Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-05-29
lSO2--10O3.
Oriqin and Growth Of Our Fire
Department.
ONE HUNDRED AND ONE YEARS OLD

A Short Sketch of the Remarkable
Record of that Valuable Institu-
tiOn--A Bit Of Ancient History.
Next Mouday morning fifteen year
ago the present popular and efficient
Fire Department took the place of the
Volunteers, the organization having
been effected on May %, 1888, with
Thomas kivlighan, chief, post he
has filled to the satisfaction of all since
that date. OF the original members
only three remain-CEief Kivlighan,
Daniel Kingan, Assistant Chief for the
tpasE fourteen years, and Dennis Brown.
1t is unnecessary for me to point
here the work done by the department
lit is known all over the State-and
all Of us know the worth of chat insti
tuition, and feel safe under it's protec-
tion. At the same time it Is we'll to
keep in mind that the men belonging
to it are not always riding on the
truck, and that more than once they
nave faced situations disheartening
enough to discourage even the bravest.
Only a few are needed as illustrations.
Take for instance.
The Bowling & SPOTS fire-May /,
1S3S-which will never be forgotten by
those present. The seething and roar
ing mass of fire fed by exploding oil
barrels, and revolving like huge
wheel, rivulets of fire running in all
directions, and the intense heat, made
it about the hardest to fight that
StauntOn has suffered from.
The Ben Crum fire-February q,
190I-one of the coldest nights of that
remarkable cold winter, when the men
at the nozzle had to be frequently re.
lieved on account of the severity of the
weather, and hal to be on duty for
more than twenty four hours. to pre-
vent it's spreading and causing further
damage. This fire will become legen-
Diary in the annals of the department,
as the ashes smouldered till mid sum-
mer, and close watch kept on that
spot until the debris was removed.
A few minutes after O'Clock on the
evening Of the 23rd of February last,
the City Gas House caught on fire and
exploded. This, undoubtedly, was the
most dangerous to fight, as there was
no telling at what time other explo-
siOns might occur, and hurl into eter-
nifty the men who were trying to subdue |
the fiery monster. Their bravery on
that occasion is more than enough to |
entitle them to the everlasting graft |
tude, not only of those pecuniarily |
interested, but Of all concerned in the |
welfare of Staunton.
A LIVELY YOUNaSTER.
Stanton Hose Volunteer Co. No. 2,
Sears Hill, is the youngest organiza-
ton, having been organized June 21,
1898, with Walter D. Hoge as captain. |
This company is fine body of young |
men and a valuable adjunct to the de- ]
partment. When called the nimble- |
footed volunteers race the reel to the |
spot where they can do the most good,
and attend to the work assigned with |
vim that nothing could repay. The
company is commanded by Capt. J. A. |
Shuey, an old fire-fghter, as were it's |
other commanders, including Frank |
J. Bergin and J. J. Kilgalen. The |
record of the company from the day of |
iJs organization to the present, is an
exceedingly creditable one.
ABOUT THE OLD TIMERS.
From 1876 uutll the present depart |
ment took charge, saw a great deal
Of the work done by the Augusta Fire |
Company and the Newtown Hose Com
sany. They we're volunteers sure, and |
if fire made any headway, it was not !
their fault, but because the unac- |
countabie happened, which is general |
ly the case in a crisis. They knew also
how to enjoy themselves, and at their
annual picnic they would ''chassez'' or
balance in the corner in the old-time
quadrilles, to the cadenclng strains of
Prof" KOontz's orchestra, or enjoy
going through the graceful figures of
the Lancers with the same zest that
made them leave their warm bed on a
cold winter night at the first sound of
the bell. 1 would like to see some of
our old citizens write about the volun-
teers-Jack Hardy, Travers Phillips,
Hunt" Sherer, Tom Crowder, The.
Long. Charlie Burschell, and the men
under them-it would make interest
ing reading.
This article would not be compile te
unless something is said about the
origin of the department, and thanks
to that affable gentleman, City Clerk
Newton ArgeLbright, l am able to
give the readers OF the SPECTATOR
the following interesting
BIT OF ANCIENT HISTORY.
BY an Act OF the General Assem- bly,
passed December 23rd, 1901, the house
| keepers and freehoiders of Staunton
met at the court house on the 3rd Mon
day in March, 1902, and elected by
ballot twelve persons to serve as may
or, recorder, aldermen, and common
councilmen. They were Jacob SwOope,
Walter Heron, David Greiner. Philip
Hopkins, William Chambers, Samuel
Blackburn, Jacob Leas, Michael Har
man, John Mcdowell, John Bowyer,
Michael CARRIER and Andrew Uarouff.
They assembled sin council for the
borough of Staunton on March Goth,
!lS02," and elected Jacob Swoope may