The San Francisco call., 1906-05-09
PRICED RELICS
ARE DESTROYED
Volunteer Firemen
Lose M0n6ntOGS
in Blaze.
Historic Engine Is
Now a Pile OF
Ashes.

naarIv all the valuable relics that were
stored in the hall Of the Exempt Com
pany on Brenham place and In the
meeting-place OF the Veteran Volun-
teer Firemen's Association on the
corner OF Jessie and Fourth streets are
DESTROYED. Like the historical relics OF
the Society Of California Pioneers. the
rncrsentoes of the old fire department.
can never be replaced
OF the buildings OF the old depart
ment that were used as engine. truck
and hose houses have all been reduced
TO ashes. These were Broderick No. I.
on Sacramento street. near Kearny;
Howard No. 8, on California street.
rear Sansome; Kniekerbocker No. ..
on Sacramento street. near Sansomes
Monumental No. s. on Brenham place;
Pacific No. 8. on Pacific street, near
Front; Vigilant No. 9. on Stockton
street, near Broadway: Crescent No.
TO- on Pacific street. near Kearny; Co
lumbia No. IL, on Bush street, near
Kearny; Pennnsylvania No. u, Jack
son. above Kearny; Young America
No. 13, on Sixteenth street, near
Valencia; Tiger No. "A. on Sec
ond street, near Howard; La
fayette Hook and Ladder Company
No. 2, on Broadway. near Stockton
street, and Sansome No. on Mont
gomery street, corner OF Gold. All the
other houses have been previously
taken down in the march Of progress
to make way for better structures.
The hall OF the ExemptS is all down
with the exception OF the front wall.
which still carries the sign over ths
door. Exempt Company" and a mar
BILE tablet on which Is Inscribed "Or-
Eanized September, 1880" In the mass
OF ashes are the records OF all the old
companies, the portraits OF the old
chiefs from Fred d. Kohler. the first.
down to the last. who served when
the paid department was established:
portraits and photographs of many
other officers and prominent men OF
the department. including that OF
Claus Spreckels, who, IN his younger
days. manned the ropes OF Tiger No.
II. The helmet and silver trumpets OF
Fred ID. Kohler, Frank E. r. Whit
ney, Charles P. Duane. Dave Scan
nell. Charley Ackerson. George IT.
Hossefross. John l.. Durkee and 9TH
ers; the banners and flags OF many oc
the companies. and samples OF uni
forms and hats worn by the fire.
lighters of old were all burned.
On top OF the building stood the OLD
hall bell, which was brought TO this
city for st. Ignatius Church. then ON
Market. street, near Fourth, but which
was disposed OF to the city and placed
on top of the old City Hall 1t re-
mained there until the earthquake OF
October. 1863 when it was declared.
unsafe and was placed over the house
Of old No. s. on the hill 1t is now
In the basement Of the house. In thu
days before the introduction OF ths
electric system OF alarms the bell was
struck by men In the watch tower. a
sledge being used TO toll the twelve
districts into which the city was di-
vided- One OF these old bell-ringers is
Tim cambridge, sergeant detective
OF police. In the old house was the
first fire engine ever used at q fire
in this city. 1t was once the per-
sonal property of Martin Van Buren,.
President OF the United States, and
was brought around the Horn by
Billy Free, for many years keeper OF
the corporation yard There also stood
the first double decker engine used in
the department. 1t was owned by
Monumental ompany and known as
Big Six"
On Sunday Henry d. Hudson. presI-
dent OF the Exempts. who is the only
living fireman who paraded in the
inst celebration OF Admission day
end in the serni-centennial celebra-
tion Of the same day. visited Brenham
place to view the ruins of the house
In which he had presided so often.
and when he gazed upon them he sat
on the sidewalk and wept like a child.
At the home OF the Veteran volun-
teer Firemen's Association. as the fire.
approached. some one rushed into the
building and saved frame in which
are the photographs of the charter
members OF the association. Sergeant
Of Police Steve Bunner president or
tho organization. saved the minute
hooks OF Knickerbocker Ensine Conn
pany No. 5. of which he was a men,
Der.
A great number of interesting rel
les OF the department went up IN the
flames The engine thai belonged n,
Young America No. IS. and which
was the parade engine. had a few
Gays before the quake been painted
and put In shape to be used in tha
parade at Santa Rosa on July 4. rt
was stored in the honse of Engine IA
IN the Potrero and is safe. II is thu
only engine that was in use IN the
old department that is now in this
city. There is another in sacra-
mento.
President Bunner who had been n,
me sick list. felt it his duty to report
TO Police Chief Dinan- He did so ard
against protest insisted upon being
sent out for duty. He was detajled
tor duty In the Mission hi.t,i..a -.