Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-03-03

through the goose-necks and three from
the tank. The first uniform OF this com.
shirts, red leather belts and black pants
with loose ieggings: The helmet bore the
proud motto, Relief our Watchword.' !
In .isS4 read that , the Atantic,s aa uniform
pants trimmed with gold lace. and cloth
caps trimmed with the same, to cost from
ten to fifteen dollars"
Mareh 5 ne co vas of t
tion Of that engine is as follows: Since
our last regular meeting the company has
been called out several times to work the
machine. which arrived on the morning
of May II. per steamer Ocean. On -
same afternoon. we took her out and
through $50 feet of hose. we forced an
inch stream Of water over the weather
cock on the South Parish church. 40 feet
high. without even wetting the tail
feathers Of said rooster.
"On the following Monday, we were
water from the river through 200 feet OF
hose 20 feet above the Stanley House and
clear over 1t into Commercial street. We
also threw an inch stream l89 feet hori-
zontally several times"
l will not try to tell you OF the more
recent days since the purchase OF the
Cushnoc steamer In 1865. You all remem-
Der how she was first called out to a fire
In the barracks at Camp Coburn, and
how short time later she took such a
great part in the terrible Great Fire.
That calamity would have been spared
had not the niggardiy policy Of one man
purchase of new hose; and. when the
trial came. the old leather pipes were
ripped as II by knives and the IRE be-
came uncomfortable.
Our present fire department was reor-
ganiZcd to meet the changed condition
brought about by the present water sys-
tenn. which has made fro machinery 9TH
er than hose carts almost unnecessary
hara A Time In har hfutar
gusta had better or more intelligent lot
of young men serving as french. than
those who today make up her five or six
nose ss;,e companes; on .o They are among you
self. The chiefs In this service have al
ways been popular and worthy, and.
without intentional disparagement to any
OF the others, l desire to mention the
marked ability. personal courage and de-
votiOn to duty that lave been shown by
Fri Wills. r. o. vickery. =. W. Harlow.
Henry r. Morse and the present incum-
position.
In drawing to close. let me tell you
little story Of one OF my friends In his
younger days Green Fiagg was an ar
dent fireman and as a boy often ran on
the machine with him. In one of the old
days of smaller locomotives when the Cush-
noe was on the way to fire down Bridge
blocked bloc ts the way. The iHfen little locomotive on tive
strained to clear one half OF the crossing.
Green. exasperated with the delay
rushed to the rear end Of the cars and
the locomotive. while the lookers-on
yelled encouragement. II his judgmen.
failed, certainly no person could doub'
the sincerity and ardor Of the zeal dis
played.
I have endeavored to give you "A hasty
and imperfect sketch OF what Is really a
great safeguard of our city. II is unfor-
tunate that carelessness In the custody
nf valnab records n ha1iaf haf bax
are of no particular value often leads &c
the loss OF historical matter of which
there Is no possible replacing Somewhere
II not destroyed. these books and rec.
ords are lying as old lumber. which would
give US the completed story of this de
partment and the men who have been in
IL. Is 1t not IL lesson to US all to remem-
ber that this Historical society offers to
everyone a safe and proper place for the
custody of all such material and the
and ono things which are of
public interest or historical reminders?
Just one word in closing this paper
gers of A fireman's life. Called ON at al.
hours OF the day and night to do duty
involving the hardest kind Of physical
work: facing death from accidents and
exposure and fighting with mind and
body against a terribly fierce and devas
tating element. no words of praise can
be too strong for the simple manliness
With which they heroically conquer their
.nemy. The pay is insufficient and is lit
lie or no temptation to the young man;
I is only strong eense of public duty
hat induces the men to stand between
is and the loss of our property and some
lines Of life itself. Let every one
If us remember this and when within
,ur power. extend the aid of our influence
md our contributions when called on to
lssist in keeping up the splendid reputa-
ion for zeal. courage and intelligence
which has marked Augustus firemen 70.
me hundred years.