Ctrl + D ?> 
BOOKMARKS 
THIS PAGE


Link to Washington MO Mall

The History of
Washington, Missouri

Table of Contents


The Washington Fire Company

by
Dr. Elmar H. Schmidt

No one seems to know just when the Fire Company came into being.  On May 29, 1852, two carpenters, Beecher and Johnson, were ordered to make two hooks, to be thirty feet long, and two ladders, to be "made with a slide so when let out, they will be 28 feet long."

On August 7, 1852, there is an entry in the town records:  "Be it ordained that the hooks and ladders, made for the use of the town be delivered to the Captain of the Washington Fire Company."  Thus we have proof that in 1852 there was a Washington Fire Company. 

Piece by piece, new equipment was added, axes, buckets, and torches.   A wagon was provided on which these things, together with the hooks and ladders, could be hauled to the fire.  In 1859, a brick fire house was built west of the City Hall.

We have no written records of this early Fire Company, but we do know that it functioned well, because in those days there never was a conflagration.  Every fire was confined to its original hearth.

When Lincoln issued his call for men, during the Civil War, our Firemen turned in their life belts, helmets and hand axes,  and shouldered their rifles to fight for the Union.  During the war, the fire company morale was lowered, partly because the Company asked in vain for a hand fire pump.  Finally a pump was provided, but unfortunately, it was not efficient.

The Company held only one meeting a year for several years, until July 24, 1873, when a meeting was called at the old Liberty Hall to reorganize the fire company.   William Engelhardt was elected temporary chairman; Joseph H. Schmidt, secretary; Simon Strauss, treasurer.  Other men present were Julius Beireis, Henry Beinke, Henry Dickbrader, Frederick Krog, Henry Krog, William Lange, Henry Loch, Christ Nordmann, Franz Schwartzer, and Bertold Staudinger.

Permanent officers elected on August 14, 1873, were: Chief, Franz Schwartzer; Assistant Chief, Henry Dickbrader; Secretary, Joseph H. Schmidt; treasurer, Simon Strauss.  A constitution and by-laws were adopted, as well as the motto, "One for all, all for one."

On October 3 of that year the City purchased fifty feet of suction hose and 200 feet of fire hose.  In 1884 a new fire engine and hose cart was bought for $520.00.  In 1889 Washington received one of its greatest improvements.  A corporation obtained a franchise to provide water and fire protection, and sixty-five hydrants were distributed about the town.

An electric fire alarm system was installed a few years later.  One box was at the City Hall, the other at Main and Elm streets.  A third was added in 1893, at the "Sharp Corner," Fifth and Stafford.  These boxes were connected to a bell at the water works and when this rang, the engineer at the plant blew the steam whistle.  When telephones were installed in 1894, the alarm boxes were discontinued.

A real event was the purchase of the first piece of motor-driven apparatus, a Smith-form-a-truck chain driven hose, chemical and ladder truck on July 12, 1917.  Four additional trucks have been purchased since that time.

In former years no record was kept of the fires.  Some of the larger ones were in the Wehrmann Building, Sprehe's home and cooper shops, Dr. Jackson's residence, Tod Pork House, the Busch Brewery co., Degen and Breckenkamp Milling Co., Gallenkamp's Drug Store, and the cap factory.

Perhaps the most dangerous fire was one that occurred on Palm Sunday, March 28, 1920.  A sixty-mile gale was blowing at the time.  The fire started in the Aholt home, and by the time the alarm was turned in the house was nearly destroyed.   Other houses caught fire from the flaming brands thrown by the terrific wind.   By hard work for over five hours, the fire was finally quenched.  Property damage was given at $9,700.00.

Men who have served our City as Fire Chief are:  Franz Schwartzer, Henry Buhr, Charles Tamm, Helmuth Mayn, H. C. Grohe, and the present chief, L. G. Kruel.

The Fire Company has a right to be proud of its record.  Our city has often been threatened with conflagrations.  If we have prevented them, let us hope that we will always be able to do so.

Table of Contents

Return to History  

 

 

 

 
 

 

Return to previous screen -- or use your browser's "Back" function
Site last updated:  01/15/2013
 
home.gif (1085 bytes)  E-mail
bannerlogo.gif (2804 bytes) © 1998-2013 Disclaimer