Source: Manistique Pioneer Tribune, Thursday, June 30, 1938, p.2
THRILLS OF OLD TIME FIRE DEPARTMENT GONE AND FORGOTTEN
Nothing was more exciting to youngsters in years gone by than to gaze with awe-filled eyes upon the dashes of the fire department in its mad effort to reach the scene of a blaze. Travel, then, was decided slower and fire fighting equipment was ill adapted and meager for the combating of huge conflagrations; but, at least, the wild and hurried trips of the fire heroes must have been picturesque, with the older fire engine drawn by a team of galloping bays, with sparks sprouting forth from its boiler, and being followed by the careening two-wheeled hose cart and hook-and-ladder, is a vivid picture which is indelibly impressed upon the mind of the average boy and girl in those days. Excitement was more intense, and many a heart beat faster in hopes of seeing their idols battle a real honest-to-goodness blaze. Fires then were real events; now they are mere occurrences.
The evolution of the Manistique fire department is an interesting one. Just recently fire department records were uncovered dating back to the year 1900, but for facts previous to that time, the memory of old-timers must be relied upon to take us to the days when Ed Brown held sway as fire chief back in the eighties.
The Big Fire
Largest of the early conflagrations was that which is now spoken of as “The Big Fire.” It occurred in 1893 and wiped out the entire business section of Manistique. At that time there were no motor trucks, no motor driving pumps, nor city water supply to extinguish the flames; in fact there was no real effective fire fighting apparatus of any sort. Only a hand pump which had to be manned by several men was available and wells provided the sole water supply. The entire populace served as volunteers in combating fires.
About the year 1900, the village of Manistique obtained its first steam engine. John Loose, Manistique’s first salaried fire chief, was then at the helm. Mr. Loose was a veterinarian by profession and directed the fire fighters only when conflagrations actually occurred. For this worthy avocation he received the magnificent sum of $25 per year. Every time a call came in, a fire would have to be hurriedly started in the boiler by a fireman known as a stoker, (John Hamill acted in this capacity). En-route to the blaze the resulting draft would fan the boiler fire into flames so that enough steam would be generated to operate the pump when the engine reached its destination.
In those days the village had no water system and wells had to be maintained at various local points. At times these wells ran dry or otherwise proved to be unsatisfactory, consequently necessitating frequent testing on the part of the department.
Accurate reports of fire were kept then just as they are now, with the exception that separate accounts were kept for the engine, hose cart, and hook-and-ladder departments. The date, place of fire, time and duration, number of men, expense in fighting, the fire loss, insurance and cause, were most of the data written in the record.
Annual Report
A typical annual report of the department submitted to the council for the year 1900 by Fire Chief John Loose reads as follows:
“Number of fire calls—37. Calls for fire—13. Four calls for false alarms. Two calls for testing wells. Two calls for practice. Four minor calls. The property involved during the year was $74,800.00. Property destroyed by fire was $9,195.00. Insurance on same property was $45,700.00. There was 10,850 feet of hose laid, 950 feet of ladder raised. The fire engine worked 93 ½ hours during the year.
The expenses during the year exclusive of the salary of the engineer and chiefs were $490.00 of which $82.25 was for drawing the engine, $35.00 for drawing horse carts, and $30.00 for drawing the hook-and-ladder. The expense of testing wells was $1.00. The expense for fire during the year was $386.25 which was divided as follows: Labor, $266.25, hauling engine, $55.00, hauling hose, $35.00, hauling hook-and-ladder truck, $35.00. The expense for repairs, testing hose, and incidental expenses was $48.75. Number of men employed during the year—hook-and-ladder company, 76; hose company, 134; total of 210 men employed for the year. Fire engine drawn during the year—43 miles and 800 feet.
Draymen Did Hauling
It was not until February, 1903, that teams were secured by the department to draw the fire engine, hose cart, and hook and ladder. A team of horses pulled the engine while single draft animals were used on the hose cart and hook and ladder. During the days of the hand pump the vehicles were hauled around by man power and later on when the first steam engine was procured, the horses belonging to the first drayman who appeared on the scene at a fire call were used. Five dollars was the fee given to the drayman for hauling the fire engine while three dollars was the standard wage paid for hauling the hose cart and hook-and-ladder. Some of the draymen who fought for this job were F. Orr, and Doane, M. O’Hara, A. C. Anderson and Asa Parker. The first building used by the fire department was one on West Main Street which now houses the business of Charles Isaacson. A sub-station was used on the west side near the Goodwillie Manufacturing company site which housed a few vehicles. In 1901 the present fire station was purchased. As in all organizations the years brought with them some sorrow as well as joy. Dan Scott, one the most beloved members of the department accidentally drowned while swimming in Indian lake in 1904. Another tragedy which spread gloom in the department was the death of John Hamill who was trapped in the Chicago Lumber company mill fire. Mr. Hamill was an early member of the department, and was also employed by the lumber company. John Norton, another employee of the firm, met his death in the same conflagration.
Fireman’s Ball
Fortunately the happy events outnumbered the sorrowful ones. The annual fireman’s ball which was held in the old opera house was the biggest and most brilliant social function in civic affairs. It was looked forward to by all and attendance was practically compulsory if one wanted to be classed among the social elite. Getting into the showmanship class, the department even attempted to operate the Princess theatre. This occurred in 1912 and after a month’s hard sledding the venture was given up as a bad job.
After the death of chief Loose, Tom McCullough took over the reigns in 1906, and also acted as engineer, succeeding Jerry Bowers. His position was also a part time position. Next in the line of chiefs was Otto Laux who acted in that capacity during the first five months in 1913. He was succeeded by Herman Wendland, Manistique’s first full-time chief, who served until 1919, when he resigned in favor of Charles Underwood, the present chief.
Approximately eight major fires occurred in Manistique since the “Big Fire” of 1893, the last of any great significance being the blaze at the Berry Chemical company on November 17, 1921, when the damage approximated $165,000 and resulted in the closing down of the plant. Other memorable fires were the court house fire of 1901; the Rose Bros. store which occurred on Christmas day, 1906; the razing of the St. James hotel in 1914; the Charcoal Iron Co. of America in the summer of 1919; the $70,000 loss at the Northwestern Leather company which was operated by L. C. Harmon; the Chicago Lumber company mill fire; and the Cloverland Oil company blaze which resulted in $6,000 damage on January 2, 1928.
Motorize Department
Old Dobbin was discarded in the summer of 1919 in favor of the fire truck. Two triple combination fire trucks, hose, chemical and pumps, were secured together with a Dodge chemical truck which was later converted to a ladder truck. One of the two trucks was a LaFrance and the other a Reo. The addition of this equipment gave Manistique one of the most efficient fire-fighting forces in the upper peninsula for cities of its size.
At present the department includes in its personnel three full-time men, Charles E. Underwood, fire chief, Elmer Boals, assistant fire chief, Ray Lanier and Ray McCarney, firemen. The volunteers, or men on call, are: Robert Harbin, Sanford Stone, Fred Monroe, Lawrence Gorsche, William Drefs, John Larson, Jacob Weber, Norman John, William Pelon, George Gierke, Kenneth Van Eyck, James Dupont and Ralph Williams.
Just as mechanical inventions have increased the efficiency of fire departments so have ideas as to combating fires changed with the past quarter century. Now much stress is laid on fire prevention and steps are taken to preclude the possibility of conflagrations. Building inspections are made regularly by members of the fire department. The effectiveness of this procedure is pointed out by the fact that in the past twenty years the business has suffered from no serious conflagration.