Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-11-27
A Famous Fire Station.

1t was the exploits of John Brown,
October 16, 1859, that made it famous,
and but for that event it probably
would never have been heard of out
side oil that vicinity.
At time of the insurrection-which
is familiar story to all-the building
was used as FIRE engine station by
the .. S. Government, for which pur-
pose it was erected about 1912. 1t
then housed two hand engines, the
Liberty, "a double deck suction machine,
and the Rough and Ready, an old style
bucket tub, and two hose carts.
John Brown used the engines to bar
the doors, and when they were battered
in by the troops and Brown and his
man taken prisoners, the engines were
rolled back to their usual positions
uninjured. They both disappeared
before the commencement of the war,
one going to Winchester, and possibly
may now be in existence somewhere.
There were no organized companies
for the engines. the U. S. Arsenal
employees operated them when there
was a FIRE.
The building has not been used as
a fire station since before the war. In
1893 it was taken to the Worlds Fair
at Chicago as an exhibit. After the
Fair it was returned to Harper g Ferry
and replaced within a mile or two OF
its former position and will so remain
as a relic of Ossawatomie Brown
his famous raid of forty-two years
ago.
The bell which once rang out ..the
alarm from its cupola is not there now.
1t is many miles awey at Marlboro,
Mass, in possession of the G. A. R.
of that city. 1t left Harper's Ferry
in 1862 and arrived at Marlboro thirty
years later.
Company of the 18th Massachu-
sets Volunteer Regiments was recruit
ed at Marlboro. There were num-
Der of fremen in its ranks. It's drum
mer was James NJ. Gleason, now a
resident of that city and for many
years a member of its fire department,
foreman of the Torrent Hand Engine
Company No. l, an assistant engineer,
and now member ofthe Charles Town,
Mass, Veteran Association, and
foreman Of its hand engine, formerly
the Torrent of Marlboro.
In March, 1862, this company was
on duty at Harper's Ferry and its
members determined to secure the bell,
if possible, and send it to the Marlboro
Fire Department as a relic. They
would probably have taken an engine
had there been one there to take. Mr..
Gleason and his companions succeeded
in securing the bell, carried it across
the river into Maryland, but instead
of sending it home it was dumped into
a canal and remained there for some
time until leave was obtained from
official sources to kept. A box was
made for it and when the company
was ordered to Join the regiment at
Williamsport, Nd, in October, they
took the bell along with them. Here
it was left on storage with a lady
until enough money could be saved
from the sutler to pay freightage to
Marlboro. 1t remained there thirty
years.
In 1892 the National G. A. r. en-
campment was held at Washington,
D. c., and Mr.. Gleason was one of the
delegates. With some others be made
trip to Williamsport, visited the lady
which whom the bell was left in 1862,
and in her back yard found the bell.
She was paid $3.50 for its care and
storage, which was raised among
friends of the G. A. R. at Marlboro.
The bell was frequently used while
at Williamsport to celebrate political
victories, but none supposed it was
formerly on John Browns Fort; had
they known it the bell would not now
be at Marlboro.
1t has been placed on the outside
of the G. A. R. building on the main
street in public view and is one ofthe
principal historical objects of interest
in that city. 1t was first rung in its
present position by the lady, Mrs.
Insiminger, of Williamsport, who
cared for it for thirty years, who was
then on visit to that city.
naooeite i've, sir. nm 000