Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-03-03

HHmneu Hml,, rom tWo 70 -FOUR OF these fire
name of the owner and the number OF
the bucket. Most of you have seen some
OF these oblong leather buckets and can
hume ans on r9Ws sts of then that
IN lty9 the hrst fire organization by the
| town was, made by the appointment OF
sms M,M following fire ,wardens: Elias Craig
| George Crosby, Samuel Howard. Jr.,
samuel Cony 20. These fire wartiens were
really nlt. important officers. The late Mr.
/, days Of the fire department.. said that,
when an alarm was sounded everyone
ran CARRYING pals and buckets. When
the fire was reached long lines were
formed by the wardens. who were armed
with fong red poles with an AK and hool;
on the end. These lines extended from
tme % IRE to the nearest water supply, gen.
the fun buckets which We're passed rapid
y and returned empty down the other.
Mr. Bridges father and Mr.. Williams
J gave the first church and fire bell In Au-
The wardens compelled both sexes to
take part In the work, especially in the
larger fires: 1t being the custom to COM
PEI PEI the ,p,n women s and chidren to pass back
note any lettering In the line 1t was GUS
| tomary to put more alacrity into the
workers by giving the lazy ones sharp
desertions the hook would be inserted s
into the collar or the slack of the pants
and the deserter forcibly returned to the
ranks. After the fire each man would re-
,over his own buckets and with his women
md children return home. Some Of our
older families still retain these old
buckets. but the most of them. have long
since gone the way of all the world
am unable to give the exact date of
the purchase of the first Augusta fire
engine although Capt. Nash records it In
MS pleasantly written account of Au-
n NrD.l N1,t. ,t,,, y.ts
the old Washngtonian. and was not SO
named. as her name might indicate, on
account OF cold water movement by
that. name Of later date, but from pure
holding in her tank about a hogshead
full of water Sometimes the engine,
when IN action, was placed in position
near the fire and filled from an adjacent
pump. and sometimes at a point midway
between the fire and the water supply:
n which. case her tank was filled by the
erred. To show her small capacity / Will
say that the bucket line could fill her
aster than she could be emptied by the
'rakemen. Sne was, lily supplied with
eet each. and while she may have been
considered formidable at the time of her
purchase she really had not as much force
IS an ordinary garden hose today.
This engine was the only one owned by
Augusta until some time after 1885. In
he papers of that time l see constant
.ommunications complaining of this en-
zine which We're particularly angry after
the destruction of the Cony mansion,
April II. 1894. ] would here note that at
hat time and for very many years after
Hallowell rendered each other mutual
assistance in the case of fire alarm.
should an alarm sound in Hallowell the
augusta fremen went to the State House
where notice was sent them whether
heir services were required or not: ana
m case the fire was in Augusta. The
1allowell iiremen came TO the slaughter
louse plains for the same purpose. Some
ines they would not wait for the word
nut push on to the scene ut once.
And here let me call your attention to
ne fact that these were both country
owns or villages at this time. Hallowell
being pushing. thriving place made
most important by its being 4 center
rom which river traffic diverted itself
nland. The inhabitants of the two
owns. as in all villages. were well known
o each other: and. as certain military ex-
mpticns We're offered tirenen. as well as
rom sense of mutual protection, the
members of these volunteer companies
we're often among the largest property
holders. No better idea can he given of
lay. socially and otherwise, than to say
hat the village cooperation in 1885 APP
pointed as lire wariens Reuel Williams
.harles keene, William Pilsbury. Thomas
w. Smith and William X. Weston. To
hose familiar with the history of Au-
yusta 10 comment is necessary TO show
he high social and political standing of
hese men. one account Cf n fire in 1S3a
represents Governor Kent, he of Maine
went. hell bent for Governor Kent fame
Us being at a large fire on Water street,
working like a Trojan on the engine
brakes and welding the heavy fire hook
10 help pull down Il couple of buildings.
imagine my good friend Henry B. Cleaves
toing this! And yet it was the custom OF
he time. Somewhere in the early thir-
les captain or major. Ripley. command
ng the arsenal. sent to Philadelphia ana
purchased the tub Uncle Sam" Though
lot properly connected with the local de-
)artment. this engine played a very con-
iderable part in the fire history of Au-
ire after her arrival until her destruc-
ion after the arrival of the steamer.
tirefy. which was purchased earlier than
$40 and placed by the government at the
title use with the present hydrant sys-
.em.
If there was any regularly organized
ystem or companies at this time | am
Unable to learn anything of them. al
hough as / have pointed out there We're
re wardens appointed by the town and
possibly company organization. 1t is |
lot until a meeting of March 25, 1si3 that
have any authentic record. On this eve
ling. a meeting was held with Il. Richards
IS chairman and S. S. Brooks as secre- ]
ompany. to man the Deluge. l presume
his engine Delugc, was purchased in
S39. for at an adjourned meeting held
.wo days later Mr.. Geo. w. Jones, who |
had been. appointed as committee to
lraft the bylaws reported the bylaws of |
he Augusta Engine Co. as adopted by /
hem Nov. II, 1879. The name was !
hanged at this meeting to the Augusta
Deluge Fire Company.
Let me tell you something of this COM
,any. 1t consisted of a first. second and |
bird director. an engineer and an assis- |
ant. The duty of the first engineer was
% preside ana to take command of the |
engine in case of fire; the second director |
1ad charge of the suction hose; the third, 1
% attend the discharging hose; the engi- |
leers. to keep the engine lin order at all |
lines and in all respects" The monthly |
meetings were at seven p. M. in the win |
:er and at five P. NJ. in the summer ITO |
oe reckoned by B. Swans time In this |
,ompany's roll appear seventy names as |
'igners and not one of the older families |
of the city is unrepresented there
On the day of this second meeting at !
2 O'Clock the members met for the pur- !
pose of working the engine. 1t was sta
was furnished with water from his Gel /
ar. (as this was in the time of melting |
snow Mr.. Clapp seems to have played |
foxy in getting the water out of his cell |
iarD After pumping for. an hour or so !
hey felt satisfied the engine was worthy |
)f her name and so went to the town |
landing and pumped again.
At the next monthly meeting a COM
mittee was appointed to furnish a clam
chowder, and "other refreshments as
they thought desirable" Let me quote
from their records: Voted, That Reu- /
4A -