The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-01-20

vanced means with which every city
of any magnitude is literally provided.
The paid fire department of today,
where the auto truck has superseded
the intelligent and picturesque fire
horse of happy memory, equipped with
every cOntrivance produced by the in
ventive ingenuity OF man to apply one
destructive element that can be con-
trolled to subjugating another destruc-
tive element that cannot otherwise be
controlled, has almost reached per-
fection for the uses and purposes for
which it is organized. 1t is one of the
most important departments of mum
icaplity, as the very existence of the
city depends upon its efficiency. In
ed at vantage points in various sec
tions Of the city, and the conditions
and circumstances would have to be
exceptionally and extraordinarily un-
favorable where fire could gain such
headway as to inflict great damage,
and it would seem that visitation,
such as that of 1889, when the business
part of the city was wiped out OF exist
ence, could not possibly be repeated.
How different the first organized
, fire department OF Spokane Falls
which was perfected in 1884 as a vol
unteer organization. Prior to that time
Spokane had several. what We're in
those days considered as disastrous"
fires. Bucket lines and hand grenades
were Gsed In an effort to eXtinguish
those fires, but the fire never exhaust
ed itself until the materials upon
which fires feed had been consumed.
In the spring of 1884 the first water
system was installed, covering the
then business section. The city council
then purchased two hose carts, each
cart carrying some 1000 feet of hose.
TWO volunteer companies were organ
lied and the personnel of those com
panies was made up very largely OF
business men, for the saving of prop
erty was looked upon as the bounden
duty of all classes, and especially Of
that class that would be the immedi-
ate sufferers in the case Of fire At
small frame building at the northwest
corner Of the alley on the west side
of Howard street, between Main and
Front streets.
Naturally much rivalry existed be-
tween the two companies. which was
conspicuous in two respects. that of
atttpg water on a. fire first md he
selection OF a fire chief, who was
elected by the department, the choice
to be confirmed by the city council AS
a consequence of this rivalry 1t was
not infrequently the case that at a fire
n considerable quantity of the water
that should have been directed upon
the flames was transferred to the per-
sons of the rival noZZlemen. Yet both
companies used their best efforts to
save property, and in the early days
Of the city's history the volunteers did
most efficient and creditable work.
The first fire the volunteers were
called upon to subdue, as we remem-
ber, was in one story frame building
at the site of the Woolverton block, at
the northeast corner of Howard and
Wall street, then known as Mil street
The only brick store building in town
at that time was at the corner, occu-
pied by the Woolyertons as a hard
ware store, and the frame building in
which the fire occurred adjoined the
brick to the east and was occupied as
crockery and china store. The very
acme of destructive possibility has al
ways been attributed to bull in a
china shop, but Taurus in his most
energetic efforts to destroy Is a saving
grace in comparison with the effects
wrought upon that china shop by fire
and the enthusiastic efforts OF the vol
unteer firemen to douse the blaze.
Throughout the length Of the building
were long tables upon which the china
ware was exhibited When the first
lead of hose was laid to the front door
Of the building flames were sweeping
through the room from the rear. and
when water was turned on the power
full stream guided by the nozzlemen.
who were thinking of fire and not the
chinaware. struck those tables and
the brittle crockery flew to the ceiling
and came down shower of fragments
The fire was eXtinguished with little
material damage. although 1t had eat
en- its way into the brick building and
several hours were consumed before
the last spark was out.
This volunteer service continued up
to the time of the big fire in 1899 Then
1t was realized that the city had out
crown the volunteer firemen stage and
paid department with horses and
steamers was inaugurated.
Before closing the subject it might
be interesting to review another feat
ure Of the old volunteer department.
IN which the rivalry of the two COM
panies came eonspicuously to the fore
| It has been stated that the chief of the
department was selected from men,
hers OF the department and elected by
vote Of the members of the two COM
| panies. The peculiarly of politics
wherein parties endeavor to get the
best of 1t without regard to the meth
| ods employed. much upon the system
| VI tiic Gnu IuStlileS we Hltd1S, Is HOt
always confined to political ore'lniza-
ltions as was demonstrated by the Sc
lection of fire chief in the volunteer
fire department davs. During the pas
sive periods when there was little de
mand for the services of the depart
ment. there would be falling off In
/ the membership of the companies. but
inst about the time an election was to
come off for chief both companies
were active in drumming up member
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