) . 3 sazveDaY, AUGUST 1, 19m Kingston's Fire | Is One of the Very Bests Hist History Back to Time of Flt. Fighting Force | Work---Patrick Devlin An Early Chief. While other institutions of the city | are being reviewed in this edition, it scems only fair and right that some- thing should be said of the splendid fire-fighting force which controls. the fires af the city from year to year. Kingston stands today with.a fire bri- gade of which it is justly proud, that pride having been established by rea- son of the meritorious work done by the members of Kingston's fire force, not only of the present day but of past days. It was not-always, however, that the Kingston fire brigade was equipped as it is yoday, and it has been only of late years than extensive advances have b *SIRU CHIEF JAMES ARMSTRONG Deen made in regard to improving the Se ging ¥ Apparaius of the King- Sion beiga. is particularly true the present chief of the depart- ment James Armstrong, came to the gity and assumed command. Recollections of earlier days bring fo mind the struggles which the fire- men of those times had in their work nd no braver men than they have ever f fought fires in Kingston. Tales Bave been told of the work, with mea- =» equipment and under great handi- of these "old timers," battling | a fire, and could they today look upon the splendid equipment which is at the disposal of the present day bri- they would indeed marvel. In earlier times the fire-fighting force of Kingston was an entirely vol- unteer brigade. The late Patrick Dev. lin, even before 1874 and duting that Jee was chief of the fire department. those times the long rope and the willingness and strength of the fire: men were the the reel to the scene of the fire. This continued for a few years after beiore more modern equip- | ment began to make its appearance. Edwin Horsey took charge of the firef brigade, which was still a volunteer| force, in 1878 and held command until 1884, when he was succeeded by Mat- hew Bateson who was chief m 1884 to 1886. The force was still a volun- teer brigade. The first permanent. paid fire fight- ing brigade in Kingston was in Henry Youlden's time as chief of the brigade from 1886 to 1900. It was decided at that time it would he to the advantage of all concerned to have regular men on the job and that was the first move made in Kingston for a permanent fire brigade which has developed into the present organization of fire-fighters. It might be interesting to recall one of the finest fighting forces in the his- tory of the fire bridage in Kingston, the force of 1885. They were as fol lows: "Mathew Bateson (chief), J. Newton; (foreman), W. McCammon, (treasur- er), Richard Burke, (engineer), Harry Hunter, A. Baylie, R. Lake, J. Derry, | same condition 1]. Bunt, C. Asselstine, J. L. Davis, J. | L. Orr, W. Little, A. E. Elmer, Coop- er Lennox, T. Harold, H. Harold, T. James, John Lemmon, J. Smith, P. means of transporting | F Moncrief, C. McIntyre, W. Spencer, J. | McIntyre, E. Perry, A. Knapp, W. Hall | and J. McMaster. | Captain Cockade and John Hall are the two oldest fire-fighters on the pre- sent staff. They joined the fire-fight- ing brigade in 1885 and they are the only two men of that volunteer force, | who are now with the permanent fire| brigade. In the history of the fire brigade, there have been many chiefs and each man in his turn held the respect and admiration of the men who served un- der_him. Kingston has always been fous in having capable men as hedd of the department. Some of those who will be remembered are: Patrick Devlin, previous to and in- cluding 1874, Edwin Horsey, 1878 to 1884, Mathew Bateson, 1884 to 1886, Henry Youlden, 1886 to 1900, John Elmer, 1900 to 1909, James Armstrong from 1909 to present date. When Fire Chief James Armstsong, the present head"of the department, took charge, when he came here from Port Arthur fn _1909, there were four- teen men in the brigade of whom twe were call men. Since he took com- mand of the fire department, there have been great changes wrought through his hard efforts and the fire. fighting force in Kingston is a credit to the city and to the chief who com- mands it. When he first assumed charge, there was a Chatham steamer, one hose j wagon and Merryweather steamer, a | chemical combifation hose wagon, one [ old ladder truck, five ladders and the ye alarm system was controlled by There were gravity battery cells. thirty-two street boxes. and feet of hose was al gade had in this line. ; In 1910 a Waterous steam fire en- zine was purchased and put intc com- mission on March 18th. A large hose wagon was purchased in the fall of 1910 and by this time a horse and Three thous. | buggy had been provided for the chief. A new ladder truck was added to the equipment jn 1911 and a modern stor- age fire alarm system was put in in 1916. A Reo speed wagon was fitted out as a hose wagon in 1918 and in 1923 a Ruggles truck was put in. In May 1924 an Ahren-Fox pumper was purchased and the Ruggles truck was transferred to the lower station and the Rect truck converted into a motor tractor for the upper station. The fire alarm system is now on the street signal type and there are eighty boxes in the city. The hose equip- ment has been increased to 7,000 feet and there are now seventeen ladders, ranging from 14 fe "to 65 feet, and several smaller ones for inside work, The two stations have been thorough- ly repaired and are in first class con- dition at the present time. In December of 1918 the strength of the fire-fighting force-was brought up to eighteen men and was divided into two sections, the men alternating for { two weeks on day and night duty. This was the first city in Eastern Canada to adopt this system, which had worked out so satisfactorily and the third city in all Canada to make the change. At the present time there are eigh- teen miles of outside wiring in con- nection with the department. The fur- 1 that the bri- i CAPT. FREDERICK REID thest box is at Mowat Hospital in the west end of the city and the one at the Tile Works is the farthest away in the north end of the city. There are 325 hydrants in use at the preseat time and the Utilities Commission is now work- ing on another order for thirty more. The street lighting of the city has been doubled since 1909. Previous to May of this year, the fire brigade responded t-_ calls in the county but owing to the trouble that | had arisen as a result of this being | done, orders were issued that no calls] outside the city were to be answered | | by the department with the exception | of calls from Mowat Hospital, Rock- | wood Hospital, the Penitentiary, Cal- | derwood and the Royal Military Col- | lege, the Covernment having made the | necessary arrangements for having FIREMAN JOHN HALL The oldest member of Kingston's s Fire Brigade. mann B- calls answered to these institutions. The chief of the Kingston fire de- partment is secretary of the Dominion Fire Chiefs' Association and has held that office since 1915, He is one of the original members of that organization. He is also the first vice-president of the International Association of Fire Engineers and in the ordinary course of events, will be the next president at the convention which is to be held in September at Louisville. He will be the first Canadian-born chief to hold this position. Chief Beniot of Montreal and Chief John Thompson of Toronto were presidents of this Association, he be- ing given that honor in 1022, The present officers of the Kingston fire department are as follows: Chief, James Armstrong; captains, Fred Reid William Cockade; electrician, John Hall; motor mechanic, Henry Pollie. Engagement is rumored of Len- ore Ulric, actress, who starred in "Kiki," and Sidney Blackmer, actor. 3 Grandson 'of Henrik Isben is ean route from Hollywood to Norway af- ter study of motion pictures. Former wife of George Jay Gould is reported to have won $100,000 in gambling at a French resort. "Only Pasteurized Milk is SAFE MILK" We extend a hearty welcome to Kingston's Visitors RICE'S DAIRY Pasteurized Milk and Cream ELCOME OLD BOYS AND GIRLS ROBT. J. REID Furniture Dealer and Funeral Director One of the Old Boys still going 'strong On Princess St. since 1857 LA complete line' in all "grades of Furniture. We deliver to any point 'within 25 miles radius free of charge , - The best motor equip- ment in the city, 'including ambulance and invalid coach. At your service day and "night. Phone '577