The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-30

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the fire department at that time. and
later, was succeeded by Millspaugh,
druggist, who subsequently was elected
city treasurer, and who defaulted with
some $4,000 of the City's funds, and since
has never been heard Of. Then G. w.
ROesler was put in as chief of the de-
partment About 1861 the Citizens Fire
association was organized and issued
stock in shares varying from s. to SIC
and upward in amount, and contribu-
tions from the people were also solicited
with which TO purchase a secondhand
steam engine for Nay Aug Hose company
No. l. Even at this late date, leather
hose was almost exclusively used.
Scranton from the time the Union Hook
and Ladder company dlsbanded, forward
until 1856, did not have a single hook and
ladder company in the city. In the lat
ter year, Sheriff Robinson Chief Ferber
and some others, saw the necessity OF
organizing company of that kind. which
they effected through the personal con-
tributions of the most liberal minded OF
our citizens This company, however
was not admitted to the Scranton Fire
department until several years later, aud
then under protest.
The first time the councils of the city
of Scranton ever bought a steam or
other fire apparatus for the use of the
city was in 1874 when they purchased
|
No. L. The following year they made an
other appropriation to buy a steam fire
engine for Franklin Engine company No.
| l; but the committee which they APP
pointed to negotiate the purchase got into
Il wrangle among themselves. and the
result was they bought two engines in
stead of one.
They were housed in the Franklin En-
Gine companys house, and in 1877 reso-
luton was offered in councils placing one
of them, the Silsby engine, in charge OF
the Franklin company, and the other,
Clapp & Jones machine. in the posses
sion of Neptune company No. 2. In this
year the organization known as the
Board of District Engineers" was form
ed by electing H. F. Ferber president.
The next steam fire engine was bought
by Chief Ferhcr, who in connection with
Herman Notz, was appointed the pur-
chasing committee for the same by the
councils This was a La France en-
gine" made by the La France Manufac-
turing company, Of Elmira, N. Y. 1t
was given to the General Phinney Engine
company No. 4.
About 1S7S-79 one of the most terrible
catastrophes with which Scranton has
ever been visited took place. This was
the destruction by fire Of the orphan asy-
lum, in which seventeen boys were roast
ed and smothered to death. Another
great fire, which occurred in 1873, was the
| burning of the Clln Locomotive works,
| owned by the Dickson Manufacturing
company, which involved the loss OF prop
crty valued at between 100000 and $780,
| 0CO Still another important fire, away
| back In the sixties was the burning of
the Lackawanna Iron and Coal company's
mill on the South Side, when the flremen
had to take their hard engines into
Roaring Brook for suction, as there was
no fire plugs in that part of the city in
those days.
PREVIOUS CONVENTION.
| The convention Of the Pennsylvania
| state Firemen association was held in
| Scranton in 1883. Chief Ferber, William G.
| Robinson and D. j. Newman were APP
| pointed n committee to visit Bradford,
| Pa, to arrange for it's coming here. On
| this occasion the fire department OF
Scranton gave their visiting brethren an
| elaborate reception. There were no dis
| sensions in the ranks then. All was har-
mony of feeling and unity of action. Mr..
| Ferber in the race for chief, beat Mr.
| S. B. Stillwell, and then made the latter
| grand marshal of the parade which took
| place thereafter. Along about this time
the introduction of the Gamewell system
| and LegEett's Creek gong were strongly
| urged, but failed on account of the ac-
| tion Of the councils. A year later, 1875.
however, the electric fire alarm was
adopted at cost of about $4,000
| In May, 1894, a law was enacted by the
| legislature of the state allowing the 2ia
| per centum tax collected from the foreign
insurance companies doing business in
| the state, TO be paid to the disabled fire.
mons fund. The firemen of the state are
| indebted for this measure of justice to the
representatives and senators of Lacka-
| wanna county.
Our fire department has been extreme
| ly fortunate in the selection of its chiefs.
They all have been careful and good men,
and have used their utmost endeavors
for the welfare of the companies. The
| department since its organization in 1868
| has had nine chief ef gireers, as follows:
| c. w. Roesler, Eroch Page, Henry f..
Ferber, S. B. Stillwell, S. V. Huntington,
Henry +. FeTber. L. Zizleman, Henry f.
| Ferber, Enoch Page, H. r. Madison,
Henry +, Ferber, p. ]. Hickey, and John
II. Walker, the present incumbent of the
office.
The fire department as constituted at
present, is composed of five steamer COM
panies eight hose companies, one hook
and ladder company, two chemical engine
| companies, and two combination wagons
chemical and hose).
Smoke the Pocono SC. Cigar.