The sun., 1897-12-21
OVER TIE CENTURY MARK.
Friendship Fire Company 122
Years Old.
OLDER THAN THE NATION.
----------
Was Established Before the Liberty
Bell Proclaimed Our Independence.
A century Old.
Older than our nation.

Older than our nation.
Established before the clarion tongue
of the old liberty bell proclaimed our in
dependence.
Tomorrow the Friendship Fire Com
pany will be one hundred and twenty
two years old. They own a perpetual
charter and that is something which can
be found in Wilmington in but two other
instances. The Bank OF Delaware has
one and also the Reliance Fire Company.
The Friendship Fire Company was in
stituted on December q, l775.
VIM. Hemphill was the man chosen by
his associates to be the first president.
He was born in, l743 and in 1923 he died,
very near the spot where was born.
The following are names OF the charter
members OF this company, all of whom
have long since passed away: Jacob
Broome, Israel Brown, Nicholas Way,
George Harvey, John Thedwell, John
White, Patrick O'Flynn, Joshua Jack
son, John Morton, David j. Adams,
John Moore, Phillip BonsaIl,
Francis Robenson, John Mckinley,
John Ferris, David Brent,
ton, Henry Troth, Benjamin Alrichs,
William Piuright, John Springer, John
Betson, David Park. Henry Paschall,
Nathan Miner, William Woodcock,
John Tripp, Robert Hamilton, Joseph
Gilpin, Jonathan Rumford, Jacob Rus
sci, Bancroft Woodcock, Joseph Warner,
William Look, Obadiah Denger, Nathan
Wood, James Dobson, Ralph Walker,
Thomas Crow, John Surn ell, Joseph
Townsend, Vincent Gilpin, Peter Bryn-
burg. Benjamin Mendenhall, Nicholas
Sellers, Thomas Jefferis.
John Clark, Joseph Lawson, Thomas
Wilson, James Robinson, Jr., Bezaliel
Morley, George Speakman, Samuel Rush,
Henry Reynolds, William Robinson,
Jacob Sellars, John Bush, Joseph Daw-
son, Joseph Poole, John Way, Luther
Thomas, Benjamin Look, William
Hemphill and John Lindsay.
Each member pledged himself to fur
nish two leather buckets and one larger
wicker basket for use during the fire.
The buckets were for use to carry water
in to put out the fire, and the wicker
basket was to carry articles saved from
tine fire to place of safety. These were
left in charge Of two men appointed by
the company, and were known as
property Guards"
Each member was also required to
place light candle in the front room OF
his house on the occasion of fire at
night, to signify that he had been noti'
fiel and had gone to the scene of the
confagration If such a light was moi
displayed, members passing this mem.
ber's house were required to stop and
notify him of the fire.
AT the time of the institution of the
company, the borough Of Wilmington
had in its possession two hand fire ell
gines, and the company pctitioned for
and was granted the use and control OF
them.
During that period running through
the Revolutionary War fire matters in
Wilmington came to stnndstill. Peace
being declared, the company got down
to business again, as the records show
that in 1854 the company sent petition
to the Town Council praying for the use
Of the Town Hall for meeting purposes.
This request was granted. This hall
stood at the corner of Second and Market
Streets and was called the "Town Hail. "
or the Common Hall" The company
met there in October, l7S4, and held
their first meeting in public place.
This meeting was presided over by Ban
craft Woodcock.
The first house owned by the company
stood on Sixth street near Market. 1t
was removed however, in the year 1887,
on Queen street, now Fifth. From here
they removed in 1900 to the N. Il. coVner
Of Sixth and Shipley streets, in 1920 to
Market below Seventh street, in 1916 to
Ninth and King streets, in lS49 to Or
ange above Tenth street and in 1859 to
West Tenth at the head Of Shipley street
their present home.
The Friendship members are proud OF
OF the record Of their company. Well
hey may be. When one pursues their
past history, and realizing the fact that
they are older than the nation itself;
when we stop to consider that its charter
members heard the joyful tidings that
were waited from Philadelphia by the
old bell, that liberty had been proclaimed
throughout the land to all the inhabitants
thereof; when we are satisfied that some
of their members bore the hardships and
laid down their lives on the field Of bat
tie that liberty might be forever; when
we know that many of the members OF
this company now living risked their
lives in the service of the country; that
many of them have filled positions OF
trust and honor in National, State and
Municipal affairs, and today it stands
honored and respected by the citizens of
Wilmington, whose interests it has SO
long and so nobly protected, then we
know that they have right to be proud
of their organization.
The home of the company is a four
story, iron-front building with a two
story tower The total height from the
ground to the top of the tower is l3G
feet The engine room is fitted with oil
the latest patent appliances for making
quick time in responding to alarms.
The second story front rooms, used for
meetings and social purposes, are ele-
gantly furnished, while to the rear will
be found the bnnk and bath rooms.
The third floor is fitted up with a pool
table, shuttle board, and various other
games. The fourth floor is used as q
banquet room.
The present equipment Of the company
consists of one second size lAFrance
steam engine, one four-wheel Silsby hosa
cart, With two three gallon frs sxtin.