The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-06-14
c. ]. HAMBURGER,
48 YEARS FIREMAN,
TELLS OF OLD DAYS
Describes Time When Vol
unteers Worked Hand
Engines.

= w it'll 4 Was d lid OOf L AAhCd ~
letter around the houses of the old
hand engines and hose carts and hook
and ladder trucks and follow the fire.
me- on their run to fires when the bell
in the old fire tower rang an alarm"
said Charles ]. Hamburger, the veteran
Newark fireman, who was retired from
the fire department In 1906. by his own
request. after an active service Of
forty-eight years. He is an officer of
the Newark Exempt Firemen's Asso-
citation.
"It was back in the early ffties when
] got the fire fever. and it has kept
with me ever since.
"When I was 16 or II years old I was
t~orcla-bearer for old Engine Company
No. 10, which was housed in Springfield
avenue, between Broome and Howard
streets. Edward H. Cox was the fore
man. The dances of the old volun-
teer fire companies were grand affairs.
and the mayor, city officials and most
prominent citizens were guests.
Thirteen Hand Engines.
"when I was made a regular fireman
there were thirteen hand engine COM
panies, two hook and ladder companies
and Neptune Hose Company No. / in
Newark. Engine No. 1, old Liberty.
was located in William street, where
the First Precinct Police station house
was afterward erected. Engine No. 2,
Relief. was in Walnut street; Engine
No. 8, Washington, in Court street,
where Steamer No. 3 now is: Engine
No. 4, Lafayette. W a at Academy and
Halsey streets, afterward fire head
quarters. Engine No. 8, Protection,
was housed at Market and Halsey
streets. Engine No. 6, Columbia, was
housed in Commerce street, and No. Z. |
Northern Liberty, was in Orange street,
opposite Essex street. No. 8, American,
was in Ferry street, between Union and
McWhorter streets. No. 8, Warren,
was in Warren street, opposite Hoyt
street. and No. 10. Jackson, was in
Springfield avenue. No. IL, Southwark,
was in Walnut street. and No. Il. Good
Will, in old Mill street, now Seventh
avenue. No. Is, Vigilant, was at Gar
den and McWhorter streets.
Union Hook and Ladder No. 1 was
in Broad street at the entrance to the
Old Graveyard for many years. and
Hook and Ladder No. 2. the Crockett.
named for one of the chiefs of the old
volunteer department, was in Wash
ington street. Neptune Hose Company
was in Market street. next to what is
now Waldmann's Opera House.
Rich Men in Department.
''There were rich young men in this
crack hose company. Among them
We're: r. Heber Breintnall. Fred Agens
and David Benedict, afterward chief Of
the paid fire department"
The old companies were gradually
disbanded as more fire steamers were
bought by the city. lar engine COM
pauies Nos. Q. 10. Il and 13 were the
last that went out of service. That
was in 1866. Mr.. Hamburger became a
member of the paid fire department
when it was organized and served
under Chiefs Elias r. Carhuff, David
u. Benedict, William H. Brown, Charlie
Bauman and Robert Kiersted. In 1885
Mr.. Hamburger got the caucus nomi-
nation for chief of the department, but
was defeated afterward by one vote.
When the position of captain of
steamer No. 4 was created in 1888 he
was appointed a captain. On January
!, 1900, he was transferred to Engine
No. 1 as its captain, and in 1906 he
was retired at his own request because
his health was impaired by his long
service. He went to the Southern
States and ~recuperated.
Looks After Infrm Firemen.
After he returned to Newark healmost
daily visited the engine and truck houses
when he could spare time from his
work as secretary for the Exempt Fire
mems Association, of which he has been
a member since 1868. He has also been
president of the board of trustees of
the fire department, of which body he
has been a member over twenty years.
His work is to look after widows and
orphans of fremen west of High street,
and after aged and inirm fremen.
Mr.. Hamberger's home Is in South
Fourteenth street. He has a wife, four
sons and two daughters. His son
George J. Hamburger, is assistant fore
man of the Supply Company. and
Charles ]. Hamburger, jr., who was a
fireman, is with the Metropolitan In
surance Company, William F. Ham
berger is an officer in the United States
He was stationed at the Seattle
navy yard three years and is now on
the Nebraska.