OUR FIREMEN : THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE
BROOKLYN FIRE DEPARTMENT,
FROM THE FIRST VOLUNTEER TO THE LATEST APPOINTEE.
COMPILED FROM THE RECORDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
ILLUSTRATED WITH ETCHED PORTRAITS AMD SCENES.
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
1892.
| Preface by the Authors |
CHAPTER I |
EARLY BROOKLYN AND ITS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT |
- SETTLEMENT BY THE DUTCH IN 1636 - WALLABOUT, GOWANUS, "THE FERRY," AND BREUCKELEN - THE VILLAGE CHARTERED - BROOKLYN IN THE REVOLUTION - FIRE ACT OF 1768-FIRST FIREMEN APPOINTED, 1772 - FIRST FIRE COMPANY, 1785 - THE FIRST ENGINE - FIRST FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZED, 1788 - CHIMNEY INSPECTORS - THE SECOND ENGINE - INCREASE OF THE DEPARTMENT - THE FIRE-BELL - VILLAGE INCORPORATED l8l6, AND NEW COMPANIES ORGANIZED - JOHN DOUGHTY, THE FIRST CHIEF ENGINEER - BANNER PRESENTATION, 1826 - THE CITY INCORPORATED, 1834 CONSOLIDATION ACT, l855 - FIRE COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED, 1857 |
CHAPTER II |
ENGINE COMPANIES OF THE VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT. |
- WASHINGTON NO. 1, THE FIRST COMPANY - NEPTUNE NO. 2 AND THE " LITTLE ROOSTERS " - FRANKLIN No. 3 AND EAGLE No. 4 - PROTECTOR No. 6, "OLD BEAN SOUP" - CONSTITUTION NO. 7, AND BROOKLYN'S FIRST " PIANO BOX " - COLUMBIA NO. 10, THE LIFE-SAVERS - PACIFIC NO. 14, THE "DUDE" COMPANY OF THE HEIGHTS - BROOKLYN, NO. 17, THE "HAY WAGON" AND THE "HOPPERS " - THE FIRST HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY - TRUCK 2 AND ITS PRIZES - THE HOSE COMPANIES - FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT - THE WASHINGTON "ROOSTERS" OF THE NORTH SIDE - PROTECTION NO. 2 AND THE SOUTH-SIDERS - THE SHERIFF AND THE ENGINES - THE DEPARTMENT INCORPORATED, 1857 - COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED - OTHER COMPANIES. |
CHAPTER III |
FIREMEN 'S MONUMENTS. |
CHAPTER IV |
THE PAID DEPARTMENT |
- FIRST ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISHMENT - JUDGE MASSEY'S SUCCESSFUL, 1869 - COMMISSIONERS - APPOINTED AND ORGANIZED - INSPECTION OF OLD DEPARTMENTS & CHANGES ORDERED - ROSTER OF THE COMPLETED DEPARTMENT - PARTING WORDS TO THE OLD REGIME - THE FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPH |
CHAPTER V |
EX-COMMISSIONERS. |
- THE FIRST COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR SUCCESSORS - FREDERICK S. MASSEY - HUGH McLAUGHLIN - WILLIAM A. BROWN - ANTHONY F. CAMPBELL - R. M. PHRANER - JAMES RODWELL - DAVID WILLIAMS - JAMES RYAN - BERNARD GALLAGHER - MOSES J. WAFER - PHILLIP F. BRENNAN - JACOB WORTH - JOHN N. PARTRIDGE - RICHARD H. POILLON. |
CHAPTER VI |
THE FIRE COMMISSIONER, CHIEF ENGINEER & HEADQUARTERS STAFF. |
- THE NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDING-GRACEFUL, SOLID, AND WELL ADAPTED TO ITS PURPOSES - COMMISSIONER ENNIS - DEPUTY COMMISSIONER WILLIAM D. MOORE. - CHIEF ENGINEER THOMAS F. NEVINS. - INSPECTOR CANICE CASSIN. - FIRE MARSHAL BENJAMIN LEWIS. - ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEER JAMES DALE. - ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEER JOHN H. PERRY. - EX-ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEER JOHN W. SMITH. |
CHAPTER VII |
FIRE HEADQUARTERS STAFF, ETC., (Continued). |
- VETERINARY SURGEON HEARD - SURGEON ROBBINS - SURGEON SMITH - ASSISTANT INSPECTOR FLYNN - SUPERINTENDENT WATSON - JAMES T. WAFER. - SUPERINTENDENT NEVINS - EX-SUPERINTENDENT LYNCH - FOREMEN McGRONEN, KELLOCK, BlRCK, NORTON,SHUTE, BRENNAN, CAMPBELL, BURNS - ASSISTANT FOREMEN NASH, SODEN, HEFFERN. HARRIS - FIREMEN DETAILED - THE TELEGRAPH BUREAU. |
CHAPTER VIII |
COMPANIES OF THE FIRST DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER JAMES DOYLE. |
-DIVISION OF THE CITY INTO FIRE DISTRICTS -REAPPORTIONMENTS IN JULY 1892 -OLD DISTRICTS OUTGROWING OLD FACILITIES -NEW DISTRICTS, DISTRICT ENGINEERS, AND COMPANIES -THE DISTRICT LIMITS -THE FIRST DISTRICT -DISTRICT ENGINEER DOYLE, HIS WAR AND FIRE SERVICE -ENGINE COMPANY NO. 2, OF RED HOOK POINT -ENGINE COMPANIES NOS. 3 AND 4 AND THE IMPORTANT DISTRICTS THEY COVER -HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO 1, THE FIRST TRUCK COMPANY ORGANIZED. |
CHAPTER IX |
COMPANIES OF THE SECOND DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER SAMUEL G. HEUSTIS. |
THE MOST VALUABLE PROPERTY IN BROOKLYN -"MULTUM IN PARVO" - THE HEIGHTS, THE HILL, SOUTH BROOKLYN AND THE SHOPPING CENTRE - BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICT - DISTRICT ENGINEER HEUSTIS - THIRTY YEARS A 55 FIREMAN. TWENTY-THREE YEARS A FOREMAN, DISTRICT ENGINEER WITH A HIGH PERCENTAGE - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 5 - VETERANS LONG HOUSED ON THE HEIGHTS - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 24 - PROTECTORS OF THE WATER FRONT WAREHOUSES - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 26 - GUARDIANS OF THE SHOPPING CENTRE - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 10 - A BUSY FIRST YEAR. 2 |
CHAPTER X |
COMPANIES OF THE THIRD DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER SAMUEL DUFF. |
- A BUSY DISTRICT RESIDENCES, SHIPPING, FACTORIES AND TENEMENTS THICKLY PACKED IN THE HOME OF THE FIREBOAT ELEVATED RAILROAD TERMINALS - DISTRICT ENGINEER DUFF, HIS BRAVE DEEDS AS A LIFE-SAVER - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 6 : ONE OF THE EARLY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NEW DEPARTMENT - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 7 : AND ITS ONE VETERAN - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 8 : PROTECTORS OF THE NAVY YARD - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 23 : THE FIRE FIGHTERS AFLOAT - TRUCK COMPANY NO. 3 : THE MEN WHO FIGHT AT CLOSE QUARTERS. |
CHAPTER XI |
COMPANIES OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER JAMES CUNNINGHAM. |
- THE VARIED INTERESTS OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT - ITS BOUNDARIES AND CHARACTERISTICS - DISTRICT ENGINEER JAMES CUNNINGHAM - A WORTHY SON OF A WORTHY SIRE - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 9 : A COMPANY OF LIFE-SAVERS - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 10 : A TRAINING-SCHOOL FOR FIREMEN - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 30 : A WELL-HOUSED TWO-YEAR-OLD - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 2 AND ITS GALLANT RESCUES. |
CHAPTER XII |
COMPANIES OF THE FIFTH DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER JAMES McGUIRE. |
- EX-DlSTRICT ENGINEER GEORGE A. FROST - EVERYBODY'S FRIEND - DISTRICT ENGINEER JAMES McGUIRE - A POSITION WON BY MERIT - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 2 : ON HAND AT ALL GREAT E. D. FIRES - ENGINE COMPANY NO. l6 : TWENTY YEARS OF HARD WORK - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 21 : SEVEN YEARS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 4 - FIGHTERS OF OIL FIRES. |
CHAPTER XIII |
COMPANIES OF THE SIXTH DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER WILLIAM A. GALLAGHER. |
- NEWTOWN CREEK AND THE EASTERN DISTRICT WATER-FRONT - A DANGEROUS DISTRICT - DISTRICT ENGINEER GALLAGHER - A SOLDIER AND VOLUNTEER FIREMAN - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 12 : IN THE HEART OF THE WORST FIRE DISTRICT IN THE CITY - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 13 : PROTECTORS OF THE RESIDENTIAL QUARTER - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 15 : THE PRIDE OF GREENPOINT - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 29 : ON THE LINE OF THE MANHATTAN BEACH RAILROAD - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 6 : VETERANS WITH HONORABLE SCARS - THE " DAVID A. BOODY " FIREBOAT, ENGINE COMPANY, NO. 32. |
CHAPTER XIV |
COMPANIES OF THE SEVENTH DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER JOHN J. FANNING. |
- BOUNDARIES OF THE SEVENTH DISTRICT "DUTCHTOWN" AND ITS " TINDER-BOXES" - DISTRICT ENGINEER FANNING : AN HONORABLE RECORD IN WAR AND FIRE DUTY - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 17 : LEADERS IN LIFE-SAVING - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 18 : STATIONED BETWEEN CLUB HOUSES AND FACTORIES - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 22 : PROTECTORS OF BROWNSTONE FRONTS - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 8 : IN THE HEART OF THE " TINDER BOXES." |
CHAPTER XV |
COMPANIES OF THE EIGHTH DISTRICT. DISTRICT ENGINEER DENNIS McGROARTY. |
- ON THE LINE OF THE KINGS COUNTY ELEVATED ; A DISTRICT OF HOMES ACCESSIBLE BY THE RAILROAD - DISTRICT ENGINEER McGROARTY A UNITED STATES ARTILLERYMAN AND VOLUNTEER FIREMAN - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 14 ; AMONG HOSPITALS AND PALACES - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 19 ; AMONG SCHOOLS, CLUBS CHURCHES AND ARMORIES - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY No. 5 ; HEROES OF MANY "CLOSE SHAVES" - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 11 ; A BUSY FIRST YEAR - ENGINE NO. 34 ; THE BABY COMPANY OF THE DEPARTMENT. |
CHAPTER XVI |
COMPANIES OF THE NINTH DISTRICT. - DISTRICT ENGINEER WILLIAM McCARTHY |
- LIVELY WORK IN AN IMMENSE DISTRICT- A CITY IN ITSELF - DISTRICT ENGINEER WILLIAM McCARTHY - STEADY PROMOTION THROUGH MERIT - ENGINE COMPANY No. 25 : PROTECTOR OF NEW LOTS - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 27 : A MAJORITY OF VETERANS - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 31 : A NEW BROOM THAT SWEEPS CLEAN - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 7 : THE FIRST IN THE ANNEXED DISTRICT - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 33 AND TRUCK NO. 12 NEW COMPANIES FOR THE NEW DlSTRICT. |
CHAPTER XVII |
COMPANIES OF THE TENTH DISTRICT. - DISTRICT ENGINEER JAMES WALSH |
- BETWEEN THE WATER-FRONT AND THE ARISTOCRATIC PARK - RAPID GROWTH ALONG THE ELEVATED LINES - LIMITS OF THE TENTH DISTRICT - DISTRICT ENGINEER WALSH - TWENTY-THREE YEARS IN COMMAND OF ENGINE COMPANY NO 8 - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 1 : THE PIONEER OF THE PAID DEPARTMENT - ENGINE COMPANY NO. 20 : A HUNDRED FIRES IN ONE YEAR - ENGINE COMPANY NO 28 : CITIZENS COMMEND THEIR BRAVERY - HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO 9 : PROTECTORS OF THE FLEET AND FIGHTERS OF OIL FIRES. |
ROSTER OF THE BROOKLYN FIRE DEPARTMENT |