Post by rfd301 on Sept 5, 2008 17:38:27 GMT -5
I wasn't sure where else to post this, so I figured I'd put it up here...
Llewellyn is celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year. While doing some research for the Good Intent, Llewellyn, on the hose carriage that they acquired from the Good Intent, Pottsville, I found this interesting issue that arose as a result of a working fire on N. 7th St. in Pottsville (from The Pottsville Republican):
Friday, May 1, 1908: FIRE DESTROYS A DOUBLE BLOCK
"Fire almost totally destroyed a double-block of houses at Nos. 613 and 615 N. Seventh St. last evening at four o'clock, and what destruction the fire failed to accomplish to the block, was finished by the water that had to be used by the department to save the surrounding property. The alarms were sent in from boxes 53 and 56, and the entire department were called out, although some of the apparatus was slow in reaching the scene of the fire owing to the fact that the teams were all out working then the alarm sounded. The bull whistle also failed to blow and this misled a number of people."
"The property destroyed was a double block of very comfortable houses, occupied by Margaret McDonald on the south side and Samuel Richards on the north side. The row is owned by J.M. Robbins of Bloomsburg, formerly of Shenandoah, and was worth about $2800. The flames were first discovered by Henry Shay, the ex-patrolman, who entered the house and informed the occupants that the place was on fire. Two daughters of Mrs. McDonald's were ironing in the kitchen and it is surmised that the sparks form a wood fire made their way through a defective chimney into the rags and stock stored in the attic where the fire was burning when first noticed. This is the second fire that has occurred in the house from the same cause, the structure having been ignited several years ago in a similar manner."
"If the fire department were a trifle delayed at first, they made up for lost time when they reached the scene and with the chemical engine and several plug streams they soon had the fire under control. By heroic work they also saved a row of houses located to the northward of the Robbins block, to which the fire communicated several times. The firemen worked heroically and the proportions of the fire when they first arrived would lead one to believe that they had a much greater battle on their hands than it really proved to be."
Then the editorial the next day...
Saturday, May 2, 1908" THE FIRE HORSES
"A defect in our present fire system which has been the cause for considerable discussion in and out of fire circles was again demonstrated yesterday afternoon during the fire when the horses of the various companies were all away from their engine houses at various points in the town causing considerable delay in the companies responding to the alarm. They were further handicapped by the fact that the bull whistle at the P. & R. C. & I. shops failed to blow and thus give warning to the teams which were out of hearing distance of the fire bell taps."
"Some day this may lead to a very serious conflagration, in fact, it is very fortunate that yesterday's blaze did not assume worse proportions on this account. With the fire blazing fiercely in an elevated portion of the town, surrounded by other frame houses, built closely together, it seemed for a time that the neighborhood would be wiped out with the wind blowing a gale. The neighborhood was thoroughly alarmed on account of the slow response of the firemen and in quarters where the true situation was not known, censure was heaped upon the companies for their slowness."
"This was unwarranted by the firemen however, who did all in their power to make a quick response. They have never been accused of being lacking in enthusiasm in responding to alarms as there is a great rivalry among the various companies over having the honor of being the first to be on the scene, but yesterday afternoon most of them were caught with their horses in remote sections of the town, far removed from their engine houses and many of the drivers did not know for a time that there was a fire, this due to the failure of the bull whistle to blow."
"The companies own and maintain their own teams and to do this they are obliged to engage in the hauling business, the profits of which business goes a great way toward their support, although it does not make both ends meet. If the fire horses are to be kept in the stables at all times ready to respond to alarms the firemen will be obliged to depend upon the borough rather than upon their own industry for the support of the team, but with fires so few and far between, it does not seem like an act of wisdom to put the borough to this great expense. It might be a good idea, however, to make provision with the fire companies whereby one of the centrally located engine houses might always have at least one team in the stable in order to make a quick response to alarms and check fires in their infancy."
While actual fire calls may have been, "few and far between," as noted in the editorial, there were several pretty good jobs that I picked-up on in the couple of months of 1908 that I reviewed.
Llewellyn is celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year. While doing some research for the Good Intent, Llewellyn, on the hose carriage that they acquired from the Good Intent, Pottsville, I found this interesting issue that arose as a result of a working fire on N. 7th St. in Pottsville (from The Pottsville Republican):
Friday, May 1, 1908: FIRE DESTROYS A DOUBLE BLOCK
"Fire almost totally destroyed a double-block of houses at Nos. 613 and 615 N. Seventh St. last evening at four o'clock, and what destruction the fire failed to accomplish to the block, was finished by the water that had to be used by the department to save the surrounding property. The alarms were sent in from boxes 53 and 56, and the entire department were called out, although some of the apparatus was slow in reaching the scene of the fire owing to the fact that the teams were all out working then the alarm sounded. The bull whistle also failed to blow and this misled a number of people."
"The property destroyed was a double block of very comfortable houses, occupied by Margaret McDonald on the south side and Samuel Richards on the north side. The row is owned by J.M. Robbins of Bloomsburg, formerly of Shenandoah, and was worth about $2800. The flames were first discovered by Henry Shay, the ex-patrolman, who entered the house and informed the occupants that the place was on fire. Two daughters of Mrs. McDonald's were ironing in the kitchen and it is surmised that the sparks form a wood fire made their way through a defective chimney into the rags and stock stored in the attic where the fire was burning when first noticed. This is the second fire that has occurred in the house from the same cause, the structure having been ignited several years ago in a similar manner."
"If the fire department were a trifle delayed at first, they made up for lost time when they reached the scene and with the chemical engine and several plug streams they soon had the fire under control. By heroic work they also saved a row of houses located to the northward of the Robbins block, to which the fire communicated several times. The firemen worked heroically and the proportions of the fire when they first arrived would lead one to believe that they had a much greater battle on their hands than it really proved to be."
Then the editorial the next day...
Saturday, May 2, 1908" THE FIRE HORSES
"A defect in our present fire system which has been the cause for considerable discussion in and out of fire circles was again demonstrated yesterday afternoon during the fire when the horses of the various companies were all away from their engine houses at various points in the town causing considerable delay in the companies responding to the alarm. They were further handicapped by the fact that the bull whistle at the P. & R. C. & I. shops failed to blow and thus give warning to the teams which were out of hearing distance of the fire bell taps."
"Some day this may lead to a very serious conflagration, in fact, it is very fortunate that yesterday's blaze did not assume worse proportions on this account. With the fire blazing fiercely in an elevated portion of the town, surrounded by other frame houses, built closely together, it seemed for a time that the neighborhood would be wiped out with the wind blowing a gale. The neighborhood was thoroughly alarmed on account of the slow response of the firemen and in quarters where the true situation was not known, censure was heaped upon the companies for their slowness."
"This was unwarranted by the firemen however, who did all in their power to make a quick response. They have never been accused of being lacking in enthusiasm in responding to alarms as there is a great rivalry among the various companies over having the honor of being the first to be on the scene, but yesterday afternoon most of them were caught with their horses in remote sections of the town, far removed from their engine houses and many of the drivers did not know for a time that there was a fire, this due to the failure of the bull whistle to blow."
"The companies own and maintain their own teams and to do this they are obliged to engage in the hauling business, the profits of which business goes a great way toward their support, although it does not make both ends meet. If the fire horses are to be kept in the stables at all times ready to respond to alarms the firemen will be obliged to depend upon the borough rather than upon their own industry for the support of the team, but with fires so few and far between, it does not seem like an act of wisdom to put the borough to this great expense. It might be a good idea, however, to make provision with the fire companies whereby one of the centrally located engine houses might always have at least one team in the stable in order to make a quick response to alarms and check fires in their infancy."
While actual fire calls may have been, "few and far between," as noted in the editorial, there were several pretty good jobs that I picked-up on in the couple of months of 1908 that I reviewed.
