The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-16
EECEEEEIEClEEIIIIlEIIECIL
) Salem Fire Department; His s
s tory of Its Growth. :
SNTHTlf1,I,II,II
by S. n. FARABEE.


smoking in the streets or yards should
be allowed.
THAT spit boxes be not filed with
saw dust
4 board of fire inspectors, appointed
by the church, was supposed 10 look
after the minuest detail and 10 report
any citizen who had been guilty of
neglect or careleSSnesS. This board
had also to examine the houses and
fire-fighting apparatus regularly.
Everything was systematized. Every
persou-man. woman or child-knew
his part and was expected TO do his
duty. In every household there was
required at least one fire-bucket. and
in case of alarm the owner brought
it out for use. The men, formed in
a line, handed the buckets from the
cistern or we'll down the line TO the
engine. and the women, in another
line. passed them back. The boys
and feeble men were required. if nee
eSsary. TO assist in this. Here are
some interesting facts i'm regard TO the
discipline of that time:
Bro. Rights will assist in arrang-
ing the Sisters. and Martin Sneider.
the boys and men. They will also
see To it that the dipping and the
done. 1t viii also be we'll for a couple
of men TO place a tub on a cart and
appoint some one to draw il.
Some brethren viii be appointed
10 clear the house of furniture under
the direction OF brethren PraeZel, Ben
zefn and Peterson. These will provide
themselves with ''Tomahawks." 10
break open doors and closets and will
carry out all valuables TO a safe dis
lance, where they can be guarded. The
brethren Marshall, Hebert and kof-
fier Will act as assistants 10 the Fire
Inspectors.
The married sisters who have chill
dren TO take care Of. Will remain at
home TO protect their houses from
robbery. AS there is also great dan
ger from falling sparks, the brethren
Schmidt. Priem, Schneph, Merkle. My
ers, Bagge and Koehler. and the Sisters
Kolfer and Krause are appointed TO
keep watch over neighbOring build
ings.
Bro. Peter will release the teachers
in the Boys School. Bro. Lewis (phy-
sician) will be in readiness to give
professional assistance in case OF acct
dent Should assistance come in from
our neighbors or from laborers in
town. these will help whenever they
can, or be directed 10 points where
there is greatest need
In 1881 Salem had grown until there
were seventy-five buildings in the
town. and their valuation in 1888 was
s103, 900. Another engine was bought
and it arrived i'm 1882. 1t cost. with
its entire apparatus. $685.. 1t con-
tinued in service until 1884 and is now
used by the little town of Bethanta.
Up TO 1S43 the State required all able
bodied men to serve in the State mill
tia. These men We're drilled four times
a year with the company of which
Z 2 hay her. In
m act Of the Legislature allowed Ger
tain towns-of which Salem was one
to form fire companies. the mem
berS of which We're not required to
drill with the militia. The fire COM
pany officers We're duly commissioned
and company gradually superseded the
old Salem Militia Company.
The first fire company Independent
of the church was established in 1S43,
with thirty-fOur members. The first
officers We're: Captain. Jacob Siewers;
First Lieutenant Francis Fries; Sec
ond Lieutenant. Lewis Belo: Fire En-
gineer. Nathaniel Vogler: Second En-
gineer. Henry Ruede: Third Engineer,
Lewis Eberhardt; Secretary and Treas
urer. Charles BrietZ. Mr.. BrietZ sur
vived the other officers. This company
was called the Salem Vigilant Fire
Company.
Two years later. in 1S45, the first
i'm the history of the Vigilant occurred.
There was very little damage done by
the flames. The most serious damage
To have been done TO the engine, for
sand was dipped up out of the branch
with the water and got into the pump.
The Peoples Press. 1853. contains
the following: ION Wednesday night.
about 10 o'clock. fire was discovered
on the premises of Mr.. Foltz. in an
clubhouse, distant only q few steps
from the dwelling house which was
fortunately subdued WITHOUT doing
much damage excepting the deStruc-
ton OF the building in which the fire
originated in the dairy. The dwelling
house was in imminent danger. The
family having retired for the night.
signs OF the fire were first noticed
al Zcvley's Hotel. and the alarm i'm
mediate,y given. when a large num-
Der of citizens, many aroused from
their slumbers, promptly repaired TO
the scene with the engine, and for
tunately aided by the entire calm
which prevailed. succeeded in extin-
gushing the devouring element. The
origin of the fire was accidental and
discovered just in the nick of time to
save the dwelling
The engine on the way to the fire
was stopped at the cistern in front
OF the Salem Hotel to be filled. so
that upon its arrival at the fire it
could al once be put TO work. For
some reason or another the engine
was not sufficiently supplied with wa
ter. until the command of old DR.
keehln set things right: Form a line.
brethren; form line. empty buckets
TO be passed by the sisters and girls,
and the full buckets by the men and
boys. When my we'll gets empty go to
Tim Nogler's. and when Tim VogIer's
gets empty go to Waggomans.
A suction engine was purchased in
1858. 1t was in active use until 1884
The Vigilant Company disbanded in
1861, and the fire apparatus was
turned over TO the town commission
erS.
The only dwelling burned in Salem
in a period of more than 100 years was
that of the late Mr.. Henry Shaffner
This house was destroyed by fire in
1864
In 1868 the fire company was reor-
ganiZed In 1884 the town purchased
a new Button hand fire engine. and
il was used until 1886. when the pres
ent Button steamer was bought.
Winston salem. y. c., July i 5.
Since September Is. 1S43. almost
Ha1o p.l