New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-12-23
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New Ulm Fire Department the very
best obtainable, for in 1887 the un-
wieldly hand pump was superseded by
more modern apparatus.
STEAM ENGINE PURCHASED.
After much discussion it was decid-
ed to Iurchase q steam fire engine and
when the machine arrived cisterns
were put down at Second South and
Minnesota, Center and Minnesota,
Second North and Minnesota, Fourth
North and Minnesota, Fourth North
and State, Center and State, First
North and German, First South and
Valley. At the present time all of
these reservoirs are in good repair
and form second line of defense for
the city, a precaution which would
prove invaluable were the water mains
to fail ia the hour of need.
In the year 1883 the local department
joined the Minnesota State Fireman's
association and sent as DELEGATE to
the meeting at Albert Lea, Chief Peter
Herrian and Messrs. Wd. Eibner and
Albert Nicklaus. The following year.
the waterworks system was established
and this led to the forming Of two
hose companies, for whom reel carts
We're purchased in 1890. Four years
later the city bought the old hook and
ladder wagon to replace superan-
nuated piece of apparatus which had
been in service since 1876, and to &C
commodate theacquisition an addition
to the enginehouse was built in 1895.
= That year, also, saw the organiza-
ton of local branch of the Firemen's
Relief association. When first inaug-
urated this society divided one per
cent of the premiums paid by the fire
insurance companies doing business
in Minnesota, but the amount has
since been increased to two per cent
and the revenue derived is put to
good use in assisting fremen who are
disabled in the performance of their
duty.
Horses were introduced into the de-
partment in 1898: when Hose Company
No. l was given it's present serviceable
wagon, and in 1900 the Gamewell fire
alarm system was installed. Prior to
that year system which operated on
a similar plan had been in use but it
was not as reliable and did not give
as good service as has been received
from the Gamewell. Hose Company
No. 3 secured it's new wagon in 1901,
the last piece of apparatus to be pur-
chased until this summer.
STATE FIREMEN'S CONVENTION.
No sketch of the local department
would be complete without mention of
the firemen's convention held here in
1902. At the meeting of the Minnesota
State Firemen's association, held at
Austin, Mimi, in June, 1900, Chief
Henry Engel was elected second vice
president of the state association and
in 1902 the big meeting came to New
Ulm. AS is the custom it was held in
June and the Minnesota FIRE fighters
are still talking of the reception which
was given them. To entertain their
guests the New Ulm men expended
money lavishly and they had the
satisfaction of preparing the most
satisfactory program ever carried out
at any previous convention.
F, RECORD FOR EFFICIENCY.
To the credit of the men who have
served the city so long and faithfully
it may be said that there are few places
the size of New Ulm that have been so
immune from serious fires. In more
than forty years there have been less
than dozen where the property loss
has been great and this excellent
showing is due largely to the fine work
of the department.
Aside from the burning of the town
during the Indian battles of 1862, when
the savage incendiaries applied the
torch to nearly all of the buildings in
the outlying sections, there were no
fires of Importance during the first
years. Early in the 70's, however, the
city was visited by several serious
CONGREGATIONS, the first of which was
probably the most damaging. It oc
CURED on the night of Nov. 20, 1873.
when match was carelessly thrown
into a heap of rubbish saturated with
kerosene and five store buildings north
Of the Crone property were destroyed
The blaze originated in the rear Of a
saloon owned by Gottfried Kuehnel
and the frame structures burned furi-
ously. Despite the best efforts of the
fremen with their hand pump the flames
consumed Weigand Hauenstein's
saloon, a. J. Vajen's building, then
occupied by j. F. Neumann, J. G.,