The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-02
FIRE ladies Will
GIVEBENEF|T DANCE
November 8 Is Date For
- Big Event
EARLY-DAYSOCIALS
Then When Flame Fighters
Were "BeIIs of Ball";
Their Regalia

The second annual dance to be
staged under the auspices Of the
Mankato Fire Department on NO
vember 8, at the Mankato Armory
REEVES old memories of days OF long
ago when the "Firemen's Ball was
the classical feature OF Mankato
social season. Numerous citizens OF
Mankato today are able to recall
yividly the functions of long ago
which were awaited with as interest
as the celebration of the Fourth OF
July.
The staging Of the annual Fire
mems Ball was abolished or rather
faded from the social functions OF
Mankato many years ago. 1t was re-
vIved a year ago when the local
firemen gave a dance for the purpose
of raising funds for the State Fire
mems convention which will be held
in Mankato in 1924. The dance
next month is also given for the
A perusal of old minute books OF
secretaries of fire companies nearly
half a century ago have many in
teresting items relative to the stag
ing of dances. One item in a record
book of 1885 urged members of the
company to get busy and sell tickets
for the coming dance in April OF that
year.
Society Events Years Ago
These old society events are re-
corded in the record books at the
fire station as long ago as 1895:
is known, however, that they held
later than that date.
The perusal of the record books o.
Al oil
that the Mankato Fire Station has a
regular historical museum of old
relics. At the rear of the sleeping
quarters upstairs at the station is
kept a showcase, almost filled with
these old relics used by the early
volunteer fremen of<Mankato.
Mankato first received fire protec-
= in 1860, when the Mankato Hoo
and Ladder Company No. l. was or
ganized. The company is still in ex-
istance. The only remanent. OF the
first fire engine, which was last used
in the State Hospital fire at st. Peter,
in 1880 which entailed a great loss OF
life, is the nozzle of a fire hose at
tached to the engine. The Mankato
fire company which took part in that
horrible disaster was awarded by a
citation in the form Of resolution
commerdiru III ~, for the work by
state legislature in 1881. The
nozzle is one OF the relics preserved
at the station.
ReqaIia of Early Days
Parts of the regalia worn by the
early day fire fighters are also shown
in the showcase. The time worn
helmets of Phil Lamm and John
Lulsdorff, the latter once chief o.,
the department. are part of the
historical collection. Another inter
esting item is broken whip used.
not during the first days of the de-
paTtment when equipment was all
hand drawn, but years : later after
the department had been provided
with horse drawn carts.
Another part of the interestinc
equipment of the firemen was a belt
awarded to Edward R. Perry for
for some meritorious work he haG
performed The belt was used mort
as a decoration than anything else
1t ornamented the fancy red shirts
worn by the firemen:
. According to Fire Chief Ben Ban
gerter 1t was the custom of fire fight.
ers to be fully clothed - proper cos.
tune before attending the fire. The
outfit consisted of fancy decorated
firemen's cap, bright red shirt with a
highly decorated belt. 1t was a
breach of rules for any fireman to
attend a fire not fully adorned with
uniform.