Evening journal., 1919-04-24

" AAtltt-. II ollNdAa 40 tAto 4llrNtAlAe
proper that a new fire company should
> be formed I'm this place.
"ResOked. That we do now form our
selves into a fire company, to be call
ed the Delaware Fire Company No. 3,
Of Wilmington, Del:
Vincent Gnpln. Samuel Harker, John
n. Gilpin. John ID. Vaughn, John ID.
Wood, John McLear, Lewis Rumford,
/, Wesley McClurg. Israel u. Jones, James
Webb, Jr.. J. q. Israel. Samuel Brown,
Jesse Mendlnhall George W. W0rrell.
4. W. Buckingham, Josiah II. Gilpin.
George Bush. IL. ]. Pepper, Charles
Reynolds. William +. Alrich John NJ.
Ocheliree. John Guyer, William sim
mons. Henry Nining, Israel saunders,
James +. Saunders. William Almond,
Jacob Simmons, Archibald Bingham,
John r. Brinckle, William ID. Brinckle,
Israel C.. Humphrey.
The following were the first elected
officers: President. Henry !. Pepper;
,icc-presidenl, Israel Jackson; secre-
tary, George W. Worren; treasurer,
Vincent Gilpin.
Permission was granted by the Bor-
ough Council FOR the company to hold
monthly meetings in The town hall.
A committee was appointed TO pro
cure apparatus, and In December. 1919,
a contract was entered into with Jacob
Alrich & Co.. 10 build a hand engine,
which was delivered 20 the company
April q. 1920. This machine was cap
able of squirting q stream OF water 100
feet through 100 feet Of hose, which
was considered excellent at that time.
70 was housed I'm a one-story frame
building i'm the rear OF the town hall.
The company was Incorporated on
April 80, 1920. In 1872 the council
gave the company a piece OF ground on
Hanover NOW Sixth street, between
Market and King streets, on which the
company erected a one-story frame
building. which became the permanent
home Of the company
Up until the year 1882 the hose and
suction used by the company was car
ried upon a two-wheeled gig. In June
OF that year they purchased a new
hose carriage for that purpose.
The company continued TO hold it's
meetings in the town hail until 1912
on August IS Of that year a contract
WAS made with Dixon Brothers for the
erection OF a two-st0ry building, partly
.of frame and brick. The first meeting
lin this building was held on October
10, 1872.
In 1919 the company gave a contract
60 the Harlan * Hollingsworth Com
lpany 90 rebuild the hand engine. The
result Of this work was a larger ap-
paratus with two sets Of pumps, and
was called a d0uble-decker. one set
OF pumps was operated from an Gle
waited platform and the other from the
ground
In 1861 this company showed It's 10y
lalty 10 the union by the number Of
its members enlisiing. the late Colonel
Arthur II. Grimshaw securing 100 men
in one evening. A great many OF those
men gave up their lives for the
! preservation Of the Union.
/ Upon responding 90 an alarm Of fire
on Saturday evening, september q,
1863. the members learned hat u was
their own engine house burning.
lt was not the custom at this time
for the members Of the company 70
sleep in the engine house as there were
mo accommodations for that purpose
The building was badly damaged, but
the apparatus was saved, though Sc
iverely scored. The records Of tne COM
ipany were not in the building At the
time. lt being the custom of the secre-
Itary. BENJAMIN :. Clark. TO keep the
records al his home. This custom OF
the secretary was the means Of the
company being enabled 10 keep COM
1 plete record Of It's meetings during the
entire century Of its existence. The
company Immediately made arrange
lmenls 10 rebuild, and in a short time
had erected a new three-story brick
building.
Had First Fire Chief.
In May. 1868. Henry W. Perkins. 3
member Of this company, was elected
chief engineer OF the Wilmington Fire
Department being the first person 10.
occupy that position.
/ In January. 1869, the company receiv-
ed from the builder. James Johnson, OF
Portland, Me-, a steam fire engine,
which was Immediately placed in ser
vice. aud the hand engine sold.
Up until 1872 It was the custom TO
pull the apparatus by hand. The com
pany decided 10 make a change in this
method, and purchased horses for the
engine. In responding to an alarm q
fire on September 81, 1872. the first
pair Of horses ever owned by a COM
pany in the Wilmington Fire Depart
ment were driven TO the engine OF the
! Delaware Fire Company. The company
purchased a horse for the Nose car
riage in 1880
In 1879. City Council notified this
company that It wished 10 purchase its
property. as the city owned the sur
rounding property and desired to
/ erect a public building thereon. On
January g. 1880, the sale was consum-
mated. The company had been located
on this piece Of ground nearly 60 years.
/ In the meantime the company had pur-
chased a lot on French street below
Sixth, and proceeded TO build a new
home. Tho first meeting. was held in
I the new house on August q, 1880, but
/ the formal opening took place on De-
/ cember 6. 1880. when the building was
/ thrown open for the inspection OF the
public. II was estimated that 1000 peO-
! pie visited The building that evening.
/ 10 was pronounced one Of the finest
engine houses in the city.
/ In 1882 the company decided 70 dis
pense with its engine and hose carriage
and purchase a hook and ladder truck
/ In April OF that year a contract was
made with the La France Company OIL
Elmira, n. Y, for a Hayes s5-foot aerial
lhook and ladder truck, with all the up
lto-date equipments. The apparatus ar
rived on August 20. 1882. and after
/ thorough test the next day. the mem
/ bers were so well satisfied with 70 they