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Beginning of the Paid Fire Service

The local Fire Department was organized as a paid force on May 5, 1869, when Governor Hoffman signed the bill which had been passed by both branches of the legislature. The father of the bill was Andrew B. Hodges of the Eastern District, although Joseph Reeves, known as the Republican war horse, had made a strong effort during the previous session of the legislature to have a bill similar in its intent passed.

Early Fire History

The early history of organized movements in Brooklyn for fighting fires are vague and shadowy. In 1661, it is true, Carel de Beauvois, the village schoolmaster, was also grave digger, choristel. clerk and bell ringer, and he was instructed that it was his duty, in case of fire, to ring the bell and summon the residents to meet and fight the common enemy. On April 7, 1772, a meeting was held for the selection of six firemen, to be chosen for the protection of the village, in conformity with an act passed by the Legislature "for the more effectual extinguishment of fires near the ferry, in the Township of Breucklin,in Kings County." The men chosen at this meeting were Joseph Sharpe, John Crawley, Mathew Gleaves, Joseph Pryor, John Middagh and William Boerum. The six were, therefore, the first regular fire fighting force of the City of Brooklyn. It would be impossible in the limited space to follow the development of the local fire department since then. The evolution of the force was, nevertheless, interesting, and the stirring days of the volunteer fire department, when it was an honor to be counted a member of that force and when, later, the fireman became a political factor and the engine house a school in political science. Of course there were fights among the firemen in those good old days of the volunteers, much rivalry that was not either healthy for the discipline of the force or for the individual who got the worst of the battles between the companies, but on the whole the volunteers did good service and the men of the Brooklyn and Eastern District departments, separate then, were esteemed as self sacrificing citizens. Things are better now, it is true, but the calling of the fireman has always been an honorable one from the days when Brooklyn had only six men and when their annual election was the occasion of a spirited contest from among the best citizens.

Old Fire Conditions Contrasted With the New

The fireman of today has many more advantages than were enjoyed in the days of the old goose-neck hand engine, but civilization has multiplied his dangers. There were no high buildings in those days, and the fire fighters were not expected to risk their necks crawling over the ice-coated ledges of sky-scrapers, carrying in their hands a nozzle through which tons of water pour with the mighty throb and force of a powerful steam engine. many of the men in the Brooklyn department are old members of the volunteer service, but of late the department has been recruited from the younger element of citizenship and the result is that the local force is efficient and fearless. The heads of the department, it is true, are all old time firemen. James Dale has been all his life in the service and his assistants, Messrs. Perry and Murray, are veterans, who have been running to fires since their earliest recollection. Among the older veterans of the volunteer department in the city are Hugh McLaughlin, John McCarty, Jacob Worth, Patrick Hayes, William Brown, Bernard J. York, James Dunne, James Shevlin and indeed, all the older political lights of the city. They have always maintained an affectionate interest in the department and when there was any legislation to be pushed through in its favor, there was always influence enough to secure effective attention to its claims. The department is today well-equipped with apparatus and buildings. The headquarters of the department, on Jay Street, is a costly structure, but it is at the same time admittedly one of the most ornamental edifices in the city's possession.

The officers who have served the department during the part year include Commissioner, William C. Bryant; deputy commissioner, Clarence A. Barrow; chief engineer, James Dale; assistant chief engineers, John H. Petry and James F. Murray; fire marshal, Alonzo Brymer; inspector, Platt Van Cott; district engineers, James Cunningham, John J. Fanning, James Doyle, Denis McGroarty, Samuel Duff, Samuel G. Heustis, James Maguire, William A. Gallagher, james W. Connell, David Kirkpatrick, James Kellock and John F. Dobson; surgeons, N. A. Robbins, M.D.; Joseph E. Smith, M.D.; William A. DeLong, M.D.; veterinary surgeon, Edward H. Heard, M.R.C.V.S.E.; superintendent of repair shops, Patrick Nevins; superintendent of supplies. John Murphy; secretary, William D. Moore.

Fire Department Officials Since 1869

There have been three chiefs of the Brooklyn Fire Department since it became a paid branch of the city's service. They were John Cunningham, who was appointed when the force was organized in 1869; Thomas F. Nevins, who succeeded him on his retirement on November 1, 1870, and James Dale, the present incumbent, who was appointed by Mayor Wurster, when he was Fire Commissioner, three years ago.

The commissions and single commissioners in the department were as follows:

Four headed commission, May 22, 1869, to August 12, 1873_F.S. Massey, president; Hugh McLaughlin, William A. Brown, A.F. Campbell, resigned November 1, 1872; R.M. Phraner, appointed November 1, 1872.

Three headed commission, August 13, 1873, to November 5, 1877_F.S. Massey, president; Hugh McLaughlin, R.M. Phraner, term expired July 1, 1875; James Rodwell, appointed July 1, 1875.

November 5, 1877, to September 5, 1879_David Williams, president, died July 22, 1879; James Ryan, Bernard Gallagher.

September 5, 1879, to June 24, 1880_Hugh McLaughlin, president; Moses J. Wafer, Philip F. Brennan.

Single headed commission, June 24, 1880, to February 7, 1882_Jacob Worth.

February 7, 1882, to February 5, 1884_John N. Partridge.

February 5, 1884, to January 31, 1886_Richard H. Pollton.

February 1, 1886 to January 31, 1888_John Ennis.

February 1, 1888 to January 1, 1890-John Ennis reappointed.

February 1, 1890 to January 31, 1892_John Ennis, reappointed

February 1, 1892, to January 31, 1894_John Ennis, reappointed.

February 1, 1894, to October 17, 1895_Frederick W. Wurster.

October 18, 1895, to January 31, 1896_Chester B. Lawrence.

February 1, 1896, to date, William C. Bryant.