Highlights of

Chief's Annual Report for 1899

Appearing in the Kennebec Journal on March 10th, 1900

 

Chief Engineer C.W. Ricker reported that there were 35 alarms of fire in the previous year, with a combined estimate of $8,748 in losses.

Significant events of the year;

March 12th 1899 at 18:15 hours. Box 63 struck for a stable fire on Sewall Street. Damage estimate of $941. Three horses killed in the fire.

April 7th 1899 at 14:05 hours. Box 37 struck for a fire in the dump….on Capitol Street.

April 7th 1899 at 16:55 Hours. Box 51 struck for a fire in a block on Bridge Street. $475 estimated damages. Cause listed as ‘rats and matches’.

April 20th 1899. Box 57 struck for a fire in the stables at the Augusta Driving Park. Damage estimated at $400. Cause listed as ‘tramps’.

April 22nd 1899 at 21:25 hours. Box 48 is struck and found to be a false alarm. Two men were apprehended in pulling the alarm and both were fined $26.29.

May 18th 1899 at 15:12 hours. Box 63 is struck for a fire in a residence on Capitol Street. Damage estimated at $454.80. Cause listed as ‘ boys smoking in the stable’.

July 4th 1899 at 17:46.  Fire in two houses on Court Street. Total damage estimated at $459.10. Cause listed as incendiary.

August 31, 1899 at 23:00 Hours. Box 42 is struck for a fire at the Broom Handle Manufacturing Company. Damage estimated at $1,000. Cause listed as the boiler.

October 17th, 1899 at 08:10 Hours. Box 35 is struck for a fire in the kitchen of the Hotel North on Water Street. Damage estimated at $440. Cause is a faulty range.

 

In 1900 The Augusta Fire Department Roster was;

 

Chief Engineer C.W. Ricker

1st Asst. Engineer E. Pedder

2nd Asst. Engineer E.H. Gay

Steamer Engineer F.I.Clark

Hose Ladder Combination 1- 18 Men, Captain H.C. Thyng, Located on Bridge Street, pulled by the City Team of Horses.

Hose #2- 14 Men, Captain E.A. Shaw. Located at Cony Street, Pulled by a team of horses owned by L.G. Haskell at a cost of $1,100 per year.

Hose #3- (2 Wheel), 12 Men, Captain Albert Folger, Located at the corner of Capitol and State Streets.

Hose #4- (2 Wheel), 10 Men, Captain Lindsey Ellis, Located at Pettingill Corner

Hose #5- (2 Wheel), 12 Men, Captain W.J. Skehan, Located on Northern Avenue

The department held in reserve a ‘ladder truck no longer in use’ and the Cushnoc Steamer #1 at the Bridge Street Station.