St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-19

tation addresses were made by G. L.
Emerson, president of the council, and
c. 81. Williams, for the department;
Foreman R. c. Wiley, for Hope" and
Foreman H. P. Groat, for ''Minneha-
ha"
THE PRESENTATION
took place at Rice park. The easy in
formality IN social matters of those
days is illustrated by the following
invitation received and read at the
time and publicly read to the depart
ment by its chief:
csl Fuller :, House, St Paul. Nov. 5. 1855
Sir: You are respectfully invited to extend
your line of march in your parade today as
lar as the Fuller house. and partake of a few
refreshments and strengthened" Yours
very respectfully, S. Long
Per j. c. Hooper"
It was thereupon unanimously Re
solved, That we accept the liberal in
E1tation, and call round there" After
parade of the principal streets of the
city and the reception at the Fuller
mouse the two engine companies as
sembled for a rival squirt for the
purpose of testing the respective ca
paclty of the two machines and the
ABILITY of the companies to handle
them. The engines were quickly
placed and manned-they accommo-
dated about forty men each-and very
shortly began to surge like ships in
to Jump 'er." An unofficial record of
the test states that single streams
were thrown through an inch nozzle
and 200 feet of hose 40 feet horizon
tally, and 120 feet high; but no one has
ever been able to say which engine
earned the victory. Both companies
claimed it, and the surviving members
maintain the same position today.
from that time on the engine COM
panies were able to do splendid work,
and the record of fires, which is a long
one, SHOWS the great efficiency of both
companies at all times. In after years,
when the steamers came to take the
place of these hand engines, the lat
ter were sold by the city to smaller
towns Of the state. The first cost of
the two engines was $1,000.
ENGINE HOUSES.
In 1859 houses were built for the sew
eral companies, the Pioneer hook and
ladder house on the southeast corner
of Fifth and Wabasha streets, which
| in 1874 became the court house and was
so used until the present city hall and
court house was completed; Hope en-
| CINE house, on the south side of Third
! street, at the crossing of Washington;
| Minnehaha engine house, on the east
| side of jackson street, near Fourth
| The plans were prepared by A. Il.
Knight, and each building was fur
nished with a cupola or belfry The
! houses were two story, about twenty
five feet wide and sixty deep, and OF
brick. President Emerson, of the city
| council, who was the leading munich
pal economist of those days, thought
the buildings too elaborate, and the
| cost, $500 for the three, extravaganza
The cupolas Ghey called them cupa-
| los them We're particularly obnoxious
| to him and he complained bitterly OF
| so young town as st. Paul putting
| on such frills as to build and main
| tain 1.-The three finest engine houses
| in the country-perfect palaces" But
others thought differently, the plans
| were carried out, cupolas and all, anG
| the fire companies and apparatus fifty
| housed. The Pioneer and Hope houses
were torn down a. good many years
| ago, but the Minnehaha house still
stands, having been moved to the west
| side of Jackson street midway be
tween Fourth and Fifth, where it now
is. If any one is curious to know what
THE FINEST ENGINE HOUSE
in the country-perfect palace" wa:
according to the standard of 80, le
| him go down there and inspect tn,
quaint old structure with it's old-stylt
cornice, bow windows and weather
stained front. An exterior view will
| suffice.
The volunteer department of st
Paul during It's twenty years of activ
service has had thirteen chief en-
gineers, as follows: Washington M
Stees, Nov, "a, to July Ia, '57,- c. H. Will
Jams. July, 81. to August, go; j. B
Irvine, Aug. go, to Nov,60; w. T
Donaldson, Nov, 80, to Nov, 81; ]
E. Missen, Nov, 81, to Nov. '62; L
| H. Eddy. Nov. 80, to Nov, SO; B. Ro
deck, March. 63, to Nov, 63; J. c. A
Pickett, Nov, '63. to Nov, "a; c. H
Williams, Nov. '64, to April, sc; B
Presley, April. sc, to Nov, '6S; Franz
Breuer, Nov, 6S, to Nov, 10; J.
Prendergast, Nov. 10, to Nov, III; r
o. Strong, Nov, II, to Nov, '72; M
B Farrell, Nov, IL, to Jan, TO- abou
| which time