"In union there is strength" was the adopted motto of the new fire company. Although the town was large
enough in 1782 to warrant the organization of a second company, it is an anomalous condition of affairs
which makes the company with such a motto the first company to create a separate organization of
fire-fighters from the Mechanical, which for nineteen years had been a pioneer in the work without a rival.
The organizing of this second company was the beginning of the multiplication of fire companies, and in
the years ensuing after the Union Company went into service many companies were formed to compete for
honors in the hazardous work. In after years, the spirit of rivalry was so developed among this increased
number of companies that riots and street fights between members of the several companies and their
friends became common. The companies were not always responsible for these disgraceful scenes, and in
many instances the disturbances were undoubtedly begun by irresponsible persons who claimed a sort of
clannish adherence to the companies of their choice. A survival of this semi-barbarous custom may be seen
frequently in Baltimore at the date of this writing. After a fire alarm has been sounded, the flames
extinguished, and the engines and ladder trucks are being returned to their several quarters, crowds of
urchins moving along the streets in the wake of the apparatus to which they have voluntarily attached
themselves, begin to call the names of the companies like a war-cry, and soon sturdy little adherents of
different companies are plying their fists vigorously, while sticks, stones and any other missiles that may
come to hand are hurled through the air until one side is vanquished or a policeman appears on the scene
and puts an end to the game. Sometimes blood flows in these battles.
Three years after the Union organization, the Friendship Fire Company was formed, in 1785. The engine
house of the Friendship Company was on the east side of Frederick street, the third house south of Fayette
street. The section in which this company was located was known as Harrison's Marsh in earlier days. An
act of the Assembly was passed in 1776, directing Thomas Harrison, Alexander Lawson and Brian Philpot,
owners of the marsh, to "remove the said nuisance at their own proper expense by wharfing in all such
marshy ground near the water with a good and sufficient stone wall, and by covering the marsh with stone,
gravel and dirt." After these improvements were completed, the tract was to be laid off in lots and added to
the town, which extended from the western edge of the swamp. Thus it appears that the Friendship
Company was established in this new section about the time the swamp was removed and houses erected,
creating a demand for protection from fire in that vicinity. As another evidence of the growing importance
of the improved marsh, we may consider the act of Assembly of 1784, to which reference was previously
made, providing for the establishing of Center Market.
The assertion has come down to us from earlier days that the Friendship Fire Company was organized by
dissatisfied persons, who withdrew from the Mechanical and Union Companies, and this harmonious action
probably suggested the name adopted.
A similar sequence of events took place at Fell's Point, namely, the erection of buildings, increasing
population, market, fire company. Fell's Point addition to the town was made by act of Assembly in 1773.
In an act passed March 6, 1768, for the regulation of the markets in Baltimore Town, the statement
appears that "the inhabitants of that part of Baltimore Town called Fell's Point have built a market house on
a piece of ground given them by Edward Fell, deceased."
In 1792 the Deptford Fire Company was instituted. Its engine house was situated at the north-east corner
of Market (now Broadway) and Fleet streets, Fell's Point, where the company maintained its headquarters
for more than fifty years.
As the town expanded, the several sections in turn became the headquarters of a fire company. The
Liberty Fire Company, organized in 1794, was the only additional company instituted before the
incorporation of the city, in 1797, which long survived. Prior to 1787, a company known as the Mercantile
was organized. We have very meagre information concerning this company. It is known to have maintained
its organization until 1805, when the Mechanical Company purchased for twenty dollars the small suction
engine used by the Mercantile Company, which is said to have then disbanded. Captain J. Albert Cassedy,
of the Fire Department, in his book, "The Firemen's Record," mentions the Mercantile, but, with one
exception, gives no data about the company. He also states that a fire company named "The Commercial"
was organized in 1792, but its location was unknown, and, as it made no history that has come to us, the
company probably had a brief existence. The words Mercantile and Commercial are so closely allied in
meaning that they probably refer to the same company.
Shortly after the formation of the Friendship Company, in 1785, by the dissatisfied members of the
Mechanical and Union Companies, the community became aroused upon the subject of protection from
fire. This quickening of public interest was probably the result of an increased number of companies.
Greater precautions and thorough organization was the demand of the times.
The fire companies took up this work of improvement. A meeting of members of the Mechanical, Union,
Friendship, and Mercantile Companies was held Saturday night, March 17, 1787, at the residence of Mr.
Daniel Grant. These were the only companies known to have existence at that time. Mr. William Smith
presided, and the following resolutions were adopted: "That this committee recommend to the inhabitants
of this town that they put lights in their windows in times of fire in the night, not only near where the fire is,
but generally throughout the town, for the convenience of those who are repairing to the fire. "That it be
recommended to every housekeeper, where one of the family is not enrolled in some fire company, to
provide, as soon as possible, two good leather buckets, marked with the owner's name, and that they send
them to the place of fire immediately upon the alarm being given. "That each fire company appoint any
number of men of their own company for lanemen, who shall each be distinguished by a white staff, eight
feet long, whose business it shall be to form lanes for the purpose of handing the water.."That each fire
company appoint any number of men of their own company for lane men, who shall each be distinguished
by a white staff, eight feet long, hat painted white, and whose business it shall be to take charge of property
to be removed in time of fire."
The absence of street lamps was the cause of the recommendation that lamps be placed in the windows.
As a result of this agitation, the Assembly of Maryland passed an act, May 15, 1787, "for the more
effectual remedy to extinguish fire in Baltimore." This act provided that every householder was to keep two
leather buckets hung up near the door of his house. The commissioners of the town were authorized to dig
wells and erect pumps on the sides of the streets. Apparently, the recommendations and suggestions of the
conference of firemen, made in 1787, were not generally complied with, for the companies reiterated their
resolutions, November 24, 1789, and also called the attention of the people especially to the "great
inconvenience arising for want of water in the distressing time of fire."
A most significant recommendation, however, made at that time, was a resolution to the effect that "it be
recommended to the different fire companies to meet all together, with their engines, buckets, etc., on the
first Monday in December next, at three o'clock p. M., at the court house, and at such other places and
times as may hereafter be agreed to, in order to try their engines and exercise themselves, that they may be
better enabled to act more in conjunction than they have hitherto done." In this resolution is embodied the
first suggestion of a united fire department. An attempt was made in the same year to form a company to
promote the introduction of a copious supply of pure water into the town by means of pipes. The object of
this movement, however, was not accomplished until a few years later.
The operations of the embryonic fire department were greatly facilitated in 1790 by an invention of David
Evans. This invention was an alarm erected at the court house. Before this invention, the cry of "Fire!" was
the only means of sounding an alarm. The invention of Mr. Evans was approved by a committee of
clock-makers, consisting of George Lovely, Elijah Evans, Gilbert Biggar, Joseph Rice, and Standish Barry.
The method and mechanism of this alarm is not set forth in the old records. With such appliances and
environments the fire service continued until 1796, the last year of Baltimore as a town and the period at
which it was incorporated as a municipality.
enough in 1782 to warrant the organization of a second company, it is an anomalous condition of affairs
which makes the company with such a motto the first company to create a separate organization of
fire-fighters from the Mechanical, which for nineteen years had been a pioneer in the work without a rival.
The organizing of this second company was the beginning of the multiplication of fire companies, and in
the years ensuing after the Union Company went into service many companies were formed to compete for
honors in the hazardous work. In after years, the spirit of rivalry was so developed among this increased
number of companies that riots and street fights between members of the several companies and their
friends became common. The companies were not always responsible for these disgraceful scenes, and in
many instances the disturbances were undoubtedly begun by irresponsible persons who claimed a sort of
clannish adherence to the companies of their choice. A survival of this semi-barbarous custom may be seen
frequently in Baltimore at the date of this writing. After a fire alarm has been sounded, the flames
extinguished, and the engines and ladder trucks are being returned to their several quarters, crowds of
urchins moving along the streets in the wake of the apparatus to which they have voluntarily attached
themselves, begin to call the names of the companies like a war-cry, and soon sturdy little adherents of
different companies are plying their fists vigorously, while sticks, stones and any other missiles that may
come to hand are hurled through the air until one side is vanquished or a policeman appears on the scene
and puts an end to the game. Sometimes blood flows in these battles.
Three years after the Union organization, the Friendship Fire Company was formed, in 1785. The engine
house of the Friendship Company was on the east side of Frederick street, the third house south of Fayette
street. The section in which this company was located was known as Harrison's Marsh in earlier days. An
act of the Assembly was passed in 1776, directing Thomas Harrison, Alexander Lawson and Brian Philpot,
owners of the marsh, to "remove the said nuisance at their own proper expense by wharfing in all such
marshy ground near the water with a good and sufficient stone wall, and by covering the marsh with stone,
gravel and dirt." After these improvements were completed, the tract was to be laid off in lots and added to
the town, which extended from the western edge of the swamp. Thus it appears that the Friendship
Company was established in this new section about the time the swamp was removed and houses erected,
creating a demand for protection from fire in that vicinity. As another evidence of the growing importance
of the improved marsh, we may consider the act of Assembly of 1784, to which reference was previously
made, providing for the establishing of Center Market.
The assertion has come down to us from earlier days that the Friendship Fire Company was organized by
dissatisfied persons, who withdrew from the Mechanical and Union Companies, and this harmonious action
probably suggested the name adopted.
A similar sequence of events took place at Fell's Point, namely, the erection of buildings, increasing
population, market, fire company. Fell's Point addition to the town was made by act of Assembly in 1773.
In an act passed March 6, 1768, for the regulation of the markets in Baltimore Town, the statement
appears that "the inhabitants of that part of Baltimore Town called Fell's Point have built a market house on
a piece of ground given them by Edward Fell, deceased."
In 1792 the Deptford Fire Company was instituted. Its engine house was situated at the north-east corner
of Market (now Broadway) and Fleet streets, Fell's Point, where the company maintained its headquarters
for more than fifty years.
As the town expanded, the several sections in turn became the headquarters of a fire company. The
Liberty Fire Company, organized in 1794, was the only additional company instituted before the
incorporation of the city, in 1797, which long survived. Prior to 1787, a company known as the Mercantile
was organized. We have very meagre information concerning this company. It is known to have maintained
its organization until 1805, when the Mechanical Company purchased for twenty dollars the small suction
engine used by the Mercantile Company, which is said to have then disbanded. Captain J. Albert Cassedy,
of the Fire Department, in his book, "The Firemen's Record," mentions the Mercantile, but, with one
exception, gives no data about the company. He also states that a fire company named "The Commercial"
was organized in 1792, but its location was unknown, and, as it made no history that has come to us, the
company probably had a brief existence. The words Mercantile and Commercial are so closely allied in
meaning that they probably refer to the same company.
Shortly after the formation of the Friendship Company, in 1785, by the dissatisfied members of the
Mechanical and Union Companies, the community became aroused upon the subject of protection from
fire. This quickening of public interest was probably the result of an increased number of companies.
Greater precautions and thorough organization was the demand of the times.
The fire companies took up this work of improvement. A meeting of members of the Mechanical, Union,
Friendship, and Mercantile Companies was held Saturday night, March 17, 1787, at the residence of Mr.
Daniel Grant. These were the only companies known to have existence at that time. Mr. William Smith
presided, and the following resolutions were adopted: "That this committee recommend to the inhabitants
of this town that they put lights in their windows in times of fire in the night, not only near where the fire is,
but generally throughout the town, for the convenience of those who are repairing to the fire. "That it be
recommended to every housekeeper, where one of the family is not enrolled in some fire company, to
provide, as soon as possible, two good leather buckets, marked with the owner's name, and that they send
them to the place of fire immediately upon the alarm being given. "That each fire company appoint any
number of men of their own company for lanemen, who shall each be distinguished by a white staff, eight
feet long, whose business it shall be to form lanes for the purpose of handing the water.."That each fire
company appoint any number of men of their own company for lane men, who shall each be distinguished
by a white staff, eight feet long, hat painted white, and whose business it shall be to take charge of property
to be removed in time of fire."
The absence of street lamps was the cause of the recommendation that lamps be placed in the windows.
As a result of this agitation, the Assembly of Maryland passed an act, May 15, 1787, "for the more
effectual remedy to extinguish fire in Baltimore." This act provided that every householder was to keep two
leather buckets hung up near the door of his house. The commissioners of the town were authorized to dig
wells and erect pumps on the sides of the streets. Apparently, the recommendations and suggestions of the
conference of firemen, made in 1787, were not generally complied with, for the companies reiterated their
resolutions, November 24, 1789, and also called the attention of the people especially to the "great
inconvenience arising for want of water in the distressing time of fire."
A most significant recommendation, however, made at that time, was a resolution to the effect that "it be
recommended to the different fire companies to meet all together, with their engines, buckets, etc., on the
first Monday in December next, at three o'clock p. M., at the court house, and at such other places and
times as may hereafter be agreed to, in order to try their engines and exercise themselves, that they may be
better enabled to act more in conjunction than they have hitherto done." In this resolution is embodied the
first suggestion of a united fire department. An attempt was made in the same year to form a company to
promote the introduction of a copious supply of pure water into the town by means of pipes. The object of
this movement, however, was not accomplished until a few years later.
The operations of the embryonic fire department were greatly facilitated in 1790 by an invention of David
Evans. This invention was an alarm erected at the court house. Before this invention, the cry of "Fire!" was
the only means of sounding an alarm. The invention of Mr. Evans was approved by a committee of
clock-makers, consisting of George Lovely, Elijah Evans, Gilbert Biggar, Joseph Rice, and Standish Barry.
The method and mechanism of this alarm is not set forth in the old records. With such appliances and
environments the fire service continued until 1796, the last year of Baltimore as a town and the period at
which it was incorporated as a municipality.
