The Grape Belt and Chautauqua Farmer from Dunkirk, New York • Page 5

Dunkirk Fire Dept. Was Organized Dec. 21,18.52 and Has Had a Colorful History Since Its Inception By Canon Leslie F. Chard With the coming of the New York Erie railroad to Dunkirk ii. 1851, that little village became western terminus of what was 'then the longest railroad in the United States.

From a sleepy little 1 hamlet of scarce 600 souls, it was transformed almost overnight into a rowdy, roaring frontier town of over 3,000. Streets of one story shacks, built of lumber from the nearby forest, were hastily thrown up. The need of fire protection was immediately apparent, and Charles H. Sherman, the engineer vho piloted the first train into Dunkirk, petitioned the railroad to bnate a fire engine to the village, pointing out that the safety of its freight-houses, car shops, docks, would be greatly jeopardized in the event of a serious conflagration. The railroad responded promptly and generously with a gift of the hand pumper which was named after Benjamin Loder.

president of the Erie, and which is still a treasured possession of the Dunkirk department. On Dec. 21, 1852, a group of interested citizens met to organize a volunteer fire department. Three companies were formed Pioneer Hook Ladder Company No. 1, Dunkirk Engine Company No.

1, and Loder Engine Company No. 2. In February 1853, according to the minutes of the Dunkirk village board, M. H. Utley was elected chief engineer, Joseph H.

Knowlton first assistant, and Joshua Parrish second assistant. Pioneer Hook Ladder m- pany and Loder Engine Company were housed in a'building at the corner of Eagle and West Second streets. No record has been preserved as to the location of the Dunkirk Engine Company. Sometime in the late '50s the two engine companies changed their designations to "Dunkirk Hose Company No. 1" and "Loder Hos.e Company No.

Fancy Uniforms The favorite costume of the Dunkirk fireman of the 1850s was a red flannel shirt fastened well to one side with large white buttons, the name of his company on the chest, either appliqued on with white cloth, or embroidered by his wife or sweetheart; a black silk tie knotted under a rolling collar; and a stove-pipe hat, which was replaced when at a fire by a black patent-leather helmet with a red name-plate in front. When one of the built dwellings would catch fire, which was a frequent occurrence in those clays, the Hooks would wield axe and hook vigorously, demolishing flimsy walls with enthusiastic abandon, for the motto of Pioneer Hook Ladder Company was and if "We raze to save!" Smoke Signals Similarly, at the clanging the alarm bell in the cupola of the Buffalo street pier, the members oL the hose companies would rush for their equipment and with 30 or 40 men manning the traces of their engines, would make for the fire, guided only by a column of smoke by day, and a glow in the sky by night. Arriving at the burning building, the intake hose would be lowered into the lake, the nearest pool of the ubiquitous Goose creek, or one of the many other creeks with which the village abounded at that time. The engines were simply big pumps worked by 20 husky men, 10 at each of two long bars for some mysterious reason, "brakes." There was a good deal of rivalry between the "Dunkirk's" and the each trying to be first at the scene of the fire, and sometimes the feeling was so intense that the boys would forget fire and turn the hose on each oth. er.

Two Disastrous Fires To supplement the often inadequate pressure of the hand-pump- ers, a bucket company organized in January 1858, for due to lack of proper equipment the village suffered two disastrous fires during the previous years. On Oct. 19, 1856, the Risley on the north side of Front street burned. Characterized in a contemporary newspaper account as "the finest block in the it consisted of Loeb's hotel, a number of steamship offices, and the offices of the Dunkirk "Tribune" and Dunkirk It happened that a party of 60 German immigrants was housed at the hotel awaiting passage west, and one of them, a young man of 20, was burned to death. The monetary loss was estimated at S30.000, a staggering sum for those clys.

in 1857 Dunkirk's pride and joy the famous Loder House, burned to the ground. Begun in 1837, and completed shortly before the opening of the railroad, the Loder House was the most luxurious hotel between New York City and Chicago. It was built by Dunkirk's most influential citizen, Walter Smith, and was named in honor of the New York Erie railroad's president, Benjamin S. Loder. It was a four-story brick building with a 60-foot frontage in Center Ttreet, a stately portico, of granite columns framing the entrance.

It was here that the great banquet in celebration of the completion of the railroad was held, attended by such notables as President Millard ITillmore, Daniel Webster, Villiam H. Seward, and Stephen A. Douglas. Despite the valiant efforts of the firemen, this noble edifice was a complete ruin in a single night, for their primitive equip, ment proved entirely inadequate to cope with a fire of such proportions. Other Hotel Fires Dunkirk seems to have been rough on its" hotels, for in addition to those mentioned, Ward's hotel and the Eastern House burned in 1854, the American House and the Immigrant House in 1864, the St.

James and the Great Eastern in 1887, and more recently the historic old Erie hotel in 1952. In an effort to provide a more dependable, adequate, and strategically -located water supply in case of fire, cisterns were placed underground in 1858, at the corner of Second and Center worth 'its- company, stead the streets, and the corner of Buffalo and East Fourth streets, Most Disastrous Blaze But in spite of these precautions, the worst fire in the history of Dunkirk occurred on the early morning of February 22, 1868. Beginning in Koch's grocery store at the northeast corner of Center and Second streets, it destroyed 38 buildings. A terrific wind nulli- fied all the efforts of the firemen to bring the fire control. When it finally burned itself out, every building on the east side of Center street to the Williams building, and every building on the west side of the street to the waterfront, was leveled.

Citizens Hose 2 In 1871, Independent Company No. 3 was organized. This organization was later named Charles C. Parker Hose company in honor of Mayor Parker. In '1884 the old Loder Hose company was disbanded, and December 17, 1884, installed, the Citizen's Hose Company No.

2 was into districts, organized, adopting as its motto, "With Willing Hearts We Hasten to Assist." In December 1896, this company purchased the first horsedrawn hose cart to be used here. In May 1894, a group of First Ward citizens met in Weiss's hall and organized Lake City Hose Company No. 4. A two-wheel jumper and hose were purchased for its use. This outfit remained in service until 1904, when it was replaced In 1923 Ahrens-Fox pumper for the company.

The motto of Lake City was, "Always Ready when Duty Calls." In 1898 the fire hall in Middle road was built for it. City Parsimonious It was unfortunate that, in spite of the enthusiasm and public spirit of its volunteer firemen, the city was in those days exceedingly parsimonious in, its treatment of them, and extremely reluctant to furnish adequate equipment. For instance, a letter to the Dunkirk "OBSERVER" dated Decem- sug- sell, give away, or break up that man- killing device, the truck of Pioneer Hook Ladder Company, and in its place purchase a new machine drawn by two horses." Yet it was not until four years later that the city finally provided a new hook and ladder extension truck. Battle Over Chiefs In the summer of 1899 controversy arose over 'the meth- od of appointing fire chiefs, some of the companies repudiating the duly elected chief whose appointment had been confirmed by the city council, electing another man in his place. The council stood firm, with the result that Parker Hose company and Lake City Hose company, disbanded.

In December Lake City Hose Company reorganized, and petitioned for reinstatement. The company was readmitted to the department a-, Hose Company No. 3, Parker Hose company ceasing to exist. First Paid Drivers Out of the controversy came the appointment of paid fire drivers, John Kraiger being appointed to Hose 1 and M. J.

Hyland to Hose 2. Pioneer Hook Ladder company had to obtain its horse from a livery stable whenever there was a fire, until 1907, when horses were purchased, and John Stoyle, Vic Rider, and William Crosman vere appointed drivers. In 1901 a fire alarm system was trained, and efficient department, Dunkirk's fire losi is now one of the lowest in the state. City More Generous Now The parsimony with which the city once treated its volunteer firemen seems to have ended. With the splendid new fire hall Hose No.

1 in East Fourth street, and with a new hall planned for Hose No. 3, the various units of the fire department will be housed comfortably and efficiently. Dunkirk owes a great debt of gratitude to its volunteer firemen, who for the past century have guarded the lives and property of her citizens'. Many years ago, the late Pat Wade, a local leader 'among the volunteer firemen, and a member of Hose Company No. 3, was asked for his definition of a volunteer fireman.

This was his reply: Volunteer's Philosophy "A volunteer fireman is a man who is hailed as' a self-sacrificing Brotfton Woman Awarded Prize For Her Essay BROCTON, Mrs. Marian E. Bigelow. has been awarded third prize on her essay "Why I by the department of New York of the American Legion auxiliary. The essay was submitted in a nation-wide contest sponsored by the auxiliary.

Miss Bigelow is a teacher in the Lockport High THE GRAPE BELT, Dunkirk, N. Angngt 4, 1953 ft school, but' vacations at her home in Fay street here. MASON E. FLUKER DIED ON JULY 21 BUFFALO Mason E. Fluker, 73, a former resident of the town of Hanover, died July 21 at the home of his son near Attica.

Born at Dennison's Corners, Ire was a resident of the town of Hanover until about 10 years ago when he moved to Buffalo because of ill health. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Marian Fluker of Buffalo; two sons; Cecil Fluker of Attica Harold Fluker of six grandchildren. coverage by UP. 1 FdOD TO PLEASB Cocktails That Teut Dinner Mtuie WHITE INN by a horse-drawn unit, the city purchased an city and being divided a whistle announced the location of a fire.

Murray Hose Company No. 4 was organized February 5, 1906, by a group of Fourth ward men. It was named in honor of Councilman Martin Murray. The Nevins street fire hall was built for it in 1906. In 1912 the old fire headquarters on the east side of Central avenue was sold to the'F.

W. Wooland torn down, city erected the modern and up-to-date fire hall in fiagle. street, which houses the Hook and Ladder co'mpany and Hose Company No. 2. City Hall Destroyed A fire of disastrous proportion was the burning of the old city hall December 15, 1924, This picturesque old building was erected as an armory by the stale of New York in 1858-60.

During the Civil war, ammunition, rifles, and cannon were stored there, and it was recruiting headquarters for the ber 19, 1896. rather acidly gests that the 'city "either several raised in volunteer northern regiments Chaulauqua county. In front of it Col. William 0. Stevens received the regimental colors presented by the ladies of Dunkirk to the 72nd.

New York Infantry, and to it came the gallant colonel's body after his death at in May 1863, the battle of Chancellorsville. The building was covered with ivy planted in memory of her husband in 1886, "by Col. Stevens' widow. Many valuable civic records were lost in this the financial loss was es- timated'at over With the most up-to-date equipment money can buy, and with a large, well- hero while saving other persons' lives and property, and a beer- swigging fool while minding; his own business. He is the only member of the human family I know of.

who, in the service of others and with no expectation of reward, will endanger his own life and limb, impair his health, and ruin "his best clothing." Pat wrote this about 50 years ago. It still holds true today. Hose 1 Corps Wins Title at Greece Parade The Dunkirk Hose Company No. 1 drum and bugle corps successfully defended its western ork championship Wednesday night when it won first place at the Western New York Volunteer Firemen's association convention parade. In defending its title, the corps was awarded a first place trophy in recogintion.

of' being the pick of the approximately 92 units par ticipating. The corps is also champion of the Southwestern and New York state conventions but, will be unable to defend the honor in the Southwestern this year because Dunkirk is the host city. Only national park in the U. S. to enclose an entire mountain range is Big Bend, in Texas, which encloses the or Ghost, mountains.

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