Chief's Annual Report 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.