The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-06
STEPS IN FIGHTING FIRES.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS
FROM TIME TO TIME.
All the Appliance Now Used in This
Country Are Made aere-Fhe First
Engines of the Hand Pumping and
Steam Pumping Varieties-1tiles
GreenwOOd's work. I4-
From the New York SUI

steam Pumping Varieties-Miles
GreenwOOd's Work. Ia
From the New York Sun.
There is not in general use from the At
lantic to the Pacific a piece of fire appara-
tus or equipment that was not invented
and manufactured in this country. The
system of management and the method of
extinguishing fires Is purely and originally
American. Foreign nations frequently
send men to this country to get new ideas
in fire fighting and as TO fire appliances,
but not since provincial times has this
country sent men abroad for ideas or for
apparatus.
In the early days, when hand fire en-
gines were used exclusively, those built in
this country were much better constructed,
larger, and more powerful than those built
abroad, so much so that soon after build
ing of them began here their importation
from London, where all our earliest en-
gines came from, ceased almost entirely.
In the United States was invented and
first manufactured sueti08,- qFf engines,
successful hose and steam fire engines,
chemical engines, water towers, aerial lad
ders, electric fire alarm telegraph, swing
ing harnesses. sliding po.es and almost
every other minor improvement now in Use
by fire departments. The first permanent
or full-paid force fire company was estab-
hshed here.
Boston was the first municipality on this
continent 10 procure ffEe apparatus of
which there is any record. In 1918 forty
eight years after Boston was settled, it
imported a small hand engine from Eng
land. Forty years later, in l7lS, Phila-
delphia imported its flrst4 engine New
York followed in 1892. Boston had six
before Philadelphia procured its first All
OF these engines We're purchased of Richard
Newsham of London, who built most of the
fire engines used the world oyer at that
time.
David Wheeler, a blacksmith and fore
man of fire company Of Boston, invent
ed and built the first successful Ameri-
can fire engine, in 1865. Several unsuc-
cessful engines were built in Boston and
Philadelphia before that time. Capt.
Wheeler and John Green presented the
new Wheeler engine to me town of Bos-
ton, where it was in service FOR years and
known as Green No. 10, afterward Brooks
No. H. --s-
Sellers & Pennocls Of Philadelphia built
the first successful suction fire engine for
Providence, r. l., in 1922, named Hydrau-
lion, No l. which was one of the won.
ders of that time. and people the country
over went to see il operate. II a once rev.
clutionized the fire service. Other build
ers began the construction of suction en-
gines, and few of the Old style of bucket
filling engines, called tubs" were built
after that. Sellers & Pennock also invent
ed and patented the first eopper-rfveted
leather hose in 1918, the first successful
leather hose ever made. Fabric hose came
into existence with steam IRE engines just
before the wRr of the rebellion
Hose wagons. now almost exclusively
used in all large and many small II fire de-
partments are not modern Invention.
as is generally supposed The first We
hicle was used 10 carry hose in 1903. 1t
was a wagon constructed on the same
principal as the modern hose wagon, ex-
cept that its body was deeper and il was
hauled by hand. 1t was built by Patrick
Lyon, the famous blacksmith and lock-
smith of Philadelphia, who afterward
constructed many of the best hand fire en-
gines ever built. II was built for the
Philadelphia Hose Company the first hose
company on this continent, organized on
Dec. 15 1903
Modern hose wagons first came into per
manent use in Boston in August. 1881 For
many years prior to that time wagons and
pungs had been used in many Departments
having horses TheGGrst htss reel was
used by the Phoenix Hose Company of
Philadelphia in 1915 I
Ladders were usedsin ths-e st+iaguishment
OF fires in the earliest scoloniafe times. but
not until 1T2 was there company organ
lzed with truck to carry the ladders on.
New York having the first ladder com
pany. New York fireman invented the
first successful aerial ladder, Daniel d.
Hayes, afterward of San Francisco. who
in 1868 designed what, is now known as the
hayes aerial ladder. The Skinner, Scott
Oda' and other aerial ladders preceded II,
but none of them was a success e.
The greatest event of Importance in the
history of the American fire. service and
that which brought about the greatest
change was the advent of steam fire en-
gines They came at a time when a change
was most needed in the larger cities TIE
first steam fire engine was built IN 1923 by
George Braithwaite of London and design
ed by Capt. John Ericsson, The second was
built IN 1871 by Paul r. Hodge Of New
YORK These were only partly successful
and were abandoned after a few trials.
Miles Greenwood of Cincinnati built the
first successful steam fire engine in 1899
from plans made by Moses Latta, an in
ventor of note. Necessity was the mother
OF this engine. The Cincinnati fire depart.
ment at that time was in, q very much de-
moralized condition and Composed largely
of an element whose fights and evil doings
caused much dissatisfaction and desire for
a change which seemed almost impossible.
as companies had TO be maintalaed 10 work
the hand engines, and the better element
would have nothing TO do with them.
Miles Greenwood, who had been a fire.
man for many years when the depart
ment was more respectable, saw the rene
dy for the evils and the only remedy In
steam fire engines and at his own expense
he constructed one in crude form as an ex-
pertinent at his extensive iron works. This
engine had a public test In the presence of
thousands on March p 1852. 1t was a great
success-so much 50. that Ihe CitY Council
at once appropriated 5000 for the con
struction Of a complete and perfect one.
The new engine, named Uncle Joe Ross"
in honor of the alderman who introduced
the ordinance for ITS purchase, was the
first successful steam fire engine ever own
ed by a city or town in this country and
used for any length Of time in active SER
vice. Its first service occurred one Sunday
evening in May, 1852, and the volunteer
firemen attempted ito kill IT," to use their
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