The Calumet news., 1912-07-10
TO TEAR DOWN
old FIRE HALL
RELIC OF PIONEER DAYS IN RED
JACKET TO GIVE WAY TO
SMALL PARk-EARlY
HISTORY.

2 The old fire hall located on Fift
r street. Just south of Elm. which house
b the Red Jacket department during Al
! early days of the villages history. Ia
outlived it's usefulness and must Civ
way TO the march OF progress. III
Red Jacket council last evening decid
ed to tear down the building at on1
and II has been suggested that snd
park be established there.
About three years ago the Counc
practically decided that the old fir
hall. which has for years been in a ii
lspidated state, should be removed
but before definite action was taken
overtures for the site were made &
the council by prospective purchas
ers and the matter was held i'm abey
ance for several months and fnall!
| forgotten until a short time ago. Sev
eral property holders circulated pc.
tition among the business men of tn,
! village during the last few days an,
were TO have presented II last even
! ing. asking that the old han be tori
| down and replaced by park. when
| the matter was taken up with thc
councilmen. however the business men
were assured that action would he taxi
en-. and the petition was not present
ed
The old fire hall hay an interesting
history. being one of the oldest struc-
lures in the city. II is situated on
the only lot i'm Calumet that carries
with It what is known as the Zee
of the land" or the right of ownership
for any distance beneath the surface.
All other property held by private
owners i'm Calumet gives the nolder
anly surface rights.
Erected in Summer OF rs.
It was suggested some time ago that
tahs lot was the only available site in
Red Jacket for a federal postofiice
building.
The old fire hall was erected i'm 1875.
corporated. ON August 20 of tlIa;
year, the council authorized com
nittee of fremcn to secure plans for
the building, which is % by 40 feet,
Phibrick and Moxen, architects AMI
builders submitted plans which were
approved by the council on August -
oi that year and bids were advcr, iscd
for, the contract finally being award
ed TO Phlbrick and Moxen on August
20. The contract price was S2.l00.
Work was started Immediately there
after and the building was completed
and accepted by the committee of fire
men and trustees who surperviscl
its construction on Nov. Is of that
year. This committee consisted of
George Wcrtin u. u. Murphy arl
Michael Borgo.
Peter Ruppe was president Of tn"
village when the fire hall was erected
and James II. Kcrwin was recorder.
Joseph Wertin was treasurer. The
trustees were George Wcrtin. Henry
Northy - ID. Murphy, Martin Foley
Michael Borgo and Joseph Herman.
Protection Company No. I.
The members of the department
when the new station was built we-c:
Rody Ryan. Henry Northy, John latI-
gerald, Edward Paradis, Joseph Host
eI. j. V Gaul, John Guest, James Crj-
dihy. J. ID. Lynch. Martin Foley. Geo.
c. LorangcE Harry Lean, c. Plant, Lo-
REM Caesar, Peter Sauer l. Il. Allcn,
A. A. Anderson. Richard Bastian. Mat
thew Northy. william Northy. Joseph
Gardner, -. T. Mcdonald, John Me-
Donald j. " Kerwin, Joseph Wert'n
Jr.. Peter Ruppe Jr. Daniel d. Mur-
ply. George Wertin. George JaCka,
owen sheridan, Peter Schumacher
john Power. Joseph Hermann, Henry
wilkins. w. G. Kinsman. John s..
Pierce. William Retalleck. John Smith
II. +. Larson. Christian Schenk. Con-
rad Theurbacher, Nicholas BensGeld,
John Strom. Gottlieb Schindler. John
Downey. James Sullivan. John Brcn-
nomau, John Hoskin. Michael BOrgo
and Frank SChrieber Maurice Deerinc
and James r. OBrien were a0mittrd
to the department during the same
year.
The old Continental fire department
was organized about two years prior
to the incorporation of the village ana
was bucket brigade. Later 8 hand
pump was procured ana . water sup
ply obtained from the numerous wells
in this vicinity The old department
was uniformed I'm flaming red shirts
and was about as fine appearing a
bunch Of men as were to be found
anywhere according to the old timers
Dominick Kaiser. probably is the only
surviving member of the original fire
lighting brigade I'm Calumet.
Soon after the village was incorpor-
ated. the old department was dsband-
ed and reorganized under the village
charter, with many new members
First Fire Equipment.
ON August 10. 1875, the need of n
fire engine became apparent, and the
first engine was ordered from the firm
of Clapp and Jones of New York. The
engine was received here on Sept. II
ON Sept 2 the first hose cart of the
village was ordered and was received
short time later.
There are several good pictures OF
The Milwaukee County Hospital