22
- THE 3&OB3sTNGr OKEGOIsIAX. TTJESDAX, JA3$UAB,Y 1, 1S95.
FOR FIGHTING FIRE
Portland's yell-Disciplined. 3?aid. iFire
3D epartrq en t.
EARLY VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR GOOD WORK
History of the Local Fire Companies Covering: Nearly Hall a
Century The Great Fires Described The Low
Prevailing Insurance l?ates.
t;.V
HE firstattempt to organ-'
ize a fire company in
Portland was made in
the spring of 1S3L On
the 6th day of May of
that year the old Pio
neer engine company
was formed. Among the
37 charter members of
this company were A. B.
Hallock, J. M. Breck,
George H- Flanders, A.
Dodge. Shubrick Norris,
Robert Thompson and Dr. R. B. Wilson.
This company enjoyed but a. transitory
existence, for in the annals of this city no
record of Its existence after 1832 has ever
been found.
In 1853 there occurred a small fire during
midsummer which awoke the people to
the necessity of making arrangements
which would Insure adequate protection
against a serious conflagration.. At that
time the mayor of Portland was Josiah
Failing. Immediately after the fire re
ferred to. Mr. Failing took prompt steps
to obtain the protection which to him
seemed necessary, and, with the view of
effecting a lire organization from which
satisfactory results could be expected, he
appointed Stephen Coffin, Thomas J. Dryer
and I. B. Smith, who were to act as fire
wardens. Nearly two years after the
Pioneer company was organized, a call
was made for a meeting to organize a
liook-and-ladder company and to perfect
a system which would provide for effi
cient work by the fire department. This
meeting took place on July 28, 1853. A res
olution was passed which declared the
whole city a district for the organization
of the proposed hook-and-ladder company,
and it was the sense of the meeting that
Portland should bo divided into two sub
districts. In each of which should be
formed an efficient engine company. The
dividing line between the two subdistricts
;vas Washington street.
The result of the meeting was the or
ganization of Vigilance hook-and-ladder
company No. 1. The first officers of this
company were: I. B. Smith, foreman; H.
W. Davis, assistant; C. A. Poor, secre
tary; S. J. McCormick, treasurer. The
company adopted its constitution and by
laws on Monday evening, August 1. 1833.
The list of charter members included 36
jiames. The company was admitted for
duty by the city council one day after its
organization.
The first headquarters of this company
were on Yamhill street, between First and
Second, where they remained until the
memorable lire of 1873 destroyed their
house. The company's first truck con
sisted of a common wagon, with the orig
inal reach removed, and the ladder was
formed of long poles, made from a tall sap
ling split in two parts. With its primitive
apparatus this company did most effective
work, however, and for many years it
was one of the great companies of the
Portland volunteer fire department.
At the meeting referred to above, two
committees were appointed for the pur
pose of completing arrangements for the
organization of two engine companies, one
for the northern and one for the southern
district of the city. The organization of
the company for the northern district was
effected on August 1 following, with an
t nrollmcnt of 52 names. The first officers,
were: C. S. Silver, foreman; B. Stark,
first assistant foreman; D. C. Coleman,
second assistant; Charles Hutchins, sec
retary; and Justus Steinberger, treasurer.
The first name proposed for the company
was Protection. At the meeting held on
August 8 there was some little discussion
over the final selection of a permanent
name. Mr. Falling suggested Cascade,
Mr. Barnhart thought Pike would be sug
gestive; and Northerner was offered by
Mr. Stark. This latter designation was
finally adopted. At this meeting 21 men
signed their names to the roll, which
made them members of the company.
The company, like its predecessor, had
Hone of the elements of permanency in
its make-up, and in less than two months
after its formation it was disorganized.
not in a formal way, but as an Implied J
agreement on the part of Its apathetic
members.
In the southern district, Willamette en
gine company No. 1 was organized on
August 6 of the same year, with the fol
lowing officers: Neeson Ham, foreman;
David Monastes, first assistant; Asa
Strong, second assistant; A. M. Berry,
secretary; and C. E. Williams, treasurer.
This company contained among Its active
members many men who have since be
come prominent in Portland's affairs.
Among these may be mentioned C. H.
Lewis, William S. Ladd, Henry Failing,
George H. Williams, R, B. Knapp and
M. S. Burrell Those gentlemen served in
the department for many years, and the
a.J and support they rendered the old fire
department was of incalculable benefit to
the city. The same interest these gentle
men have always taken In their private
affairs was devoted unselfishly to the af
fairs of the fire department, and with the
support of such men nothing could have
In-en expected of Willamette engine com
pany but the great degree of success It
attained from the day of Its first organi-
and was loaned to the Willamette fire
company. The vicissitudes of the Vaughn
engine carried it to the temporary use of
the Multnomah engine company, after
ward organized in Portland, and finally to
the fire department of Eugene, where It
did most efficient service for many years.
THOROUGHLY ORGANIZED.
iCTrJ
-mm
Tlie Volunteer Department Placed on
a Very Strong: Footing:.
HE next fire company organ
ized in Portland was Multno
mah engine company No. 2.
The first enrollment list of 56
names was closed August 26,
1836. Four days later the com
pany's first meeting was held.
B.F.Goodwin was made chair
man of the meeting, and T. B.
Trevett was appointed secre
tary. The proper steps were
taken in the work of drafting
a constitution and by-laws, and at a sub
sequent meeting, held on September 6,
these constltutionand by-laws.were adopt
ed, as was also the name of the company.
At the meeting held one week later. 29
men enrolled their names as members of
the company, and the following officers
were elected: B. F. Goodwin, foreman;
L. M. Starr, first assistant; David Mqn
nastes, second assistant; A. M. Starr,
president; A. C. Ripley, secretary; and
Thomas A. Davis, treasurer. The city
council passed an ordinance admitting
this company on November 25 of the same
year of its organization. Multnomah No.
2 was an Independent company, its equip
ment having been purchased with money
obtained by popular subscription.
The engine for this company arrived
from New York in November, 1857. This
company afterward owned the first steam
fire engine placed in service on the coast.
It was a Silsby rotary, and was purchased
at Seneca Falls, N. Y., and shipped to
Portland by way of the Horn. It reached
Portland in 18CS, just in time to be made
available for the big Stitzel mill fire. It
was In constant service for an entire week
at that time In the endeavor made by the
fire department to extinguish the smolder
ing fire In the sawdust, which had started
from the fire in the mill.
One of the early presidents of Multno
mah engine company No. 2 was Josiah
Failing. Among the other prominent
members were A. B. Hallock, Thomas A.
Davis, Archie Williams and T. B. Trevett.
Mr. Trevett was the last of the charter
members of this company on the com
pany's rolls when the present efficient
paid department was organized. He had
seen 26 years and three months' continuous
service with the company, and his valua
ble services during that time entitled him
to the lasting gratitude of the Portland
people.
On May 22, 1831, the council passed
an ordinance organizing the Portland fire
department. The first chief engineer of
the department was H. W. Davis. Shu
brick Norris was assistant. In 1855, at an
election held for the chief and assistant
of the Portland fire department, the first
officers were re-elected. In September,
1850, Davis was again the successful candi
date for the position of chief, and Orln
Joynt was made assistant. At the elec
tion In the following year, the successful
contestants for the respective offices of
chief engineer and assistant were S. J.
McCormick and Charles Hutchins. Dur
ing Mr. McCormick's Incumbency he was
absent in the East for several months,
and during his absence the council de
clared his office vacant and A. M. Starr
was appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr.
Starr, however, had been elected mayor
of the city, and he failed to qualify as
chief engineer of the local department.
On April 13, 1S3S. the assistant, Charles
Hutchins, was elected chief. When Mr.
McCormick again returned to Portland,
he was elected to the office of assistant of
the fire department. For many years tills
gentleman was a prominent bookseller
and publisher here, but he afterward re
moved to San Francisco, where he gained
considerable distinction as editor of the
Catholic Monitor.
In 1857 the local fire department was
reorganized as the result of a special or
dinance passed by the city council on
September 21 of that year. "Under the
terms of this ordinance Willamette en
gine company No. 1, Multnomah engine
company No. 2 and Vigilance hook and
ladder company No. 1 were included in
the department. The total number of
men enrolled in the department at that
time was 157.
In June, 1859, the department was
strengthened by the organization of Co
lumbia engine company No. 3. This
company elected the following officers:
F. Carter, foreman; E. Devine, first
assistant; William Cook, second as
sistant; George Porter, president; Thos.
Ncally, secretary; E. E. Kelly, treasurer.
The engine used by this compeany was
what was known as a Jeffer's side-stroke.
In addition, the company owned a hose
carriage, which carried nearly 1000 feet of
an excellent quality of hose. The engine
house and the headquarters of the com-
ized in Portland until February 13, 1873.
when Tiger engine company No. 5 was
formed. The great fire of December 22,
1872, had awakened the people of Port
land to the necessity of affording ad
ditional protection to the city and it was
this which led to the organization of
the above company. The first enrollment
of Tiger company included 2 names. The
last fire company organized under the
old volunteer fire department was Couch
engine company 6, which was formed in
1850, with a total membership of 35.
BOARD OF FIRE DELEGATES.
Under "Whose Authority the Fire De
partment Wat Conducted.
N February 12, 1S63, a board
of fire delegates was organ
ized. The duties of this
body vere similar to those
now performed by the board
of fire commissioners. The
first officers of the fire del
egates were Captain E. G.
Randall, president; T. B.
Trevett, secretary; and E.
Seymour, treasurer. A short time prior
to the formation of this board the legis
lature had passed an act exempting fire
men from jury duty and fixing the salary
of the chief engineer at 5300 a year. This
act was signed by Governor John Whit
taker in 1862. In the fall election of 1S3S
Chief Engineer S. J. McCormick was suc
ceeded by J. M. Van Syckle. This gentle
man had reached Portland several months
before that time from Stockton, Cal.,
where he had been connected with the lo
cal fire department, and it was through
his personal efforts that the Stockton de
partment was made one of the most ef
ficient organizations of the kind on the
coast. He long held the position of local
agentof Wells. Fargo & Co., and such was
his ability that he was soon recognized as
the foremost man in the Portland depart
ment. At the same election Joseph Web
ber and F. Sherwood were also elected
chief assistants. In 1859 Mr. Van Syckle
was re-elected as chief, with M. Lucas
and J. A. Messenger as first and second
8
brick Norris, L. C. Millard. W. H. D.
Joyce, H. Slnshelmer, Blaise Labbe, John
H. Wolf, William Young; 'Benjamin F.
Goodwin. T. A. Davis, J. H. Lappeus,
C. C. Phillips. S- G. Skidmore, A. J.
Walling. Henry Weinhard. C. A. Bur
chardt, C A. Alisky, Jacob Mayer, E. J.
DeHart, Thomas A. Jordan, Henry Mor
gan. After the old volunteer fire department
went out of existence, the surviving1 mem
mers of Multnomah engine company, No.
2, and the sons of the members, formed
the Multnomah Engine Company, No. 2,
Benevolent Association. The association
now has a fund of $12,090, the income
from which is devoted to aiding sick and
needy members, and upon the death of
any member the funeral expenses are paid
out of this fund. The officers of the asso
ciation are: T. B. Trevett, president; Jo
seph Buchtcl, vice-president; Benjamin
1. Norden, secretary, and Charles H.
Dodd, treasurer.
The other local firemen's association is
known as the Veteran Volunteers. This is
not strictly a benevolent society. It is
made up of ex-volunteer firemen from aU
parts of the United States in addition
to its many members made up from those
who were connected with the old volun
teer organization in Portland.
The Portland volunteer fire department
did a great work in the early history of
the city, and even after Portland had
attained distinction as a metropolitan cen
ter of population the department was
able to insure the same protection against
fire as was guaranteed at the time in any
large city in the West by the best or
ganized paid fire department. The mem
bers of the volunteer department included
many representative men of the city, and
while there wasconslderable rivalry be
tween different companies there was
none of that ill-feeling between
different factions In the department
which threatened the disruption of that
good fellowship which always existed
among the members. The fact that
the city council failed to tender the old
volunteer firemen a vote of thanks en
vlous year. In the interests of economy,
the force has been somewhat reduced dur
ing the past year, the number of men now
enrolled being- 146, as against an enroll
ment of 170 during 1SS3. Even with this
reduction, the department was never be
fore on a more efficient footing than it is
today. The department is equipped with
a most modern and complete fire-alarm
telegraph apparatus, which has cost over
$23,000. The total value of the entire fire
alarm property Is about $33,500. The su
perintendent in charge of t&e fire alarm
is Captain A. J. Coffee, one of the most
competent electricians on the coast.
It would be difficult to improve the
water service in connection with the de
partment. The water pressure from the
new Bull Run system, in all mains
throughout the lower portion of the city.
Is not less than 95 pounds to the square
inch, and the supply is practically inex
haustible. The department owns 477 fire
hydrants, 13S of which are distributed
over the districts north of Morrison
street, 124 south of Morrison street and
163 on the East Side. . Besides these there
are the 52 hydrants of the Elevator Com
pany, distributed along Front and First
streets. The department is also provided
with SI cisterns, 70 of which are distrib
uted on the West Side and 11 on the East
SK: The combined capacity of these cis
terns Is 1,510,000 gallons.
The department is made up of seven
steam engine companies, three chemical
engine companies, five hook-and-iaxiaer
companies, and four hose companies.
These companies occupy 14 separate
houses, of which four are double. The
companies cover some remarkable dis
tances in answering fire alarms in dif
ferent parts of the city, but it would be
hard to find a department of any city the
size of Portland in the United States that
gives quicker service in reaching fires than
the department of this city.
The Portland paid fire department is un
der a most thorough discipline, all rules
and regulations being strictly enforced.
y
the disbanding of the volunteer fire de- ', No man on the force who gets Intoxicated
during" each-year since its organization is
shown below:
1SS3 $ 5S.933 00
18S4 65.SS0 00
1SS5 66,800.00
18S6 66,478 00
1SS7. 72.S1S 00
1SSS 69,469 00
1SS9 77.025 00
1S90 124,921 00
1S91 117,403 00
1892. 137.745 00
1S23 150.15S 00
1S94 (to November 30. 11 months).. 124,299 17
1S94 (estimate for December) 890 00
ME3IBERS ARE CARED FOR.
The Firemen's Relief Association
Its Beneficent Aim.
-' 'HE first board of fire commis
sioners organized a relief asso
ciation, composed entirely of
members of the department. On
May 9, 1SS3, a set of rules and
by-laws for the government of
the association were adopted.
These rules provided that each
member of the department
should pay into the relief fund
the sum of 50 cents on the 1st
day of each month. This fund was to be
specially set aside for the care of sick or
injured members of the department. The
rules provided that any member who
either through sickness or accident should
become incapacitated for duty as a fire
man, and who was not able to work at his
accustomed calling, shall receive from the
fund of the association the sum of $40 a
month, said payments to continue during
the time of his disability. On the death
of any member in good standing, the sum
of $1 is levied on each member of the de
partment to defray the funeral expenses
of the deceased. The rules further provide
that the officers of the Fireman's Mutual
Benefit Association shall be members of
the fire commission, with a board of di
rectors, including the three members of
the commission, together with the secre
tary and chief engineer. This association
is one of the many excellent features of
the department, and It has rendered most
valuable assistance to the individual mem
bers. The following table shows the total
receipts and disbursements of the assocla
tion from May 9, 1883, to December 31, 1894:
I Disburse
ments.
Year
1SS3....
1SS4....
1885....
1SS6....
1SS7....
1888....
1SS9....
1890....
1891....
1892....
1893....
Balance on hand, bills
receivaDie
Balance on hand, cash
Receipts.
691 00
623 00
1.3S150
811 00
830 00
669 50
934 3S
1,391 40
1,510 25
1,832 40
1.74S 39
I
($12,422 82
: S6SS4
473 81
685 72
337 67
5SS76
722 80
855 48
1,162 14
S60S5
2443 10
1,644 32
$ 9,941 99
2,477 S3
$12,422 S2
Sources of revenue. 1883 to 1893, inclusive
Amount received from dues and
fines $ 9,974 63
MOUNT HOUD-A XEAR VIEW.
assistants, respectively. During the in-'
curabency of Mr. van Syckle a bell tower
was erected in the city and a big steel
bell, weighing over haif a ton. was
brought from the East and placed in this
tower. The cost of this bell, including
freight charges, was $518.
In 1S60 Mr. Van Syckle moved to Wal
lula to engage in business. Joseph Web
ber was appointed to succeed him, and
he was re-elected in 1863. with A. C. Rio-
partment on the last day of December,
18S2, called for considerable comment from
the community which had received such
signal benefit from the efficient work done
by the department, and while the failure
of the council to officially recognize this
valuable service by., tendering a vote of.
thanks was an o,yerf4gl;t,nitliwas felt by
the pepple that this lapse 'snpuld not have
been made, and- that.4t was a, renecuon
on the spirit of gratitude which Portland
ley as first assistant, and J. J. Thompson, had always shown in attesting the city's
appreciation oi gouu.,X.urjx uuuc ni cor
pora le public bodies.
A CIIIXESE BU1LDISG, rORTLAXD.
zatlon. Mr. Falling, one of the most
prominent early members of this com
pany, has always been interested in the
matter of ofiieient fire protection for Port
land, and he is today one of the most
r tive members of the Exempt Firemen's
Association. Willamette engine company
Tas admitted by an act of the city coun
t 1 passed July 7, 1J54.
On June 38, 1S53, the council authorized
the purehaee of one of Smith's New York
machines for th use of the local depart
i n ut. The boys Uieu dubbed the primitive
re pumps "piano-boxes." On August 2.
"vTt, the council pfs-sed a resolution which
awarded this engine to Willamette com
pany. It had been shipped to Portland
Ma Cape Horn, and it was unloaded at
the towR wharf eight days after it had
"xen awarded to the WHlamettes by the
touncil. This was Portland's first fire
mrine owoed by the city. Two engines
nd been brought here before this time,
rowever. by W. B. Otway. on the bark
Man- Melville, which sailed Into Port-
and's harbor July 2S. ISC For a time
fter their arrival the machine were In
i harge of P. A. Marquara. One of the-ensiles
was subsequently purchased and
v as loaned by this gentleman to the
Northern tire company on Its organization,
ihe other was purshased by G. W. Vaughn
pany were on Washington street, be
ewecn Second and Third.
Columbia engine company No. 3 was the
first of the Portland fire companies to
use horses. These horces were purchased
by the company, who also stood the entire
expense of their care. When the rid de
partment was disbanded. Columbia en
gine company No. 2 had a considerable
sum of money in the treasury. With this
money the company voted the endowment
of a bed in each of Portland's large hos
pitals. Good Samaritan and St. Vincent's,
and the remainder of the funds on hand
were contributed to the Exempt Fire
man Association, to provide for the care
of the Volunteer Firemen's burial plot at
Lone Fir cemetery.
The rapid growth of Portland soon de
manded the formation of another fire
company, and on November 12. 1862, Pro
tection engine company. No. 2, was or
ganised, &ui promptly admitted to the de
partment by the city council. The follow
ing were the first officers of this com
pany. R, Hendry, foreman; II. Bullough,
first assistant; J. Byrnes, second assist
ant: A. Rosenheim, president: W. T.
Patterson, secretary, mid John B. Miller,
trvasuxer.
This was the last fire company orsaa-
secdnd assistant. Webber held the office
of chief until December 1, 1864. At that
time the mayor of Portland was Henry
Failing. Owing to the increared Import
ance of the local fire department, the sat
nry of the chief engineer was increased
from $300 a year to $500. in 1864. The im
mediate successor of Webber was Joseph
Buchtel, the present able head of the Port
land paid fire department. Mr. Buchtel
was re-elected to servo until 1866, when
he was succeeded by H. Weed, who held
the office for two years. In 1869 T. G.
Young was elected chief engineer, and
he was succeeded in 1870 by Robert Hol
man, who remained at the head of the
department until December, 1872. The
next chief wa3 Archibald Williams, and
his successors in the order named were
W. O. Bruen, who held the office for two
years; A. B. Hallock; John Lyons, whose
terra expired on December 1. 1877; J. 11.
Morgan, who served until December 1,
1S79; Thomas A. Jordan, who held the
office two years, and W. A. Hart. Mr.
Hart was the last chief engineer of the
volunteer fire department, his tertn ex
piring when the old organization went out
of existence, on the last day of 1882. On
the night of December 21. of that year,
the town and the entire department turned
out for a big demonstration. Whistles
blew, bells rang, and horns tooted, and
everybody joined in bidding adieu to Port
land's old volunteer fire department, which
gave place the following day to the pres
ent efficient paid department.
Three local fraternal firemen's organiza
tions contain all that Is left of the sur
viving members of the old volunteer de
partment. The first and most Important
of these is the Exempt Firemen's Asso
ciation, which was organized early in
1875 as a benevolent association. The first
meeting of the board of trustees was
held April S following, and at a later
meeting, held on the 22d day of the same
month, the articles of incorporation of the
association 'were adopted and signed by
the following seven charter members: A.
B. Hallock, president; Benjamin F. Good
win, secretary; C. H. Lewis, Peter Tay
lor, T. A. Davis, A. Zleber. The present
officers are Peter Taylor, president and
John O'Connor, secretary.
The requirements of membership In this
association are that the candidate shall
have seen seven yeais' service in the vol
unteer department, except those who
joined the department four years prior to
the time It was disbanded, and who per
formed continuous service up to January
1, 1SS3, when it was disbanded.
After the great fire of August 2, 1S73,
a large sum of money ves raised for the
relief of the sufferers. Of this fund there
remained the sum of $1781 74. which had
not been used. The authorities in charge
of this money decided to turn it over to
the board of trustees of the fire depart
ment as an irreducible fund, the income
from this fund to be used only for the
relief of members of the Portland fire de
partment who may be injured while in
the active discnarge ol tneir amies, -mere
was a further provision made In the trans
fer of this fund, which allows the trus
tees, in case any serious calamity of fire
occurs which might render necessary the
raising of any considerable fund for the
relief of the immediate wants of the suf
ferers thereby, to use the whole or any
part of the principal and Interest of said
fund for that purpose. On the organiza
tion of the exempt association this fund
was placed in charge of a board of trus
tees composed of seven members of that
organization. These members were A. B.
Hallock. C. II. Lewis. H. Falling, T. A.
Davis, Peter Taylor, A. Zieber and B. F
Goodwin. The association now has a fund
of about $SwOO, which can be used for the
care of injured firer en or for the assist
ance of sick or indigent members. The
exempt association also cares for the vol
unteer Firemen's plot at Lone Fir cem
eterv. one of the best kept and most
beautifully located spots in, the ceme-
tery-
The following are the names of some of
the older members of the association.
A. B. Hallock. Henry Failing, W. S.
Ladd. W. O. Bruen, C. H. Lewis, Philip
C Schuvler. L. Baum, A1 Zleber. Ed F.
Albright. Peter Taylor. T. B. Trevett,
John Thompson. 'Richard M. Field. Shj-
THE PAID DEPARTMENT.
Its Formation and the Causes "Which.
Led Up to This Organization.
HE Portland people realized
even before the city had at
tained a population of 30,000
that there must be every pro
vision made for affording ad
equate protection against
lire within the municipal lim
its. The old volunteer de
partment had done most ef
ficient work, but it could not
be expected that men who
were devoting what time they could spare
from their business to the onerous duties
performed by firemen should be able to
render as efficient service as salaried men
of a paid department. The discipline cf
a volunteer organization, too, could not
be quite so strict as the discipline of a
paid department. The day of the primitive
hand engine and the later steam engine
pulled by men tugging at a long rope, was
passed. New and tall buildings were hz
ing erected here, the territory covered by
tho citv was rapidly being extended, and
the rates of insurance as well as the safe
ty of the city demanded the formation of
a paid department.
The legislature of 1882 passed an act
which authorized the formation of the
present paid department. By the terms of
this act a board of three fire commission
ers was appointed. The first members of
this commission were Henry Ackerman,
George L. Story and James Lotan..j"jllY
lam Eppinger was secretary of the board.
Thomas A. Jordan was appointed chief
of the department, and C. C. Dobelbower
and James Klernan first and second as
sistants respectively. During the first year
of its organization $11,000 was expended in
the purchase of new materials, horses,
etc., for the department. The total value
of the property of the department held in
trust by the commission December 31,
1SS3, was as follows:
Real estate (estimated) $110,000
Equipment 66.142
Amount received from donations
Amount received from theater
benefit
Amount received for interest....
Amount received from miscel-
laeous sources
856 00
737 00
799 67
35 50
Deceased.
Total $177,1'2
The following is the value of the prop
erty of the Portland paid fire department
today:
Real estate $205,500
Equipment 132.47S
Total 337,978
Chief Engineer Jordan was succeeded
January 1, 1SS4, by Harry Morgan, who
held the position for eight years. He
gave way to Robert Holman, January 1,
1S92. Holman was succeeded one year
later by Joseph Buchtel,, the present ef
ficient head of the department. The
present assistant engineers are David
Campbell, first assistant; M. Lauden
klos, second assistant, and A. M. Donald
son, third assistant. The district cf the
first assistant engineer covers all the ter
ritory within the city limits south of
Morrison street, and that of the second
assistant the territory north of Morriicn
street, and that of the third assistant all
that part of the city included within the
limits of old East Portland and Albica.
There was no change made in the board
of fire commissioners until July 1, 1SS7,
when Henry Ackerman was succeeded
by T. B. Trevett, and George L. Story
by J. H. Steffen. On July 1, 1891. Theo.
Wygant succeeded James Lotan, the last
member of the original commission. The
board composed of Trevett, Steffen and
Wygant was succeeded on July 1, last,
by the present commissioners, Sylvester
Farrell. who is president of the board,
H. S. Rowe and William Flledner. Tne
secretary of the commission is H. IL
Holmes.
It has been the endeavor of the new
board of commissioners to operate the
department on as economical a basis as
Is consistent with good service. They
have especially aimed to keep the expen
ditures within the estimated cost of
$11S,S5B for running- the department dur
ing 1S34, and if possible to save enough
out of this appropriation to wipe out the
J deficiency of $8215 incurred In the pre-
is retained in his position, prompt dis
missal following all breaches of this kind.
The entire equipment is kept in the best
of order. The horses are all sleek and
well fed, the brass and nickel ornamenta
tions of the engines are all kept highly
polished, and the houses are all scrupu
lously clean. Every permanent member
of the department is required to be con
stantly at his post, with the-exception of
one night a week accorded him, .when his
place must be filled by a substitute who
is satisfactory to both the chief and
the district engineer.
But few people outside of the de
partmentappreclate tho discipline that it is
necessary to preserve and the necessity
which exists at all times for obeying
promptly any order, given by the chief or
his assistants. The rules for the govern
ment of the department are complete, but
they are thoroughly mastered by every
active member. The system adopted for
governing the matter of responding to
alarms by the different companies shows
the thorough discipline of the department.
A fire alarm first calls out all the compa
nies assigned to the district in which the
alarm is sounded. An alarm for a second
fire in this same district, however, while
the first companies arc on duty in this
district, is promptly answered by the
companies from another district. This
system becomes very complicated when
several alarms are rung in from different
parts of the city before any recall has
been sounded. A portion of each fire com
pany is composed of "extra men," who are
employed in the vicinity of the company's
house, who serve for $20 per month.
When the recall for the first alarm does
not sound within 20 minutes, all the ex-
tramen belonging to the companies as
signed to the district where the fire is
burning, must leave their work and go to
their posts and remain there until relieved
by word from the officers of the depart
ment. If a second alarm is turned in, all
extramen in the city must go to the houses
of their companies and remain until re
lieved. On September 13 last, 11 alarms were
turned In within a period of six hours,
and on that day six fires were burning
In different parts of the city at the same
time. All of these alarms were promptly
answered by the department without the
least confusion, and the fact that nothing
serious followed from any of these fire3
was due, as the chief engineer remarked
with pride, to the efficiency of the compa
nies, which made a mistake or a break of
any kind in answering an alarm an im
possibility. ""uring the past year Chief Buchtel has
inaugurated a system of extinguishing
fires which is something of an innovation
in the Portland department. In place of
the wholesale use of water on nearly all
occasions, whereby more damage is often
done to the contents of buildings than
by the fire extinguished, the plan
now is to use chemicals whenever
possible. Instead of closing all doors and
windows and other outlets for smoke in
a burning building.the improved method
of procedure is to open everything, so that
the firemen can get at the fire. As the
chief expressed it, it is better to tear out
the fire than to dnswn it out. For in
stance, when a fire is ever a store full
of valuable goods, If water is used, the
goods are sure to be badly damaged. Con
sequently, the chiefs orders are to hurry
the chemical engines In advance of all
other apparatus, and as a result
these engines, together with the use of
the Babcock fire extinguishers, hooks,
axes, etc., have extinguished about 90
per cent of all fires within the pre
scribed distances covered by the chemical
apparatus.
The following table shows the number of
men enrolled in the Portland paid fire de
partment, during each year since it was
first organized:
2 1 a 1 5
: o -
YEAR, : 33 5 :
: .3 :
. :52 2 :
L!iL,LIJ
1SS3 18 34 i 52
1SS4 20 40 bO
1SS5 20 30 70
1SS6 20 50 70
1SS7 20 30 70
1SSS 22 5S SO
JS9 22 i 58 SO
18E0 28 J 72 - 100
1891 52." 84 100
1S92 58 112 170
1833 55 - 1 US 170
1S94 Si St 14S
Total $12,422 82
The total receipts up to November 30,
1894. were $1324 23, and the disbursements
up to the same date were $753 31.
The average yearly losses by fire in
Portland are less than in any other large
city on the coast. The credit for this
exemption is due directly to the efficiency
of the department. Portland, during its
existence, however, has not escaped some
disastrous contacts with the fiery ele
ment. One of the most serious of these
conflagrations nearly wiped the city out
of existence, and it entailed much subse
quent suffering. There have been but ex
tremely few fatalities from fire in the
history of the city, however. This has
been due, principally, to the fact that
previous to the era of modern brick and
stone buildings few edifices here attained
a height above two stories, and few fatal
ities from fires ever occur in low struct
ures. Previous to the great fire of 1873, the
only important loss Portland has ever
suffered was from the conflagration of
December 22 of the previous year. On
that occasion it seemed at one time as
though the whole town was doomed, but
the hign wind which prevailed during the
height of the fire suddenly died away to
a calm, and with the heavy rain which
commenced to fall at the same time, the
department was able to quickly get the
flames under control. The fire started in
a Chinese washhouse in the rear of the
block on the cast side of Front street,
between Morrison and Alder. Nearly all
the buildings along the city front at that
time were constructed of dry, light wood
and they stood on piles. The open space
beneath these buildings supplied a draft
which swept up through the frame struc
tures with a force that carried embers of
the burning timbers for blocks distant.
The flrc rapidly spread toward the north,
being fanned by the wind which was blow
ing a gale. The heat was so intense that
the buildings on the east side of Front
street were soon in flames and the fire
men were compelled to leave the strcer.
Within half an hour from the time the fire
had started it had consumed everything
on Front street from Morrison north to
Washington, as well as the blocks along
the river front. The old American Ex
change hotel, on Front street marked the
line of the fire, this building having- been
providentially saved by the subsidence of
the wind at a time when the structure
was all but ignited. An explosion of coal
oil and chemicals in the drug store of C.
H. Woodard, during the height of the
fire, injured several firemen. One of the
exciting features of the fire was the
rounding' up of a lot of Chinese by the po
lice and pressing the Celestials Into serv
ice in manning the engines, as the regu
lar firemen became exhausted. The Orc-
gonian building at the corner of Front
and Stark streets, for a long time seemed
in danger, and the forms were locked up.
and these, with the type and office fur
niture were rapidly removed to places of
safety. The fire, as stated before, how
ever, did not cross Washington street,
and the paper on the following morning
came out at the old stand. The loss
reached over half a million, a little over
one-fifth of which amount wa3 covered
by insurance.
The great fire of August 2, 1873, was far
more disastrous in its effects. It swept
away 21 blocks of buildings in tha center
of the city and destroyed a large number
of saw and planing mills, furniture fac
tories, flour mills, sash and door factories,
foundries and other industrial enter
prises which gave employment in the ag
gregate to hundreds of men. In propor
tion to the size of Portland at that time
this fire was a more disastrous blow to
this city than the great conflagrations of
Bcston or Chicago had been. The firs
was first discovered at 4:20 A. M. in the
large wooden building which stood it
the corner of First and Salmon streets,
and occupied by Hurgren & Shindier as a
furniture factory. This building was sur
rounded by other wooden structures,
many of which contained highly inflam
mable materials. There had been no rain
for weeks previous, and the manner in
which the flames devoured the tinder
like blocks was something apalling to ob
servers. Everybody said that the whole
city must go. Telegrams for assistance
were seut to other citie3 in the vicinity
early in the day by Mayor Henry Fail
ing, and these were promptly responded
to by the departments of Vancouver.
Oregon City and Salem. The hand engine
from Vancouver, vith about 60 men, was
brought over from Vancouver by the
steamer Qncatta In the fastest time on
lecord, 72 minutes, the stt-amer carrying
on -the entire trip of IS miles 10 pounds
more steam than her license permitted.
truck to guard tho city during tho ab
sence of the engines. Ben Holladay, who
was at the head of the Oregon & Cali
fornia railroad at that time, gave orders
that all volunteers who came to assist
Portland in her-extremity should be car
ried over his road free of charge, and hun
dreds of men. boarded the trains ovvr zhl3
road between Salem and Portland in
answer to thl3 call for help. The train
which brought the Salem firemen to Port
land made the entire run of 52 miles be
tween the Salem tfepot and the station t n
the East Side in 52 minutes. This
knocked out all previous records for fast
time over the roads of the ccast. W. H.
Calllcott. the engineer of the lightning
train, earned the lasting gratitude of
Portland for driving his engine at such a
frightful rate of speed over the poorly
built road of the old Oregon A California
railroad system.
With the valuable assistance of these
outside fire companies the Portland vol
unteer department obtained control of the
fire a little after the noon hour. The boys
of the department had performed an her
culean task, and they justly earned on
that day all the subsequent honors which
were heaped upon them oy a grateful city.
The record of the fire was appalling for a
city as young as Portland. During the
short space of eight hours 215 buildings
had gone up in smoke. The burnt district
extended back from the river to Second
street, an average width of 800 feet, and
reached from Morrison street on the north
to Clay street on the south. The figures
representing the total loss by tills fire
reached about $1,250,000. The amount of
Insurance carried en the property de
stroyed was only $245,290.
During the afternoon of the day of the
fire Mayor Failing sent out notices to the
effect that fool and lodging would be pro
vided for the homeless and destitute on
application at certain designated places.
The council chamber, Ankeny hall, the
Methodist church, Presbyterian and Bap
tist churches, as well as the homes of
many of Portland's people, were opened for
the shelter of the homeless. A relief com
mittee was promptly appointed, and a
fund to aid the destitute sufferers was
contributed by those able to atslst, with a
spirit of generosity which practically
opened their pocketbooks. Other cities of
the coast promptly offered contributions,
the generous people of San Francisco
alone subscribing over $12,000 as a relief
fund for Portland. Telegrams offering as
sistance were received from all parts of
the United States. Portland, however, was
able to care for all Its destitute unaided.
The total amount of money expended for
relief immediately following the fire was
$13,000. Hardly had the embers of the
great conflagration cooled before plans
were being drawn for commodious brick,
buildings to occupy the sites formerly oc
cupied by the less pretentious frame struc
tures, and a year after the fire there was
but little evidence to show that any dis
aster had ever visited the city.
The only great fire that has occurred
since the memorable 2d day of August,
1873, 'was the one on September 23 last,
which destroyed a lot of valuable proper
ty situated in that part of Portland; known
as Albina. This fire consumed the Pa
cific Coast wheat elevator, warehouse and
contents, the railroad coalbunkers and
contents, all the wharves in that vicinity,
60 freight cars with contents, a number
of cars containing valuable electrical ma
chinery for the Portland General Elec
tric Company, the river steamer Willam
ette Chief and four miles of railroad
tracks. The loss at this fire was nearly
two-thirds as great as that of the fire of
1873, it having amounted to about $750,000,
but so rich had Portland grown in the 22
years between the two fires that this loss,
divided among a few great corporations,
was not felt in the least by the general
public, nor was it anything of a setback
to Portland's prosperity. This loss, too.
was principally covered by insurance, and
the money which has since been paid out
in rebuilding the destroyed property was
of somo considerable benefit to the work
ing population of the city during the late
fall and early winter months of 1S94.
The following valuable table will show
the losses by lire and the amount of In
surance paid for each year from 1SS3 to
1891, inclusive:
Hi m F
year : S- s s-s
w : g : Z : go
J2 : S Z a Z ora
1SS3. $ 319,092 $ 699,730 252,721 $ 56,371
1S4 403,031 752,148 340,223 62.821
18S.1 59,329 119,150 29,761 29,566
1SS6 93,146 324,514 65,662 32,481
1KS7 81,173 331,960 S0.2U 3,962
1SS8. 54.347 114.025 30.112 21.234
18S9 37,730 91,600 34,129 3,601
1890. 70.9S7 128.900 47,145 23,852
1891 231.759 429,975 178,188 73,671
1S9 373,885 1,091.004 460.719 llS.hw
1S93 133,459 275.60S 136,560 18,893
1S91 S69.633 1,216,436 592,405 277,228
THE EFFICIENT CHIEF ENGINEER.
For nearly half a century Mr. Joseph
Buchtel, the present popular and efficient
chief engineer of tho Portland paid fire
department, has been one of the recog
nized figures of the city's history. Mr.
Buchtel was long prominent In business
here; he has always taken an active Inter
est in public matters, and the high esteem
in which he is held In the estimation of
fellow citizens is attested by the hearty
sunnort which has been accorded him in
his honest attempts to place the fire de
partment under his control on the most
efficient working basis.
Mr. Buchtel was born In Stark county,
Ohio. November 22. 1830. In 18.W he re
moved with his parents to Urbana, 111.
He crossed the plains in 1852 and reached
Portland on September 27 of that year. In
the following year he established the first
photographic gallery in the village, a busl-
Jos. Buchtel
Photo by Daies.
The cost of maintaining the department
ness he followed successfully fcr 33 yeara,
when he disposed of his interests in what
was at that time the leading gallery of
the Pacific Northwest to William II.
Towne, founder of what is today known
as the B. C. Towne Photo Company.
All old Portlander3 remember Mr. Buch
tel, and the hundreds of views of primi
tive Portland which he still retains in his
possession bring vividly to the memories
of these oidtlmers the remembrance of
the scenes of the early '30s, when all Port
land was domiciled in cheap structures
and log huts. Mr. Buchtel Is no novice in
the business of successfully fighting lire.
He was one of the charter memocrs of
the old volunteer fire department of Port
land, No. 2 engine company, and as a ju3t
tnbute to his recognized merit as a fire
man it can be stated that he was a mem
ber of Portland's fire department, in dif
ferent official capacities, from the time of
its fir&t organization until it finally gave
way to the present efficient paid depart
ment. Mr. Buchtel is a natural-born leader,
but. like most men capable of ascuminn
I command, he has been extremely modest
In his claims, and ho has left nis abilities
N.. ......... ,.-.......... , - - ....,,...., .... .--
Salem sent two engines and two hose i to oe recognized Dy n asoociuiea. j i-
1 carts, leaving only a hook and ladder occasion oi two ol tne greuieai urea in