San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-24
A Fine Body of Tried
and True Men-A SUI
perb Equipment.
Seven Companies With Fifty-One
Paid Men, Whose Constant En-
deavOr is to save Life and
Properly From the De-
mon Fire.

nre department-thlS statement is
not made as an idle boast, no,
deeds speak louder than words,
and deeds are what the San Anto-
Mo fire department perform. The
city at large takes great pride in
the department, it being composed
of men who are ever ready to re-
spond to the call Of duty, whether
it comes by day or night. That
their work in the past has been
efficient is amply evidenced by the
record of the years gone by. The
paid or present department which
succeeded the old volunteer depart
ment was organized in March,
1890. Jacob Weber, who was at
that time an alderman, was made
its first chief. He held the posi-
ton but short period, when he
was succeeded in 1890 by Chief l..
P. Peck, who held the position I'M
til 1892 and was in turn succeeded
by G. A. Duerler, who held the po-
Sition six months and was then
succeeded by r. E. Kehoe, who
gave place to the present chief, j.
w. Tobin, March, 1895. There are
seven companies, four of which
have eight men, one of six, one Of
five and one of seven, which, with
the chief, gives the department a
total of fifty one able and efficient
men. The companies are all splen-
didly equipped to battle with the
elements that consume, and on the
whole we do not believe that a
finer body of men than those that
compose ourrfre department can
be found in>fhe southwest.
JOHN w. TOBIN.
The present gallant chief Of. our
our fire department received his
appointment to that Office March
3, 1895, and since that time has
amply demonstrated his ability to
fill the position. Previous to his
appointment he served as a men,
Der of the volunteer department.
Chief Tobin was born in San An
tonic June %, 1867. He was reared
and educated here, and his friends
are only limited by the number of
his acquaintance. For a period
previous to his present appoint
ment he was resident engineer for
the International railroad, having
been promoted from the assistant
engineership. Chief Tobin is do
ing all in his power to place the
department upon a basis with the
most metropolitan in the country.
Every detail of the service is given
his personal attention. We are
proud of our gallant young chief
and wish him long. and prosper
Gus career. In him the city GER
tainly has an efficient chief. He
has amply demonstrated his abili-
ty to creditably fill the position.
HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY ONE
Is situated on Avenue G, near
Houston street. The building is
brick, and the interior arrange
ment is superb for using dispatch.
Here seven men are found. This
company is under the command of
CAPTAIN A. c. TRACHT,
Assistant fire chief, and a man
known for his daring bravery.
Captain Tracht was born in Gallon,
Crawford county, Ohio, October ID,
1865. He was educated there. In
the fall of 1886, he came to San
Antonio. February 4, 1887, he Sc
cured the position OF engine driver
of fire company No. (volunteer).
Upon the department becoming
paid one he was promoted captain
of No. /. He was appointed assis-
tant chief by Chief Kehoe in 1893
and was re-appointed by the pres
ent Chief Tobin. Captain Tracht
is certainly one of the most eff
cient men our fire department has
ever had. True to himself his as
sociates and his department he
certainly makes an excellent as
sistant chief.
CHEMICAL ENGINE COMPANY
Has headquarters on Market street,
near the Main plaza. A commo-
dious three-story stone building is
occupied, and it is here that Chief
Tobin makes his headquarters. 1T
is here also that SCHWARTZ, the |
famous pet of the fire boys, makes
Headquarters. Schwartz is me-
dunn sized black dog, who for the
past four years, has lead the engine
to the fires. Schwartz is an intelli-
gent animal and always makes
Here is where the chem