| The company rolls have also been supplemented by much data concerning the election of officers from time to time, thus indicating the men who attained greatest prominence in connection with the affairs of the several companies. Mechanical, 1807—David Shields, president; Thomas S. Sheppard, vicepresident; P. E. Thomas, secretary; Wm. Riley, treasurer; John Dukehart, engineer; James Calhoun and John Sinclair, assistant engineers; David Shields, John Hagerty, Thomas S. Sheppard, Emanuel Kent, Wm. Riley, Isaac Burnetson, Michael Diffenderffer, James Mosher, William Wilson and Thomas Elliot, directors; Wm. Wood, Samuel G. Jones, Jos. Townsend, Wm. Jones, John Cornthwait and John Anderson, linemen; John Fisher, John Nicholson, Philip Littig, Andrew Hanna and Wm. Husband, property men; John Donaldson and Richard A. Shipley, axmen; Richard H. Jones, Noah Moffett, James Wainwright and Wm. E. George, managers of the suction engine; John Ready, Thos. B. Baker, John Wilson, Hezekiah Niles, Benjamin Armitage, Abraham Long, John Frick, suction enginemen; John Kipp, John Jewitt, Jos. Husband, Amos Brown, Amos Allison, Gravenor M. Jeffries, Jacob Rogers, hosemen; Wm. Ball, Wm. Clemm, Jr., Jacob Norris and Samuel Hardan, engine guards; Benjamin Sands, David Smith, John Crane, Thos. D. McHenry, laddermen; Wm. Baker, Jr., Jos. Smith, Edward Mackall and John Compton, public bucketmen. Mr. Samuel Sands, who attained the distinction of having first set in type the words of the national song, "The Star-Spangled Banner," was a member of the Mechanical Company. |
| After 200 years The Mechanical Fire Company No.1 is still very much active today, all though the member's do not fight fires or have firefighting capabilities they do however meet once a year for dinner and pass on the history of the Baltimore City Fire Department to their new members. |
| The first fire in Baltimore City was recorded on March 16, 1749 but it was not until September 22, 1763 that a group of citizens met together in Melchier Keener's cigar store and established a fire company. That Fire Co. was to be named the Mechanical Fire Company No.1 as it's members was composed mainly of tradesmen and artisans. From 1763 to 1782 for nearly twenty years they were the only volunteer fire fighting society that protected Baltimore City. The Mechanical Fire Company had the proud distinction of being the first of many companies organized in Baltimore to systematically combat fires. The organization of this company took place in 1763, shortly after the lottery scheme for the purchase of fire engines was announced. There is little doubt that the company was formed in anticipation of engines being acquired for the company's use by means of the lottery. Moreover, the organizers and members of the company, and the managers of the lottery were the leading citizens of the town, so that we are led to believe that there was a common purpose in the two enterprises. The failure of the lottery to yield the requisite revenue deferred the introduction of an engine to aid the company. Although the gratification of their hopes was deferred the members maintained their organization, which for nearly a score of years was the only company of its kind in the town. Until 1769, its appliances were restricted to the axes, ladders and other crude implements of the bucket brigade, and we can readily believe that the company was, in fact, scarcely anything more than a bucket brigade, which held itself ready to "fall in" regularly in case of fire, and maintained a more methodical way of attacking a fire than was customary with the the unorganized "brigade." Days, months, years, went by. History notes the appearance of the company at several public ceremonies in the last century, and the eclat accorded the company on these occasions suggests that the organization was highly esteemed. Thus it is recorded that when George Washington, accompanied by other delegates to the Continental Congress from Virginia and No«1h Carolina, arrived in Baltimore, May 5, 1775, on their way to Philadelphia, the Mechanical Fire Company and three companies of militia escorted them to the Fountain Inn, which was the historical antecedent of the Carrollton Hotel. The festivities attending the reception and entertainment of the visitors, who subsequently became world-renowned, included an exhibition by the Mechanical Fire Company. As an incident in the life of Washington, a brief description of this event is worthy of being recited here. The exhibition took place at the court house, which had been erected but a few years previously on the hill at the head of Calvert street. It was afternoon when the delegates, accompanied by the clergy and many prominent citizens, marched from the Fountain Inn to the court house. The Independent Company (militia), Captain Gist, and officers of the other militia companies in the town acted as an escort, leading the way. After the exhibition a banquet was served in the court house. Toasts were drunk and great festivity marked the day. The delegates who were entertained with so much enthusiasm were George Washington, Peyton Randolph, Edmond Pendleton, Benjamin Harrison and Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, and Richard Caswell and Joseph Hewes, of North Carolina. A brief sketch of the Mechanical Fire Company, published in a newspaper of Baltimore in 1864, contains a statement that "The engine house was located in Fayette street, near Gay, adjoining the old court house, which occupied the site of the present Battle Monument." While this sketch does not fix the period during which the engine house was located on Fayette street, it must have been during the latter part of the eighteenth, or the early part of the present century, because the location of the company's headquarters in later years is known to have been elsewhere. The fact that the fire company gave an exhibition in 1775 implies that there must have been something to exhibit. The "something" was undoubtedly the engine of the company, and the method of using it. The engine was acquired in 1769, under the following circumstances: The company was informed at a meeting of its members that a fire engine was on board a Dutch ship in port, and the captain was willing to sell it. The machine had been brought from Holland. It was decided to acquire it for the use of the company. Messrs. David Shields, James Cox, Gerard Hopkins, George Lindenberger and John Deaver, members of the company, aided by a general subscription from the townspeople, obtained the sum of ninety-nine pounds, or two hundred and sixty-four dollars, and the engine was purchased for this amount. This was the first machine used for fighting fires in Baltimore. It was nicknamed "Dutchman," probably on account of its having been imported from Holland. The "Dutchman" was mounted on small iron axles. The wheels were two feet in diameter. This carriage, or truck, was drawn by ropes in the hands of the firemen. The mechanism consisted of two pumps, for the purpose of forcing the water upon a fire. The pumps were made of sheet brass air vessels, with two valves in the bottom of each pump for suction and forcing, and two valves for air purposes. There was only one discharge pipe, enclosed in an apartment, the seat of which was made of wood, and the sides of copper. An iron beam, or lever, was used to work the pump, or engine. The first fire engine in America is said to have made its appearance at New York in 1732. The earliest engines were imported from Europe. They were originally worked by treadles, and subsequently by hand levers. Water was carried in buckets to ^1 tank attached to the machine, and then pumped through a "goose neck." A "goose neck" was a crude contrivance like a nozzle, which enabled the stream of water from the engine to be thrown in any direction desired. Hose was not in use until the early part of the present -century. In the days of the "goose neck" it was customary for a fireman to sit astride of it and steer the stream. The most noteworthy fire in Baltimore in the period during which the Mechanical Fire Company was the sole organized protector of the town from fire, took place Wednesday, September 18, 1776. While some flax was being handled that day in the garret of the almshouse, it was accidentally ignited. The garret in which this fire began was in the main building of the almshouse, which was situated north-west of the town, at the head of North Howard street, on the square now formed by Eutaw, Biddle, Linden and Madison streets. The wind was blowing from the westward at a freshening rate. The fire soon extended to the dome and east wing of the structure, and these parts of the building were nearly burned to the ground before the engine arrived from town. Vigorous efforts of the firemen and other townspeople resulted in saving part of the west wing and most of the furniture. The main building was rebuilt immediately, but the erection of the east wing was deferred for a number of years. The great destruction at this fire should not lead persons in our own time to criticise the Mechanical Company too harshly for inefficiency. When the Assembly of Maryland, in November, 1773, passed an act authorizing the construction of an almshouse, it was provided that the building was not to be within a half mile of the town, so that the engine was probably nearly a mile from the almshouse when the fire began. No means of communicating alarms except by the cry of "Fire!" was in vogue until some years later, and the fire had doubtless gained great headway before the company was notified. Streets were not paved in those days, and as the engines were drawn by hand, progress was much slower than with the horses and steam engines of our own time. The simple engine of 1776 was far from adequate to cope with a fire of any magnitude. It is probable that the almshouse was a wooden structure, which would further handicap firemen in extinguishing a fire. Moreover, the supply of water in the vicinity of the almshouse was limited to the quantity obtained from such springs or wells as existed, and as the almshouse was some distance from the town, it is probable that few wells had been dug near that institution. Fire entirely destroyed a large brewery and warehouse at the south-west corner of Frederick and Second streets, February 4, 1779. The fire was supposed to have been of incendiary origin. The brewery was owned by Mr. James Sterrett, and the warehouse adjoining was occupied by Hugh Young. The buildings were restored in a short time. Fire again devastated this property, November 4, 1783. This succession of calamities induced Mr. Sterrett to retire from business, and his brewery was not rebuilt. Subsequently, Mr. Thomas Peters, from Philadelphia, erected a brewery in the same neighborhood, near the Lombard street bridge, and it is a coincidence that Mr. Peters' brewery in later years was also destroyed by fire, and rebuilt. The scanty record of notable fires in the last century which has come down to us is a mute witness of the faithfulness of the first companies and the townsfolks when the fire fiend was abroad. Fires were not as frequent as in our own time; but the fact that few fires did sufficient damage to cause them to be recorded, suggests that the primitive appliances and resources of that time were used as effectively as possible. The service of the Mechanical Fire Company was voluntary, and the maintenance of its organization from 1763 to 1782 without a rival to spur it on, reflects credit upon this pioneer company. In view of the voluntary service of its members, without substantial recompense, it is scarcely surprising to find the company adopting a resolution in 1779, providing that "In case any house shall take fire near to that of any member of this company, particular attention will be paid to that member's house before any other." The population of Baltimore by the census of 1790 was 13,503, so that prior to 1782, when its first rival came into the field, the Mechanical Company was the sole organized protector of a town of probably eight or ten thousand inhabitants. Engine Company 4's history goes all the way back to the Volunteer Fire Service days in Baltimore City in 1763. From 1763 to 1769 the Fire Company did not have any firefighting equipment to suppress fires of the day, most companies supplied man power, it was the responsibility of the shop keepers and residents to keep and maintain leather buckets and wooden ladders in various locations in their neighborhoods so that the fire company could utilize the equipment in the event of a fire. In 1769 "The Mechanical Fire Company" began assembling fire equipment in their station at Fayette Street near Gay Street adjoining the old court house. Equipment like leather buckets, axes, ladders and hooks were now stored in their station. Also in 1769 "The Mechanical Fire Company" Purchased their first Fire Engine it was acquired aboard a dutch ship that was in the Port of Baltimore. The engine was built in Holland and was nicked named the "Dutchman" and later became Engine #4. The engine was purchased at a cost of ninety nine pounds or $264.00 dollars. In 1859 The Mechanical Fire Company No.1 & Engine 4 were both assigned into the newly created 5th Division of the Baltimore City Fire Department. The station was located at 210 East Lexington Street Engine 4 remained at that location until February 24, 1954 were they were moved into their current location with Truck Company 29 at 1201 E. Coldspring Lane in Northeast Baltimore City. |
The history of both Engine 4 & Truck 29 was researched using the past records that are on file with the
Baltimore City Historical Society located on 201 West Monument Street Baltimore City, The Baltimore City
Fire Museum at 414 Gay Street Baltimore, MD. The Book of Unherald Hero's by William A. Murry, The
Fireman's Record by Robert J. Cassedy 1925, The book " The Official History Of The Baltimore City Fire
Department 1898 by; Clarence H. Forrest" and The Maryland Fire Museum 1301York Road Luthervill,
Maryland. Baltimore County. The Oldest Active Civic Organization In The USA "The Mechanical Fire
Company No. 1"
Baltimore City Historical Society located on 201 West Monument Street Baltimore City, The Baltimore City
Fire Museum at 414 Gay Street Baltimore, MD. The Book of Unherald Hero's by William A. Murry, The
Fireman's Record by Robert J. Cassedy 1925, The book " The Official History Of The Baltimore City Fire
Department 1898 by; Clarence H. Forrest" and The Maryland Fire Museum 1301York Road Luthervill,
Maryland. Baltimore County. The Oldest Active Civic Organization In The USA "The Mechanical Fire
Company No. 1"
