The Fire Department of Buffalo is older than the city itself; its conception dates back to the very early history of the village.

The first record that has been found of anything like an organization to furnish protection from fire, relates to the year 1816. Near the last of that year, the village authorities passed ordinances relative to the subject. The trustees were authorized to ascertain the practicability of procuring a supply of water by means of the water courses, streams and reservoirs. Twenty-five ladders were ordered



* Much of the data from which the following history of the Fire Department was written, was obtained from the columns of the Sunday Truth.



Made within thirty days and all house owners were required to provide "one good leathern bucket for each house, store or shop" to cause their chimneys to be swept and in future to build their chimneys, large enough for sweepers to go through them.

This movement was undoubtedly instigated by a fire in the village as George Badger in the papers of December 17th, that year, thanked the citizens for assistance at his late fire.

On the 18th of June 1826, the sum of $100 was ordered levied on the village property, with which to build an engine house. At a little later date, John B. Flagg, Henry Root, Edward Root and A. Beers were appointed to fill vacancies in the fire company. Peter Curtiss, Noah P. Sprague and Isaac S. Smith were afterwards added to the fire wardens then in office. In January 1830, the membership of the fire company had increased to twenty-seven, among whom was the name of John L. Kimberly.

During the year 1831 action was taken towards enlarging the fire extinguishing facilities of the village. On September 19th of that year, it was decided to construct four reservoirs, or cisterns, at the intersections of Main with Seneca, Swan, Eagle and Court streets. These reservoirs held about 10,000 gallons each and for many years served their purpose efficiently; other similar reservoirs were afterwards added. In the fall of that year two new fire engines were purchased and additional hose procured.

On the 5th of June 1822, some further precautions were taken to prevent fires, and on the 2nd of December 1822, an ordinance was passed defining the duties of the fire wardens, one of which was to examine and clean the chimneys throughout the village once in every month. These measures were followed by others designed to increase the vigilance and efficiency of the wardens, and adding penalties for carelessness on the part of the property-owners.

The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824, and Oliver Forward, then president of the village, officially directed that the following- named citizens be appointed members of the company:-George B. Webster, Hiram Johnson, George B. Gleason, Ebenezer Johnson, Henry Fales, Guy H. Goodrich, Barent Staats, Nathaniel Wilgus, Richard Wadsworth, Elisha E. Hickox, Thaddeus Weed, Joseph Dart, Jr., Elijah D. Efner, George Coit, Silas Athearn, John Scott, Henry Hamilton, William Hollister, Joseph Anable, Augustin Eaton, Abner Bryant, Theodore Coburn, Martin Daley, Robert Bush and John A. Lazelle. It is quite evident that this company included all the m6st prominent citizens of the village.

November 2nd, 1831, it was decided to organize two more fire companies, one of which was to be a hook and ladder company and one called Engine Company 3, or "Fulton" 3. Among those who joined the department at that time, was Mr. Harlow French.

Following is a list of all the fire companies which have existed in Buffalo, with the dates of their organization:-

Cataract Engine Company, No. 1, December 16, 1824.

Live Oak Engine Company, NO. 2, August 5, 1832.

Fillmore, (or-Pulton) Engine Company, NO. 3, November 2, 1832.

Buffalo Engine Company, No. 4, November 24, 1832.

Washington Engine Company, No. 5, December 21, 1832.

Red Jacket Engine Company, No. 6, January 15, 1836.

Perry Engine Company, No. 7, January 4, 1837

Clinton Engine Company, No. 8, January 18, 1838

Hydraulic Engine Company, No. 9, October 18, 1845.

Defiance Engine Company: No. 10, September 19, 1851

Columbia Engine Company: No. 11, August 26, 1852

Jefferson Engine Company: No. 12, January 14, 1852.

Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, January 9, 1836.

Rescue Hook and Ladder Company, NO. 2, March, 1837.

Taylor Hose Company, No. 1, November 13, 1850.

Eagle Hose Company, No. 2, May 18, 1852.

Seneca Hose Company, No. 3, September 21, 1852.

Excelsior Hose Company, No. 4, December 9, 1852.

Neptune Hose Company, No. 5, February 9, 1857.

Hose Company No. 6, June 21, 1862.

Niagara Hose Company, No. 7, April 7, 1865.

The re-organization of the following companies took place on the dates given:-

Hose Companies Nos. 1, 2, 5, 7, 11, and 9, in 1871, and Liberty Hose Company, No. 1, in 1872.

Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, (formerly No. 2) June 3, 1861 Hook and Ladder No. 2, August 14, 1864; Hook and Ladder No. 3, December 11, 1868; Protection Company, No. 1, September 1, 1868; Pioneer Truck, No. 1, (or Rescue Truck No. 2,) May 25, 1832.

On the 4th of June, 1837, the first Board of Aldermen of the newly organized city, appointed their fellow Alderman of the First ward, Isaac S. Smith, the first chief engineer of the fire department. Subsequently John W. Beals and Samuel Jordan were appointed his assistants. Following is a list of the successive chief engineers from that date to the present time[1884]: Isaac S. Smith, June 4, 1832 ; Samuel Jordan, December, 1834, and March 11, 1836; Jacob A. Barker, vice Samuel Jordan, resigned, July 29, 1836; Thomas Kip, October 4, 1838; George Jones, vice Thomas Kip, resigned, October 6, 1841 ; Lyman Knapp, vice, George Jones, resigned, May 6, 1845: William Taylor, April 9, 1850; George Jones, Edwin Hurlburt, April 25, 1853; William Taylor, January 30, 1854; T. T. Bloomer, (temporary) November 10, 1856 ; John Lorenz, December 8, 1856 ; William Taylor, May 3, 1857, January

13, 1860, and January 7, 1861, Thomas B. French, February 2, 1863, and January 1864. In 1866 the office of Chief Engineer was abolished and was superseded by the office of superintendent of the department. In 1866, Edwin Hurlburt was appointed to the new office; Peter C. Doyle,



1868-69; Thomas B. French, from 1870 to 1873, inclusive; Joseph R. Williams, 1874-75; Thomas B. French, 1876and '77; Peter C Doyle, 1878 (until April15), when he resigned and James L. Rodgers finished the two years. In i88o, Thomas B. French was given the office again and remained in it until May 3, 1883, when he resigned and was succeeded by Frederick Hornung, the present chief.

In October, 1837, in accordance with a prayer of a petition long before presented to the Common Council by Millard Fillmore and others, a bell was bought and placed on the Terrace Market, to be used for fire alarms and other emergencies.

On the 24th of August, 1852, a special meeting of the Common Council was called to consider the condition of the fire department, it having become demoralized and the several companies having left their engines and hook and ladder trucks on the Terrace. A resolution was adopted, accepting the resignation of every member of the department outside of Taylor Hose No. 1, Eagle Hose No. 2, and Jefferson Engine No. 12. At about this time Colonel Gustavus A. Scroggs tendered the services of the old Sixty-fifth regiment for fire duty; his offer was accepted. Chief Taylor resigned and was followed in the office by George Jones. Efforts were made at the session of August 3oth, to reorganize the department, though previous to that effort the city authorities endeavored to recover all the property belonging to the city, including the funds of the Firemen's Benevolent Association. Ex-Chief Taylor having been accused of being the cause of the demoralization in the department was exonerated on September 17, 1852, by certificate of honorable discharge.

The first Board of Fire Commissioners were appointed April 27, 1857, in the persons of Oliver G. Steele, Francis H. Root, George Jones and Jarvis Davis. On February 3, 1859, the first steam fire engine used in Buffalo was bought, and upon its arrival was placed in the house formerly occupied by Cataract Engine Company, on Washington street, below Seneca.

On the 21st day of November, 1859, Chief Taylor was directed by the Council to apportion the department into districts, which was done.

The Citizens Hook and Ladder Company was organized on October 17, 1864. It disbanded in March, 1880, Frederick Hornung, the present Chief, Robert Carlton, the present assistant chief, and E. 0. Van Brocklin, the present secretary, having been numbered among its members. The fire alarm telegraph system was introduced in 1865.

In 1862, and again in 1872, efforts were made to disband the volunteer department and introduce an entire paid department. Both of these attempts failed and nothing was accomplished in that direction until in the winter of 1879-'80, when the third trial succeeded. The volunteer companies disbanded in March and April, 1880, and three commissioners were appointed with power to name the Chief Engineer and other officers of the department, who should hold their offices during the pleasure of the commissioners. The first and present commissioners are George R. Potter, chairman; John M. Hutchinson and Nelson K. Hopkins. Eric 0. Van Brocklin is the secretary of this Board of Fire Commissioners.