Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-01-06
Saved During the Riots

Saved During the Riots
Inc Jennie Cameron carriage was
! much coveted by other firemen, and
had to be watched for fear the rope
used IN hauling it, or perhaps the bells,
would be missed some night or during
| fire. During the riots of 1877 there
was danger of the carriage being de-
stroyed and it was spirited out of the
city during one dark night taken
across the old camelback bridge to
bridgeport, where it was loaded on the
top of a coal car and sent down the
/! valley, and after the fuss was all over.
returned to Harrisburg. Since it has
been overhauled and has been a fea-
ture In every parade in Harrisburg
The three bells now on the Jennie
Cameron carriage were not the origi-
nal bells. This trio of silver-toned
pells at one time belonged to the Vigil
liant Company, of York Some Years
ago there was a big parade at York
and the Nigilant would not participate
because they could not have the Gov
eted place in line. The Vigilant com
pany not only refused to parade, but
gave notice that they would break up
the procession. The Hope Company
was at the head of the line and when
the procession reached the Vigilant
mousse there was trouble. The Vigilant
carriage was literally broken to pieces.
A member of the Hope Cor1pany
got possession of the bells and brought
them to Harrisburg. For a long time
the Vigilant Company tried to get pos-
session of these bells, but have been
| unsuccessful. However, they have not
given up the fight and the Hope Com
pany is on the watch for fear the bells
will disappear some time. Every time
there has been gathering of firemen
In Harrisburg or the company has
gone away with its parade carriage the
DeilS are placed under guard. Some
years ago word was received that a
party of Nigilant members were com
Ing to Harrisburg to get the bells, and
they came, but the bells had been
wrapped in cloths and buried at the
bottom of the Susquehanna river.
where they remained for several
weeks. If the Vigilant Company ex-
poets to get possession of those bells
again they will have to be wide
awake. say the members of the Hope
Company.
Real Fire Fighters
In all its career the Hope Fire Com
pany has been prominent for having
real fire fighters. Records of large
conflagrations in Harrisburg show
good work by the Hope members
young and old. Not only have fires
been fought in Harrisburg, but the
Hope Company probably holds the
record for being sent out of the city
for large fires. They were at Milton.
Baltimore. Mechanicsburg, Duncan
non, Trimmers' Rock and many other
places.
A notable feature with the Hone
members is that they keep going to
fires as long as they are able. Every
officer of the company is fire fighter
and gets into the game when called.
While not active at fire the Hope
Company in Luther Kerns, the vet
eran driver, has a man who has taken
the hose, carriage or engine to more
fires than, any other driver in Har-
risburg, and he is still active, and says
he will be in the department until
every piece of apparatus is a motor
driven vehicle and then he may be a
chauffeur.
Prominent Throughout the State
Members of the Hope Company have
been prominent in the Pennsylvania
State Firemen's Association. The
late Alfred T. Black and E. Levi Title,
still active. were two prominent mem
bers of the State body who held the
office of president Both were also