St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-31
BOYS OF AN OLD DAY.
Running the Machine Away
Back in the Early
Times.
The Fire Department When
1t Was a Political
Power.
Ballot Boxes Made Of the
Valves of the Old "Ma-
Sheens.
Staid Men Of Today Who Then
Constituted VOlun-
teerS.

"Old Hope No. 1. Minnehaha No. g."
There is not much in the above line
TO cause the ordinary reader any excite
ment, and nine out of ten persons
would ask what it meant.
But there ale others again to whom
the line is most significant, and to whom
it will bring back recollectiOns of by
gone days and cause the pulse to
quicken.
"Old Hope No. l." and "Minnehaha
No. 2" were the names of the two fire
hand engines first used in st. Paul, and
today there are many of our most PROM
luent citizens who can tell interesting
stories of the time when they ran with
the old machine" and were engaged in
the hard struggle which has built up
the city to its present proportions and
brought wealth to many of them.
Thirty years ago st. Paul did not pos
SeSs the splendid fire department it now
has, that is, as far as apparatus is con-
cerned. But it did possess set of men
who were ever ready tn give their Serv-
ices to fight the fire fiend whenever the
alarm was sounded.
The march of time has played havoc
in the ranks of the "boyS," and many
nave gone 10 luelt last lung ICSts DuI
one can find today plenty of men who,
when the ola fire bells sounded in the
early days. left their work or homes and
helped pull the machine to the scene
of the fire. There were no fire alarm
boxes in those days; no elaborate SYS-
TEN of gong signals to engine houses,
nor well kept horses to dash with the
apparatus to the fire.
When the city of ST. Paul was out in
the Far West, and to reach it you had to
make long trip by river. it had to de-
pend for its protection against fire upon
the citizens themselves, and they found
ed volunteer system which has since
grown into the present splendid organ
lied paid department.
The first engine company established
in Minnesota was formed by John S.
Prince, one time mayor of st. Paul.
Mr.. Prince had rotary saw mill on an
island where now stands the Manitoba
freight house on East Third. The men
in the mill were formed into company
and operated the old squirt when
ever fire broke out. They we're known
as the "Rotary Company and did
effective work when called upon. This
was in the year 1851, over forty years
ago. The old engine is now in st. Clo,.d
in use in the fire department.
WIN the grown OF tne young CITY III
was found necessary to increase the
facilities for fighting fires, and i'll 1854
the Pioneer Hook and Ladder COM
pany" was organized by the citizens.
The apparatus was made in Phila-
delphla and sent to Pittsburg overland,
where it was shipped to st. Paul on
freight boat. But in the Ohio river the
barge was sunk, and the 'hook and
ladder" was not recovered for nearly a
year, when it finally reached Its deS-
tination.
Three years later the two famous
volunteer companies were formed,
"Old Hope" and ''Minnehaha," and the
two double deck hand engines were
purchased from Agnew & Co., of Phila-
delphia. 1t was great day for the
young city when the new apparatus ar
rived, and to the sound of music the
newly organized engine companies