The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-07-02
OLD TIMES
Recalled by Preparations
Of Safers to Build New
Fire House
THE FIRST CENTRAL

The proposed erection of the new
Central engine house and the demoli-
tion of the old one calls to mind the
first engine house that stood on the
present city lot or square. The first
engine house was a frame one and it
stood at the southwest corner of the
lot, where the cannon is now located
Here was sheltered the first fire en-.
gine that the city possessed and only
few paid men belonged to the de-
partment. The men who belonged to
Engine Co. No. 1, as it was known,
We're of the minute man variety, and
when the alarm of fire was sounded
each man dropped his work and made
a bee line for the engine house, for
there was no Gamewell fire alarm
system in those days to indicate in
which direction the fire was located.
, That same fire engine is still in the
service, although very few of the fire.
men who first worked 1t are still
alive
This building also sheltered hand
engine and distributed over the city
were few little houses later on that
contained hose wagons. These wagons
or rather two-wheeled carts were
manned by companies of minute men
and when the alarm of fire was sound
ed it was a common thing for every
man, woman and child to appear Or
the streets and yell Fire" although
few Of them really knew what prop
erty IL any was being destroyed. AS
the streets were not paved in those
days the firemen took to the side
walk with their hose reels, knocking
everything helter skelter in their
path.
There was much loafing about the
hose houses of olden times a keg or
two of the amber fluid was not an rIn-
common thing on tap there. Today
all has changed. Instead of the little
hose houses scattered about a number
Of substantial buildings have been
erected and over half hundred men
are constantly at the different places
waiting for the alarm of fire and in a
few seconds afterward they are on
their way, the horses on q run. Can.
ton has now eight well equipped fire
department houses, scattered in all
parts of the city. The men are drill
ed and disciplined, so that when the
big bell hits" as they call it, each
one has his duty to perform. At the
first sound of the bell, providing the
alarm is sounded at night, the horses
jump to their feet and are as anxious
to ger there quick as we'll as the FIRE
men themselves.
p, The, present Central engine house
was built in the eighties at a moderate
cost, but it is not large enough to
today, 1t was constructed cheaply
and did not withstand the test Of time
The walls are bulging out, the upper
floors sag several inches and at rainy
seasons the firemen are compelled tC
cover themselves with their rubber
?. coats to keep themselves dry in bed
81 The present department has done
= excellent work in the past few years
and the property loss has been small
one. True, the city has been exceed
ingly lucky in the way of large fires
but much of the good luck is attribut
able to the speedy response of the
hremen and the safety board is acting
wisely when they give them a new
building and put the proper apparatus
at their disposal for the fighting Of
fires. The taxpayers of Canton are
certainly entitled to two things
good FIRE and police protection and il
is the aim of the present board Of
public safety to give them the best
that money will afford. There should
be an increase in the police depart
ment Immediately, although the pres
ent force is one Of the hest in Ohio fol
its size.
When the present engine house i:
demolished Chief Mesnar will take
care of the old bell in the tower
This bell was one that sounded from
the old court house tower for many
years and if no place is found for i
on top of the new fire and police
building the chief will have it mounted