Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-18

No. l. c. Murray, foreman. ..... 20 men.
No. 2. Anthony Ludlow, foreman. 20 men.
No. 3. r. c. Mcintyre foreman..... 30 men.
Hook and ladder, H. G. Otis. fore
Hiah .......................-.. 40 men.
135 men.
This did not include Monumental Engine
Company who ran three engines, 6, 4 and
-, and were running as an Independent
company.
THE first election of officers under the
ordinance creating a fire department was
in September, 1850, and resulted I'm the cleo
ton Of Fred d. Kohler. chief engineer; Ed
ward A. Ebbetts. assistant engineer; Thos.
h. Battelle, assistant engineer.
The companies voting at this election
were the Empire, Protection. Eureka How
ard, California and Monumental hook and
ladder companies st. Francis. Howard and
Sansome.
IN August. 1851. Chief Kohler retired as
chief; Assistant Ebbetts being away, AS
sistant Battelle acted as chief until No
vember 3, 1851, when the second election
was held and Frank E. r. Whitney was
elected chief. c. S. Case. VIM. McKfbben
and r. r. Harris. assistant engineers
Other Fires.
1.-The next fire was O'Clock am. May a.
1850. which originated in the United States
Exchange, next door to where the fire of
December "a. 1919. originated. The loss
was estimated at s4OOO,OOO
THE next fire, June IA. 1850; it origin
ated on Sacramento street, below Kearney.
loss. $3.OOO.OOO.
THE companies mentioned as being pres
ent were the Empire. Protection, Howard
and the Monumental with their three en-
gines, and the hook and ladder companies
1t was In May. 1850, that Mayor Geary.
afterwards governor of Pennsylvania pur-
chased two New York engines. one of
q o va 10 Evv,v.f
Protection Engine Companies The next
f1re was at 4 O'Clock am. September IL.
1850; ii originated in the PHILADELPHIA
house on jackson street; estimated loss,
5000, 900.
THE next fire was December IA, 1850: IL
originated in an iron building on Sacra-
mento street. below Montgomery street,
loss, 81, 100000
The next fire was at II O'Clock pm. May
3, 1851: 1t originated in the paint and paper
ing shop of Frank Baker on Clay street.
opposite the Plaza, loss. $12.OO0OOO
The next fire was at IL O'Clock am, Sun
day. June -, 1851: ii originated in the
lumber yard Of Kirbey and Bennett, at the
northeast corner of Pacific and Powell
streets, loss, S5.O00.O00.
THE first parade in honor Of the admis-
sion OF California as a state. was October
Is, 1850; the news having been received
by the steamer Oregon. as in those DAYS
We had neither railroad nor telegraph COM
munication.
ION that occasion Col. Jonathan ID.
Stevenson was grand marshal and the ode
was composed by Mrs. E. W. Wills.
First Parade.
''The fifth division was headed by the fire
department, having for marshal David c.
Broderick. His aids were James s. weth-
erel. ]. Beckett, William Bartlett. A. c.
Wakeman. Harvey Sparks and Ros. A.
Fish. The following companies are men,
California, knickerbocker. and Monumental
hook and ladders, ST. Francis, Howard and
Sansome.
In connection with the early volunteer
fire department. / will quote an abstract
that was published at that time to make
a comparison between then and now. San
Francisco would laugh were il said that
We fattered the fire department. Does a
man praise his right arm for performing
its wonderful functions? Yet the fire de-
partment is the right arm Of San Fran
CISCO
And thus We went along with our glor-
ious volunteer department. and 1 will say
without contradiction that a more fear
less, self-sacriicing and noble set of men
than the old volunteer fire department
could not be found in the histories Of the
world. Men who spent their best energies
and their money for the benefit of their
fellow citizens. The veterans of San Fran
cisco. known as the exempt firemen. now
occupy the old Monumental engine house
on the Plaza. This building was built by
the Monumentals and cost So 500 taking
the place of the old frame. October. 1850
On this was placed the first bell put up by
Americans on the Pacific coast. and rang
out the joyous news Of the admission of
California as state. 1t is now, as IL
should be, in the possession Of the Cali
fornia Pioneers in their hall. This bell
was raised and paid for by volunteer fire.
men, and it's cost was 81 per pound
THE city hall bell which is now over
the city hall arrived there on the ship Morn
ing Light, February II. 1854. and was placed
in position April q. 1854, where IL remained
until after the earthquake of October oo
1865 1t was then taken down November
y. 1865 and moved to Brennan Place and
on February 3. 1869. 1t was placed in its
present position. The last alarm that was
struck by the old hall bell, sounding the
death Of our glorious old volunteer fire de-
partment, was at 11:il O'Clock pm, De-
THE first alarm sounded to call out the
paid department was from box ~. at 2:51
O'Clock am. December 3. 1865. for a fire
at the northeast corner Of Folsom and I'd
A vote Of thanks was passed to Mr.. Fish.
and he was elected a life member. In re-
turning thanks for the honor. Mr. Fish
promised at some future time to give some
Of his personal "reminiscences
National Theater Fire.
Mr.. Given. in speaking of the fire at the
National Theater on March :. 1si5. said
that he was then a member of the Franklin
company and was engaged in business at
the southwest corner Of 18th street and the
avenue. He was at home when he heard
the cry Of fire! fire. and the patter Of
feet on the theater steps. and the light
shone through the windows. In those days
an alarm Of fire was electrical, not drowned
by the noise and confusion and rattle of
cable car lines. In short time there were
from 5000 to 10000 people at the corner.
He responded at once, but remembering
that he had in the house two kegs of pow
der and not knowing how far the fire
would extend he removed them, taking one
under each arm, to the yard of a friend on
18th street The wind was bloUin- firm