The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-10-03
THE FIRE ENGINE.
1t Was Slow to Come and Slow to Be
Adopted.

apparatus loF fNiliSulSIiluS HTeS tlut
John g. Morse. contributes to the Pop
ular Science Monthly. 1t is believed,
says Mr.. Morse. that the first hose used
for the eXtinguishing Of fire was made
from the gut of al Ok. This was at
'ached to Il bag filled with water. which
being pressed. would force out a jet.
During the second century before
Christ CteSibus of Alexandria is said
to have invented il fire engine. and
Hero. in 100 b.. c., invented and had
made Il fire engine that was provided
with an air chamber. and therefore
played Il continuous stream. During
the middle ages fire engines seem to
have been forgotten. n it Is doubt
full if Syringes We're kept in use. In
lois water SyringpS useful ut fires,
are spoken of. and from that time on
Ward mention is made of fire engines
II Denmark. Germany. Holland, France
and Great Britain. In 1862 there was II
patent granted in England for II fire
engine. and in 1861 one was made in
Nuremberg which, when worked by
twenty-eight men, would play n stream
eighty feet in length.
Although many different engines had
bee invented, buckets and Syringes
were in use in England and on the con
tlnent until far into the seventeenth
century. The largest of the hand syr-
ingeS were of brass. and held no more
than Il gallon. Two men were required
with each, one to hold the syringe, and
tie other to direct the stream. In the
sixteenth century larger ones were
made ana placed on wheels. These
were capable of holding n barrel of
water II had no hose. The direction
of the stream. or, more properly speak
Ing. of the series Of SuuirtS. could he
changed mp and down, as the syringe
rested on piV0tS. To change the direc-
ton from side to side the entire ma
chine. wheels and all, had to be re-
moved. With the exception of the gut
Of an OK already mentioned hose was
not known until 1872.
The early settlers in America paid no
attention toward protecting themselves
against fire, and the different colonies
had grown into fair-Sized communities
with several industries we'll establish
ed before any steps were taken in that
direction. About the earliest mention
OF a definite method of fire protection
was made at Salem. Mass, in 1914,
when each inhabitant was ordered to
be supplied with a ladder under zen
atty of Il fine of five shillings. In 1913
four fire wardens were appointed III
New York City. These me passed ii
law to fine everyone whose chimney be-
came fOul or whose house was burned
by his W careiesSness. The money
so obtained vas To be used in the pur-
chase of ladders. hooks and buckets.
These were not provided. however, I'M
I'll some years later.
Boston also o steps III this direc-
ton and in 1864 the purchase of an en-
CINE was ordered. Beside it was order
ed that every house should be provid-
ed with a ladder and a ~twelve-foot pole
to reach the ridge pole. Six good AID
long ladders were to be furnished by
the selectmen. 1t is doubtful. Mr..
Morse says. if the engine ordered was
ever made.
Undoubtedly the first fire company
organized in this country was formed
in New York in 1868. Ii was called the
Providers. ana was composed of eight
men and 25O buckets, hooks, and small
ladders. In 1879 Salem purchased two
or three dozen cedar buckets, besides
hooks and other Implements; also, the
Selectmen and two others were author
lied to take command at fires, and to
blow up and pull down buildings when
such action was necessary. This prac-
tice appears to have been much more
common before the use Of engines than
afterward. Boston, on September 8,
1873, ordered that every quarter of the
town should be provided with twenty
Swobes, two scopes. and six axes The
swobeS, or swabs as they are now
called, were long-handled mops that
could be used to put out roof fires. The
general use of swabs has long since
disappeared, but when a slight blaze
is beyond the reach of a pail of water
and more improved apparatus Is not at
hand, a lonG-handled mop is to-day the
most efficient article to be used. In
Japan these swabs may be seen on
many roof-tops.
In 1890 New York ordered that five
ladders and also hooks be made. In
Philadelphia no mention is made Of
public precaution against fire until
1896. when Il law was passed forbidding
the firing Of chimneys or allowing the
same to become foul. Each house was
to have n swab, bucket, or pail. An
other act was passed in 100, ordering
every household to have two leather
buckets. In the following year six or
eight hooks for the purpose of tearing
down houses We're ordered to be made.
In 1902 Boston bought two fire engines