ocean 4, Portland
5, Pacific 6, Deluge and Dirigo s. The
only Zimmerman engine from Boston
was Volunteer 8. There was great riv-
airy in those days about the honor of
getting s'first water'' onto the fire, and
the Atlantic being stationed in a central
part of the city-the engine house being
on the corner of Lime, now Market, and
Milk streets-could get larger share of
the honors by reason of her small size
and lightness, and accompany that they
used to say 'roosted' in the engine
house. Volunteer 3 was in the same
house, and it was well that a good stout
bulkhead separated the crews some
times.
The Atlantic being the smallest of the
old department, was the first to go out
of commission, and the company was
disbanded. This was in 1858, upon the
introduction of the steam fire engine
Machigonne. Later the Atlantic was
| disposed of to the Portland Rolling Mill
as a protection to the village OF Ligonia,
| but has been considered as OF no account
| for many years. The Veteran Firemen's
Association secured the old machine, had
| her taken to the original building shop
and Mr.. Crockett has turned her out as
| good as new, or as the members of the
| old crew that manned the Atlantic in
| the fifties say, 1--WE never saw her do so
well in the world"
| The veterans are arranging for grand
| field day, when they will visit Great
| Diamond Island at least three hundred
strong.