At 8:10 p.m. during the
evening of Saturday September 8, 1883, the fire alarm at the corner of Queen
and York streets was sounded. The fire department responded promptly, and
discovered on arrival that the foundry at that location was completely engulfed
in flames.
The steamer was quickly put
to use, but, as the fire had already made considerable headway, the firemen
were only to prevent it from spreading to the company’s offices and other
nearby buildings:
“As usual at a fire there
was a very large crowd of people, and as is usually the case with a crowd of
people, they would mix themselves up with the hose, and get in the way of the
firemen while they were in discharge of their duties. On former occasions, the
police have been helpful in keeping the crowd back, but last night there were
not sufficient police there, and the consequence was that the crowd proved a
great annoyance.”1
1“A
Big Conflagration : Olmsted and Sons Foundry Burned Down”
Hamilton Spectator. September 08, 1883.
During the fire, some small
boys climbed on the double reel and pulled on the lines:
“The horses are trained to
go when the lines are touched and immediately set off at a gallop down Queen
street. One of the smaller boys and roared with all his might, and the other,
unable to hang on, was dumped on to his head.”2
2 “An
Exciting Runaway”
Hamilton Spectator.
September 10, 1883.
The horses ran down Queen to
Stuart street, then back up James street to the fire station where they were
captured and taken back to the scene of the fire.
Exactly one week later,
there was another interaction between the Hamilton Fire Department, this one of
a more positive nature:
“Saturday afternoon, Chief
Aitchison paid a visit to the residence of D. Gilles to inspect a model fire
department gotten up by the sons of that gentleman and a number of other young
lads.
“The department consists of
eight boys, with a truck, hose reel, supply wagon, and chief’s wagon. The boys
made a couple of turnouts which excited great admiration from the chief and
other visitors.
“This is a first class way
of keeping the boys from getting into mischief, and developing their thinking
faculties.”3
3 “Juvenile
Firemen”
Hamilton Spectator.
September 17, 1883
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