THE ST. PAUL GLO&E GOLDEN JtTBILEE EDITION

ST. PAUL FIRE DEPARTMENT

J. M. CLARKENMember Board of Fire Commissioners.

J. F. KELLYMember Board of Fire Commissioners.

GEORGE W. FREEMANMember Board of Fire Commissioners.

REUBEN WARNER JR.President Fire Board.

A. J. SCHWEIZERVice President Eire Board.

JOHN JACKSONChief Fire Department.

WILLIAMO'GORMANry Board of Fire Commi;

ARTHUR MARTINAssistant Fire Chief.

THOUGHSt. Paul's fire depart- i

ment, as it is at present constl- 1

tuted, did not come into exist- *ence until 1877, its beginning \may be traced as far back as 1850, *four years before the village was J

incorporated, when steps were taken *"by the pioneers to provide some kind 'of protection for their homes andplaces of business against conflagra- J

tions. • 'The village had been growing ten

years before a fire of any consequence *visited It. £The buildings had been 'scattered, and the early settlers, car- i

rying no insurance on their worldly

effects, had been careful in the han-dling of the dangerous element. <

On May 16, 1850, however, the vil- 1

lagers were reminded of the necessity i

of having a fire fighting force, when 1the Presbyterian chapel, which had i

been erected by Rev. E. D. O'Neill on ]

Washington street, facing Rice park, 'was burned to the ground. When the <

ALBERT R. STARKETT

~*~First Assistant City Engineer andCommissioner of Public Works AlbertR. Starkey is a native St. Paul boy. Hewas born in this city Sept. 14, 1857, hebeing the youngest son of Capt. James .

; Slarkey, one of the old forty-niners..^ A. R. Starkey received his educationIn the public schools of St. Paul, and 13;- after leaving school- commenced jjjhis \u25a0'

life's work as rodman in the office of .the city engineer,. under L. W. Rundlett,who was at that time field:engineer in

• the sewer department. Close applica- '.'.tion and hard work have brought pro-

..motions since the subject of this sketch \u25a0•;f. started as a civil engineer, and >it is ofinterest to note the different steps bywhich his rise in his profession have Vbeen * marked. '\u25a0'\u25a0'. After a three years'f;

..'•'• apprenticeship as rodman and general §all-around man on the surveying crewof Engineer Rundlett he was promoted ;•

\u25a0in;iß76'.to the post of assistant engineerin charge of a field- party. :T.ln. 1879, i

? having left the engineer's office, he was» \ engaged as - transit man % on railroad :' construction; later, during -1880 _j and i

1881, serving as assistant engineer on .the survey the reservoir system ofthe upper Mississippi river.' j- Also as •

assistant engineer in the surVey/of the |proposed lock and dam at Sauk Rapids,t&linn., and •on;similar work in Wiscon- :

sin, this work 2all being under the di- \u25a0:

if}rection and ;; in'vcharge ~of •\u25a0; the United [l Statesi engineeiing corps, Maj. Allen.In :

~\ charge.^^SßSSffifefisJS^^SßSS?^^.^'-^^:.v jrFor eight years,' commencing in 1881,he was first assistant engineer in the r

:cl ty' engineer's "office• In'St. ? Paul. For >

the next seven years engaged in'public work contracting in Michigan,Wisconsin .and Minnesota. P Then >for

,-. four years ; he: acted Tas superintendent;

of the .board oftwater commissioners ofI;.- this ;city:.}At that; time, 1900, rhe was

appointed office engineer, in the city en- :I gineer's offlceunder Engineer, Claussen, ~; end %upon i the • installation \of 4Engineer

-;; Rundlett, :two ;years ago, ; he \u25a0 was • made:- firßt assistant 1Ins the;office. A v,;;;:;;:I^Mp.', Starkey belongs to a number of

.\u25a0 fraternal; organizations, and '- isV•- \resf- '.tfent of th« CivilEngineer* ;6ocli>y of-Bt. Paul. : '\u25a0•.\u25a0 v'\u25a0- j. \u25a0-\u25a0\u0084.:- \u25a0 ' ': \u25a0 '\u25a0'\u25a0

JERRY STRAPPSecond Assistant Fire Chief.

fire broke out in the chapel there wasno organized effort to extinguish theflames. Neighbors ran with buckets,

pails, dish pans and washtubs and eachindividual did his best to save thestructure. The water supply was soonexhausted, however, and the edificewas doomed.

Not long after that fire, which was asevere blow to the villagers, the coun-cil enacted an ordinance, which, inview of the changed conditions, ap-pears primitive in the extreme. Therules laid down at that time were asfollows:

Ye Early Ordinance"Every owner of any house, store,

cellar, warehouse, or other building inwhich any stove, fireplace or flue Isused, shall provide and keep in repairtwo sufficient and substantial buckets,which shall be marked with paint inplain, conspicuous letters with the word'fire' on one side and the owner's nameon the other.''

The ordinance further provided that,the pails should at all times be sub-ject to inspection by a fire warden.Burning of chips or shavmgs withinsixty feet of a building was prohibitedby another clause.

Having provided that regulation, thevillagers felt safe from further loss byfire, but they were again aroused notlong after the burning of the Presby-terian chapel by a destructive fire-which leveled to the ground the Dan-iels hotel, which was located at Eagleand Third streets. When that fire oc-curred the villagers worked hard tosave the building. A line of men reach-ing from the structure to the riverbank was formed and palls of waterwere handed along. The work was invain, however, and the citizens werethen convinced that some sort of anorganization was necessary.

R. C. Knox, who has been^ called thefounder of the fire department, inter-ested a number of men in the projectof forming a volunteer fire corps andfrom that time to the present the cityhas had brave men ready to sacrificethemselves to save life and propertyexposed to destruction by fire. As aresult of the movement started byKnox a few ladders were procuredand dedicated to .the use of the vol-unteer force. The organization createdby Knox continued to serve until 1854when, with the establishment of thetown government under its (Charter, theauthorities placed it on an official foot-ing.

First Hook and Ladder CompanyThe Pioneer Hook and Ladder com-

pany was organized on Nov. 6, 1854,and It became the nucleus of the vol-unteer corps which served the city un-til 1877, when the paid department wasestablished. In order to provide com-pensation for service in the volunteerdepartment the town council, in 1854,passed an ordinance excusing firemenfrom jury duty, poll tax, from workingon the roads, and from state militaryservice for five years.

The members of the first companyof volunteers were Isaac Banker, fore-man ; H. \u25a0B. Pearson and George B.Blake, assistant foremen; RichardGallQway, treasurer; Robert Mason,secretary, and Henry Buel, J. W. Cath-cart, Charles D. Elfelt, Edward Heenan,Thompson Ritchie, Philip Ross, Wash-ington M. Stees, J. W. Stevenson, Ben-jamin F. Irvine, John McCloud Jr., R.L. Thompson J. Q. A. Ward andCharles H. Williams.

In 1855, an appropriation was madeto purchase new equipment, and thedepartment was increased by the ad-dition of the following men: E. Q.Durbin, C. H. Mix, Simon Kern, T. M.Newson, G. W. Prescott, Gk V. P. Lull,

S. L. Hosier, Louis Mix, Jonas Gise,Alfred Elfelt, J. W. Bond, J. LymanKellogg, John Tudor. The designationof the company was at that timechanged to tha "Hook and Ladder

P. J. McDONOUGHCaptain Engine Company No. 1.

MICHAEL P. SULLIVANPlpeman Engine Company No. 2.

M. A. KANELieutenant Chemical Engine Company

No. 2.

Company of St. Paul." The headquar-ters were then located on Fourth street,near St. Peter.

Washington M. Stees was first chiefengineer of the department; CharlesH. Williams, first assistant, and I. H.Baker, second assistant. George W.Prescott was fire warden of the Firstward; J. R. Jenks, of the Second ward,

and Joseph W. Marshall, of the Thirdward.

W. S. BATSONW. S. Batson was born In England In

1850 and gained a common school edu-cation in Canada and Michigan. Hethen served three years in the UnitedStates army under 1 Generals Hancock,Sully and Custer, on the frontiers ofKansas, Colorado and New Mexico,during that time helping in the build-ing of Fort Dodge and Fort Harker,Kansas.,

In 1869 he tame to StTPaul and wasemployed on the location and construc-tion of the Lake Superior & Missis-sippi railway, the St. Paul & Pacificrailway, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St.Paul railway, and the Wisconsin Cen.-tral railway; was employed In im-proving the Upper Mississippi riverfrom St. Cloud to Minneapolis, andGrand Rapids to Aiken. He also as-sisted in the work of improving theupper Missouri from Stubs Ferry towhat Is now Great Falls, Mont., andfrom Fort Benton, Mont, to the mouthof the Yellowstone river, Mont. Hewas employed in the building of thetunnel and concrete dyke under thefalls of St. Anthony, and the Pokegamalake reservoir for the United Statesgovernment. Later he was employed inthe buildingof the Osseo line from Min-neapolis to Osseo; also, the line fromHamline to Minneapolis. He was InCapt. Gregory's astronomical party onthe Northern boundary survey betweenBritish America and the United Statesfrom Pemblna to the summit of theRocky mountains for three seasons*

MYLES McNALLYCaptain Engine Company No. 3.

ANDREW J. MYLERCaptain Engine Company No. 2.

Served Without PayThe volunteers all served without

emolument, and were ready at alltimes to respond to alarms and workCor hours when necessity demanded.Alarm were sounded by the ringing ofchurch bells until Rev. O'Neill donateda. large bell, which was taken from St.Paul college, an institution over whichhe presided. When the bells wereheard the firemen dropped their work.If it were in the day time, and if atnight left their homes and hurryingto headquarters, assisted in drawing

the apparatus to the scene of the fire.The volunteers were authorized by law

to call for assistance from spectators,and refusal on the part of the latterwould incur imprisonment and fine.

Several large fires occurred in theearly days, but the volunteers, handi-capped by lack of facilities and water,

fought bravely in every case. Whenfires got beyond control the volunteersdevoted* their energies to segregatingthe blaze by demolishing all structuresadjoining it.

One of the most serious fires withwhich the volunteers had to contendduring the first few years was thatwhich destroyed the Rice house, on

upper Third street. A loss of $60,000

was caused. That fire occurred in Au-gust, 1857, and was the immediatecause of active efforts on the part ofthe city officials to secure more ade-quate facilities for the fire fighters.Late in 1857 a bond issue of $5,000 wasauthorized and Robert A. Smith, thepresent mayor, was sent East to nego-tiate the securities. With the moneyraised two suction engines, two hose

He was employed five and one-halfyears building anfr inspecting bridgesfor the Great Northern Kairway. com-pany. For the past nine years he hasbeen with the city engineer's depart-ment of St Paul, buildingand inspect-ing sub-structures and super-struc-

tures of the majority, of St. Paul'sbridges.

EUGENE R. IRVINECaptain Engine Company No. 12.

M. McKINNIELieutenant Engine Company No. 15.

ROBERT WHITEVeterinary Surgeon Fire Department

carts and 500 feet of hose were pur-chased.

Volunteers Are ReinforcedCharles H. Williams became chief

engineer In 1858, and continued to servein that capacity until Aug. 10, 1860.The orig'nal company of volunteers wasreinforced during the late '50s by theHope Engine company and the Minne-haha Engine company, which tookcharge of part of the new equipmentsecured. The . companies had theirquarters at Washington and Hillstreet,

Wabasha and Fifth streets, and Jack-son and Third streets. In 1860, to pro-vide a water supply with which to fight

fire, the city contracted for the con-struction of six cisterns, to be locatedon Third street, between Jackson streetand Seven corners.

March 16, 1860, is a memorable day inthe annals of the fire department. Onthat day a conflagration destroyed thir-ty-four buildings on Third street, nearJackson. The fire became so formid-able that had it not been for the heroicefforts of the volunteer department thewhole town might have been destroyed.

W. T.- Donaldson was elected chiefengineer In 1860, and he was succeededthe following year by J. E. Mission.The Volunteer Fire Department Benefitassociation was organized in 1861, andremained In existence until 1895, whenit was disbanded. Luther H. Eddy,

who later became chief of police, waselected chief engineer of the fire de-partment fn 1863. His assistants wereB. Rodick, John C. Pickett, H. Brudertand Tfmoth-y Reardon.. Charles- H. Williams, a member ofthe original volunteer company, wasthe first chief engineer to receive asalary. He was chosen as head of thedepartment in 1864, and was allowed$200 annually. Williams was succeeded

DANIEL NAREYSuperintendent Fire Alarm.

by Bartlett Presley, who proved tobe a popular chief. His wifewas known as the "guardian angelof the fire department." When themen worked at a fire she was In .thehabit of cooking steaming kettles ofcoffee and preparing sandwiches whichene distributed among them.

Steam Fire Engine Arrives »^,

The effectiveness of the departmentwas greatly Increased in 1866, by theaddition of a steam fire engine. Thearrival of the engine, on Aug. 11, waamade the occasion of a popular demon-stration and the engine was unveiled inan impressive manner when it was in-stalled in the engine house on Fourthstreet and christened the "City of St.Paul." C. C. King was appointed firstengineer, and a subscription was im-mediately started for money to pur-chase horses.

Frank Brewer became chief engineerin 1866, and his annual report for 1867showed that the department consistedof the Pioneer Hook and Ladder com-pany, with 90 men; the Mlnnehaha En-gine company, with 46 men, and the"Steamer City of St. Paul," with 2men. In th<- following year the TroutBrook Hose company No. 2, .with 40men, and Hope Engine company No.3, with 80 men, were organized.

The water supply, which had been in-adequate, was improved in 1868, whenthe St. Paul Water company estab-lished a pumping station at Lake Pha-len and placed flre plugs on the streetsabout the city. In June, 18C9, stepswere taken to provide an engine house*at Seventh and Sibley streets for Min-nehaha Engine company, which hadbeen quartered at Third and Jacksonstreets. The lease at the old site hadexpired and the building which hadbeen erected on it had to be relinquished

to the owner of the property. The (en-gine house at Seventh and Sibley

streets was used only two years, forin 1872 it was sold and the companywas transferred to a building on Wa-couta street, between Sixth and Sev-enth streets.

J. C. Prendergast became chief en-gineer in 1870, and he was succeededin 1871 by R. O- Strong. M. B. Farrelisupplanted Strong in 1872, but Strong

again became chief In 1876. The Game-well alarm system was installed in the

tcity in 1873, with sixteen boxes in dif-ferent parts of the city.

-. Volunteer Corps Disbanded

The volunteer corps, which hadserved in its infancy and during theperiod of Its growth, was disbanded onOct. 1, 1877, and its place was takenby the paid department. When thevolunteer department went out of ex-istence it consisted of eight companies,

as follows:The first engine, railed the "Steamer

St. Paul/ 1 was attached to the St. PaulHose company No. 7, located on St.Peter street, near Seventh, having 30men the Pioneer Hook and Laddercompany, stationed at the same place,and having 27 men the Minnehahasteamer No. 2, Wacouta, near Seventhstreet Minnehaha Engine company, at-tached to the steamer, including 40men; Hope Engine company No. 3,stationed at Ramsey and Leech streets,provided with a rotary Silsby engine,

and the Hope Hose company, having40 men, Trout Brook Engine companyNo. 4, having a rotary Silsby machine,located at Tenth and Broadway, andthe Rescue company No. 5, having 45men, located at the town hall.

In the regular establishment Hookand Ladder Company No. 1 took theplace of the Pioneer company; HoseCompany No. 1, of the St. Paul com-pany; Hose Company No. 2, of theMinnehaha company; Hose CompanyNo. 3, of the Hope company, and Hosecompany No. S, of the Trout Brookcompany. R. O. Strong was the firstchief. When the department went onthe paid basis, plpemen and laddermenreceived $20 and foremen received $25per month.

Fira Board Is Created

The board of flre commissioners, un-

der whose management the depart-

ment haa been brought to its present

F. D. VARNUMElectrical Inspector.

condition of efficiency, was establishedIn 1881. It took the control of the de-partment from the hands of a com-mittee of the council, which had man-aged its affairs since the municipalitywas created.

During the past twenty years the firedepartment has been steadily Increasedwith the expansion of the city. Firestations have been erected In all thewards as they were, developed. TheCentral flre hall. Eighth and Minne-sota streets, was erected in 1883, andthe other buildings hav-e been addedwhere conditions demanded them. j

J. T. BlacTt became chief engineer in1883, and he held the position until1889, when John Jackson succeededhim. Jackson remained at the head ofthe department until 1898, when H. fi.Cook took his place for two yeara.Jackson waa reinstated in 1900, andremains chief at the present time.There are now twenty-five flre stationsin the city, and 200 men on the payroll of the department. The presentboard of fire commissioners consistsof Reuben Warner Jr., president; A. J.Schweizer, J. M. Clarkin, G. W. Free-man and John F. Kelly.

DR. JUSTUS OHAGE

That St. Paul has achieved the rep-utation of being the healthiest city inthe world is due not only to its location,

climate and general conditions, but tothe untiring and never-ending effortsof its health commissioner, Dr. JustusOhage, who, since he has held the of-fice of honor, has unselfishly devotedthe major portion of his time to for-warding every project looking to thebetterment of the public health, andwho has accomplished wonders for thecity from the standpoint of the publichealth.

Certain it is that there is no morepopular man in public or private lifein St. Paul today; no other man withso many warm and lasting friendships,and probably no man who is so univer-sally known, loved and respected asthat good old Teuton, Justus Ohage.

Dr. Ohage was born in Hanover,Germany, in 1549, and came to thiscountry in 1871. He is a graduate ofthe University of Missouri. He was in1897 appointed professor in the medicaldepartment of tin state university. Hlaprivate practice in this city has alwaysbeen large.

\u25a0

Since Mayor Kiefer made him healthcommissioner In 1893 Dr. Ohage hasbeen known for his vigorous crusade inbehalf of a clean city. His work andits success constitute the highest testi-monial to his worth as a citizen andofficial.

Believing that "in the health of apeople lies the strength of a nation,"

Dr. Ohage conceived the idea of a pub-lic bath, and with his private mean*set about to accomplish such an insti-tution. The result te known to all theworld, and the fame of the Harrietisland public baths is spread the lenjrth

and breadth of the United States.* Many other cities have copied after"Dr. Ohage's baths," and to good pur-pose.

Dr. Ohage has erected for himself a.lasting monument in the establishmentof the public baths, as well as an un-ending regard in the hearts of St.Paul's citizens by hi» never-endingwork in their behalf.

&•*<£ *^iif< ZsS^KSJ^^BS^BsfIGBB; 5181L5.;..: j&iO'' l^^SS^^^^^^M

I \u25a0:-'-':':'-:\u25a0.'\u25a0:'\u25a0'.':'- iPK&EB&MJ* ' : mShHIf \u25a0" " ''''

: nKHEE^iEs'i^''-a- \u25a0' '\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0'- -\u25a0: -"i

- \u2666

\u25a0\u25a0-' \u25a0 \u25a0 \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0• •\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0.\u25a0 J&P&-.-: \u25a0 -^j^^^^^^^^@f '\u25a0\u25a0'''\u25a0\u25a0'^S^

Mifrfe^.-x3fejr>.^gyßfafe> 1

•_. „_„_.... '... ..t \u25a0.y-.~gvßi ßa\u0084iujiujiijinut . luiii.nijuiiiuiiiii mini mi i»jii«

\u25a0Bar I^9H

••\u25a0\u25a0 • . •'\u25a0 -\u25a0

I

'*'"\u25a0'''' —*—' vv -,; ,^