FIRES AND FIREMEN.
I had intended telling what I knew of the fires of early Victoria,
but when I sat down to put to paper what I know of any noted fires, I
first realized how little there was to tell of that dread element's
ravages in early Victoria. But although there is not so much to tell
of great fires, there is a good deal to be said of the men who
prevented those fires becoming great, so I decided to go on with my
subject.
For a city of its size and age, there could not be one more immune
from fires. Was it the fir of which we built most of our principal
buildings? Some contend it was. The Douglas fir was hard to burn, and
the honesty of those fir-built houseowners no doubt was also a
reason. In the _Victoria Gazette_ of 1858 there are many
references to the subject of fires that might occur, and also to the
fact that there is no water to put out a fire should one occur. Then
the editor suggests a public meeting to consider the important
subject and also as to the building of large tanks to hold salt water
at the bottom of Johnson Street. Subsequently Governor Douglas is
petitioned to procure a fire engine, with the result that he ordered
two. Later one of these engines, named the "Telegraph," arrived from
San Francisco, and I believe was second-hand, as the price paid was
$1,600. Another petition was sent to the Governor to organize a fire
department under an officer appointed by himself. Soon after a
public meeting was called by advertisement by the following
gentlemen to organize: M. F. Truett, J. J. Southgate, A. Kaindler,
A. H. Guild, Chas. Potter, Samuel Knight and J. N. Thain. This was
the initial movement to form a volunteer fire department.
At a subsequent meeting, E. E. Eyres was appointed secretary, and the
following a working committee: James Yates (father of Alderman
Yates); Chas. A. Bayley, hotel-keeper, corner Yates and Government
Streets; Capt. J. H. Doan, since died (his daughter is still a
resident); Leopold Lowenberg, a real estate agent, and uncle of Carl
Lowenberg, German consul; and Roussett, Truett and Myers. This
committee was to select one hundred men to each engine to form the
companies. The first meeting of No. 2 engine was called and the
notice is signed by David Green (clothier, whose widow is still a
resident), H. J. Labatt, W. F. Bartlett and J. W. Turnbull. The first
meeting of Engine No. 1 was called to meet at the business place of
Thomas J. Burnes, August 6th, 1858 (customs staff.) His photo, taken
in 1860 by Robinson (over Theatre Royal), is here reproduced, showing
he has been elected foreman of his company. Mr. Burnes was a most
enthusiastic fireman for many years after this. The photo of Jno. C.
Keenan of same date is also given. He was another good fireman.
(Note.--Both these photos have been lost.--E. F.)
[Illustration: Hook and Ladder Company.]
A picture is here reproduced of a May Day parade of Victoria's
volunteer firemen of forty years ago. I am sorry I am not able to
give the names of more of those in line, but the photo is so old it
is hard to make them out. Would you believe it, May Day was a general
holiday, and set apart as "Fireman's" day, and celebrated with a
parade and picnic, either at Medana's Grove or Cook and North Park
Streets. The weather was usually fine with the warm sunshine of
spring. I hear the gong of the engines as the procession moves
along--the hook and ladder company, the Tigers and the Deluge
company, all decorated with flowers, flags and evergreens. Under a
canopy of flowers sits a beautiful little girl as the "May Queen."
On each side and following behind march those who have constituted
themselves the salvors of their fellow-citizens' property and life.
Among these men were some of our prominent business men, merchants,
tradesmen and professional men, as well as workingmen. Would the
citizens of the present day believe that these men had banded
themselves together, put their hands in their pockets to build
engine-houses and equip engines, had given their time, either by
night or day, attending fires, and had paid monthly dues to keep the
concern going, and all without fee or reward? It is even so, and no
night was too cold or wet to keep these men from their duty. The
picture I produce of the "Hook and Ladders" in a May Day parade
of 1862 was taken from the original, and is here produced by the
kindness of Mr. Fred Morison (customs). He was then a torch boy and
continued a volunteer fireman for nearly thirty years. On account of
the age of the photo the faces are rather indistinct, so that some of
those present cannot be recognized. I should like to have known who
the six or seven boys are, and whether they are with us to-day, but I
make out of those present: Robt. Homfray, C.E.; J. D. Edgar, of Edgar
& Aime; Richard Lewis, undertaker; Murray Thain, now of Moodyville;
Henry and Robert Thain; Louis Vigelius, barber; Philip J. Hall, the
banner-bearer; W. T. Liveock, Chief Factor of Hudson's Bay
Company; Fred. Morison, customs, torch boy; Wolff, merchant, of Yates
Street; E. Grancini, merchant, Wharf Street; Wm. Harrison, now of
Saanich, and J. R. Anderson, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, secretary.
On reading Mr. Levy's interesting sketch appended, I see that the
Hotel de France was also destroyed by fire, and, being built of
California redwood, was entirely consumed.
[Illustration: Colonial Hotel.]
The first mention of a fire that is recorded in public print is taken
from the _Victoria Gazette_ in 1858. It is that of one of those
primitive erections, a house-tent, with the contents thereof. At that
time Victoria was covered in all directions, I am told, with canvas
houses. In February, 1859, there were a great many, I know. As a
member of the Victoria fire department, hook and ladder company, I
attended many fires, but they were small comparatively. The
destruction of the Colonial Hotel on Government Street, as here
produced, is one of them. The Colonial was situated on Government
Street, between the Alhambra building on the corner of Yates and the
San Francisco baths (then kept by an old fireman, Thos. Geiger),
occupying also the upper portion of the building now used as a music
store by Fletcher Bros. The old photos of the Colonial show the hotel
before and after the fire. Sosthenes Driard, who was subsequently
proprietor of the Driard House, was the proprietor, and Mons.
Hartangle, who was afterwards co-partner with Driard in the Driard
House, was chief cook. He may be seen standing in front of Alex.
Gilmore's clothing store (now Fletcher's); also a man with crutches,
nicknamed "Pegleg Smith," who was an M.P.P. of that day, and behind
him is, I think, your humble servant. Further south, and on the
same side as the Colonial, was the Hotel de France, Manciet and Bigne,
proprietors. Of this hotel I have a vivid recollection, as I paid
several visits there with my mother when I was a boy. She had heard of a
sick miner (maybe from Cariboo) who lay there dying. His physician, Dr.
Powell, had done all he could for him, and he knew his end was not far
off. He had, like hundreds of others, risked his precious health for
gold, had been successful, and now was to leave this beautiful world and
the gold with it. My mother thought it her duty to go and see him, read
to him, and tell him of the better world beyond. So one Sunday afternoon
she went, and I with her, to carry some little delicacy which he might
not be able to get in the usual way. She got sufficient encouragement to
go again and again, until the end came, and my mother was satisfied that
she had done him some good spiritually. To come back to fires. There was
the fire in Theatre Royal, after the play of the "Octoroon." Although
the theatre was gutted, it was not consumed, the reason being partly,
no doubt, that it was built of Douglas fir logs. The surroundings being
of a most inflammable nature, this was very surprising. I might also
instance the first and second fires at Christ Church, the second of
which only was successful in consuming the building. It was the custom
for every citizen present to lend a helping hand when a fire was of any
dimensions. It was only doing for another what you might want yourself
next week. If the fire was in the business portion of the city the
stores on the opposite side of the street were thrown open to receive
goods from the burning building, which were carried by many willing
helpers. Oh, the good old days! As I have stated in a former
article, the bluejackets from the war vessels at Esquimalt were
telephoned for, and ran all the way up and worked like the
bluejackets always do--with all their heart and soul. I might go on
discoursing on these incidents of bygone days, but as Mr. H. E. Levy,
one of the pioneer firemen, has promised to add to this imperfect
account, I shall leave the fires and say something of the firemen. I
would draw the attention of my readers to the picture of a May Day
parade in 1862. It is the Union Hook and Ladder Company, drawn up on
Bastion Square with their truck.
The Pioneer Engines.
(By H. E. Levy.)
"First in order comes the Union Hook and Ladder Company, a very swell
affair, composed of the leading merchants of the city, sixty-five
strong. They were first located on the present site of the Board of
Trade building, then removing to Government Street to the spot on
which now stands the new Promis building. Next came the Deluge Engine
Company, No. 1, who ran a very cumbrous Hunneman tub, made in Boston,
afterwards securing a Merryweather steam engine from England. This
company also consisted of sixty-five men, and were first located
about where the Poodle Dog now stands, moving thence to that point on
Yates Street now occupied by the Maynard shoe store, again moving to
their own building on the north side of Yates Street east of Broad.
Next comes the Tiger Engine Company, No. 21, first located on Johnson
Street, next to where the Jubilee saloon now stands, and afterwards
moving to the north side of Johnson, just above Government. This
company commenced business with an old double-decker that was brought
up from San Francisco by the Hudson's Bay Company, and was there
known as Telegraph No. 1. This machine was very similar to the one
brought here last summer by the San Francisco veterans; it was
succeeded later by an up-to-date 'Button and Blake' hand engine,
and still later by a fine steamer from the same firm. These three
companies were very effective and presented a fine appearance in
their semi-military uniforms, as they turned out in full force on
their gala day, the first of May.
"On the arrival of the steam fire engines, six of the younger members
of each company were taught to manage the same, and soon became
proficient as engineers. Each company sent three members to the board
of delegates, who made laws for the entire department. Whether owing
to good luck or good management, we had very few large fires in those
days, the most notable being the Rosedale store, owned by Reid and
McDonald, on the north-east corner of Bastion and Wharf Streets; the
Sam Price warehouse, then used as a lodging-house, opposite the
Occidental Hotel--this fire brought out for the first time the Tiger
steam engine, with Mr. H. E. Levy (one of the engineer class) at the
throttle. Another large fire not to be overlooked was the Hotel de
France on Government Street, nearly opposite Bastion. It is a notable
fact that a great number of the most efficient heads of the
department were nearly all Americans, viz., John Dickson, S. L.
Kelly, John C. Keenan, Charles Brooks, J. A. McCrea, James Drummond,
and many others, who no doubt are still remembered by the old-timers.
There was a strong spirit of emulation between the companies,
which added greatly to their efficiency, each striving to be first at
the fire, as it was considered an honor to have first water on the
same. At the tap of the fire alarm men could be seen running from all
quarters to the engine-houses, as the first man at the engine-house
had the honor of carrying the pipe into the fire, which was a
position of some danger."