The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-29
OVER THE POLE"
How Old Vets Worked the Brakes
in Early Days.
Barney 0rdenstein's Career as a Fire Commits
siOner- scannel and His Buggy.
Better Paid Then.

Playing over the pole was always an ex-
citing event. On Pine street, near San
some, was the aGmory of the California Bat
terry. in front of which large flag pole
was erected. Many trial was made to
play over that pole.
The writer remembers that Volunteer Z,
Howard 3, California 4. and other compa-
MES succeeded, though other machines came
near. "but yet it was too high"
1t was real fun to see some sixty or
seventy men. at the brakes with the fore
man on the engine top training them to the
stroke. and the pipemen close to the pole
with the pipe regulated so as not to lose an
inch.
WORKING THE BRAKES.
Steady Quickenl short strokel ah! that's
It. me lads! up she goes! all togetherl UP,
down. down. up. Keep that lick up! now
go! lively! ah! seel shake her up! Hurrah !
one good one now-see that stream going
up! Shake her lively; all Of you! all
Hurrah! hip! and the foreman yelled and
yelled as the stream went over the top.
Then there was cheering by firemen and
the pOpulace; the engine had proved her
right to the laurels. They crowed high as
they dragged "the old gal home" and there
was plenty Of stuff to Oh eer after housing
her.
What will them other ducks think now ?"
would then be asked, with reference TO
some company which failed the night be-
fore, perhaps with new engine from the
East that was designed to be chief Of them
all or course, them other ducks" were
chagrined. Some of them were there,
doubtless. and saw the feat done and felt
like sending their machine back whence it
came
AN oLD-TnfE DEFAULTER.
Barney Ordenstein was quite lively Fire
Commissioner for time. He was selected
by a big vote, and shortly afteTward re-
signed his position as chief bOOk-keeper in
a large wholesale house to attend to the i'm
p0rtant duties Of Fire Commissioner
without pay.
Barney and his plug hat were at every
fire. His gold badge could always be seen
by Ithe pOpulace. He eXtOlled himself to
those outside the ropes for the great work
he was doing in bringing up the department
to high state OF efficiency. For some two
years or more Barney WAS great man. lie
worked almost incessautly for the fire SER
vice and still got no pay.
Suddenly he was among the missing.
Eagerly was lie searched for, but he never
afterward materialized. Several thousand
dollars Of the funds of the widows and
orphans fund OF the EXemptS went to,
Barney being a custodian Of il, but his
bOndsmen made it good after being sued.
HIS AMBITION RUINED HIM
Being a Fire Commissioner ruined him.
Ii he had let il alone and stuck to his desk
he might never have wandered away from
home" 1t was never shown that he was
''Out for the DUST as Fire Comm issiOner
He was stuffed. He was to be put up and
elected either County Clerk or Sheriff. but
the day never came He could not live on
wind and keep up the dignity OF Fire Com
missioner, so some one had 10 suffer. lie
was too high strung to demand draw down
Of the department he did the taking act
always intending to replace it. But he took
too much to replace; no office came, and he
had 10 fly to one of the islands of the Pscf ic
where he was at last accounts.
COUNTRY COMPANIES.
Charles NJ. Plum was quite an active
member in the early days Of Tiger IA. and
was It's Secretary:
The Vallejo Fire Department bias two
steamers ana hook and ladder company.
J ohm Redding is the chief.
In 1855 Sacramento could boast of a Vol
unteer Fire Department consisting Of six
hand-engines, one hose and two hook and
ladder companies The chief then was paid
500 per month The force was 400 strong.
5000 feet OF leather hose was in use and
fifteen fire Cisterns and the Sacramento
River furnished water supply. Young
America Engine Company was the company
that owned the uOuDle-decEer that Is now
the property Of the vets of this city.
The Oakland Fire Department consists of
five steam engines, three chemical and two
hook and ladder companies 1t can boast
or having had no very large fires to contend
with for some years. The loss by fire last
year WAS under 500 600. The fire alarm
telegraph Office is now in the new brick
engine-hOuse on Fifteenth street. George
Carlton is the Superintendent Of it. In sew
eral sections the hydrAntS are too far apart
and the hose supply rather inadequate, but
1000 feet Of hose has been ordered and an
other hose-reel will soon be put in service.
INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONS.
There were several Independent compa-
MES, such as HibeTnia 10, Mechanics I6.
Paramount II, Alert Hose 3, South Park
Hose 3 and RincOn 6, who did service in
this city even to the going out of the old de-
partment. These companies were never adj
mitted into the Volunteer Fire Department;
hence there are several old hremen who are
not On the roster of the old department
Every member Of an admitted company
holds a certificate, hence the term "eertiti-
cate member" Most of the independent
companies were stationed in what was then
known as outside districts, and did good
service III protecting life and property.
Chief Scannell can look back TO the days
of the volunteer department when it was
not in the order Of things for chief to have
a buggy, but had to run TO fires with his
white hat on his head, a trumpet in his
hand, and his coat under his arm, but he
got to a fire all the same. There was one
thing, however, that he could boast of then.
BE got $1,000 a year more than he does now,