Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-29
A VETERAN FIREMAN.
Alexander McCausIand An En-
CINE Driver 20 Years.
First Served Under Chief Vickery---
"reminiscences Of the Time.
The Products OF Journal Mans Chat With
the Genial Driver.


put down as a fact that the Cushnoc
Hose wagon. driven by Alexander Nc
Causland. Will make the run To a fire
in as quick time as any team within
the limits of this State, or of any other
state. He is always on time be ii in
the might or day.
Alexander McCausland or ALEC" as
he is called, has held the ribbons be-
hind the horses that have run to many
fires in the past % years in this city.
that he has not attended. During all
that period since April &. 1870. ne has
been the driver Of the CushnOc COM
pany, with the exception Of about tWD
years when the Democrats We're in
power over the city affairs. He was
out then. for there is nowhere in the
city slauncher follower Of Republi-
canism than Alec. He was always
that way ana has been helped out i'm
mensely by reading the Daily Kenne-
bee Journal for the past 81 years He
began taking the Journal 81 years aga.
and has never since that time failed to
look, each morning. al the paper Ii
comes in as part Of his daily routine,
70 look at the Journal after feeding his
pair Of 1906 pound beauties Of horse
flesh that are the pride of the city.
Speaking Of these horses ne says re-
luctantly that he supposes their day is
about over. They have been used five
years. ana that is the average length
of time the fire horses are used. The
city needs another team, and they Will
doubtless be taken for that team. Will
another pair of beauties that will out
weigh these when in condition may
soon be standing in the stalls waiting
for the fire alarm.
He has parted with many pairs Of
horses. though, since he has been in
the business. ana will be ready To
break in the new horses when the time
comes.
Times have changed since | was
first appointed 70 this position in 1870, =
remarked Mr.. McCausland. the other
evening to the Journal who called %
look over the fire station. II was
p. Q. Vickery, as it so happened thai
in those days this position was one
that was not desired. l accepted the
position, leaving u job as night watch.
which was what was then the police
force. Since that time | have been on
duty here with The exception Of about
two years"
He showed the Journal group Of
four framed pictures that We're hang
ing on the wall at one end of the nall,
where the meetings Of the fire COM
plnies are held. The large picture in
the center Of the group was easily dis
tinguishable as that Of Hon. +. o.
Vickery, while the one on the left was
undoubtedly that Of City Marshal
Henry T. Morse. On the left was the
picture of Chief Charles w. Kicker.
but who was the one just below that Of
! p o. Vickery? II was matter IF
! doubt until Alec explained that it was
| the Hon. p. O. Nickery az he ap-
! peared 80 years ago in his full beard.
And they are all three Of them nice
men," quoth Alec as he looked at the
! three men, the present chief and the
Two former ones.
To digress from the subject the
room of the meetings Of the depart
m"nt is an Interesting one from q point
of view of fireman. Here are the
pictures Of former companies. Us we'll
as picture after picture Of the old han
tubs and the fire engines. with scenes
of the fire that stirs the blood in every
fireman's heart. over one side is the
| motto. our Duty, Our Pride" Here
| is the chiefs speaking trumpet that is
| seldom. if ever, used, with pipes that
came from the old engine. Then there
is 4 long show nozzle that used to be
carried to all the musters with the old
fashioned hand tubs. In this room twu
Of The firemen sleep every night. 50
that with Mr.. McCausland ana his son.
the steward of the company. there are
four Of the company at the engine
house every night
When | first came on as a driver -
continued Alec. I'VE kept the horses in
the floor where the hose wagon now
stands. | occupied the rent over the
house. where | now live. as at present.
The steamer CushnOc was kept in n
brick house on State street lust south
of the school building. When there
was fire | would get out my horses.
At the same time if it was in the night.
| Lendall Titcomb or Daniel Whitehouse
who had keys to the engine house.
| would go over and run out the steam
er. 1t happened so that the steamer
house was just large enough to back in
the machine and take off the pole. 90
that we had to put on the pole every