Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-08-28
An Historic Engine.

The recent purchase by the village of
P9stenkill, N. Y, of the Nickwackett
engine from the city of Rutland, recalls
many "reminiscences of the engine and
the company, which was for a number
of years the leading one in Vermont, and
of which the writer was for several years
member. The machine was made by
Cowing & Company of Seneca Falls, n.
Y, and was bought early in the COS by
the village of Rutland. The name Nick
wackett was selected on account of a
mountain by that name situated in the
town of Pittsford, and which figured as
place of refuge in the early settlement
of the territory of Vermont, and which
is referred to several times in "Thomp-
sons Green Mountain Boys" The com
pany, which was formed some time be-
fore the machine was received, COM
prised among its members many of the
most prominent men in the village. One
of its first foreman was John B. Page,
afterward Governor of the State, who re.
tanned his membership with it until the
day of his death. The present United
States Senator Redtield Proctor, was for
a number of years an active member, as
was Charles Fl. Joyce, an eX-member of
Congress. Frederick Chaffee, for num-
Der of years managing director of the
National bank of Rutland, was another
member of the company who helped man
the brakes on many an occasion. The
company furnished two town represent
atives: N. F. Pagej and lockwood Bar
rett; one justice of the Vermont SUI
preme Court, w. G. Qunton. The fore
man for many years was S. G. Staley, a
prominent business man and for long
time water commissioner of the town.
Other foremen have been Ion Lippin-
colt, N. F. Page and A. Austin, the lat
ter having filled the position more than
thirty years.
Other members have been n. P. ST.
monds, a leading member of the Rutland
county bar; G. II. Cheney, prominent
merchant; Chas. E. Ross, past grand
officer of the Grand Lodge, f. and A.
NJ, of Vermont; B. w. Marshall,
Charles T. Buat, now proswerous busi-
ness man of Bennington, and many
others who gave time and money to
bring the company to the high standard
that it achieved.
The bouse built for an engine house
was of brick, two stories high, and To-
Gated in one of the most central positions
in the village. At that time it was sup
piled with all necessary attachments
found in an engine house. The upper
part was fitted up for hall, in which
the company meetings were held. The
building is now used as fire station No.
of the city paid fire department, and
has been considerably improved in ap-
pearance inside.
For years the engine held the cham
pionship for side stroke engines in the
State, having a record of 204 feet, s inch
es, made at Greenfield, Mass, in 1870,
throwing horizontal stream through
800 feet of hose, forty men on the
brakes.
Between the years 1866 and 1878 the
engine participated in musters in Platts-
burgh, Cambridge, Salem, Bennington,
Saratoga, Whitehall and Greenfield, tax
ing first prize in all except at Saratoga
and Bennington, and there is now in the
hall at station No. in the city of Rut
land, the large broom presented the
Nickwackett company by the people of
Plattsburgh, for the victory it achieved
at a muster there, over such engines as
the Boxer and Ethan Allen of Burling-
ton, Seth Warner of Waterbury, Torrent
of Whitehall, and others. Its record,
204 feet, s inches, was beaten by the
Fountain, No. 3, of Brattleboro, manned
by seventy men, which made play OF
215 feet at the muster at Greenfield
For many years its pipeman was
James Dougherty, a conductor on the