| Empire Hook and Ladder Fire Co. No. 1 Montgomery County Station 69C Pottstown Pennsylvania "The original boyz in the hood" |
| Empire Hook and Ladder Fire Co. No. 1 76 North Franklin Street Pottstown Pennsylvania 19464 (610)-326-2212 EMERGENCY'S DIAL 911 EMAIL WEBMASTER |
Founding of the Pottstown Fire Department
After The disastrous fire of June 1868 when the nail plate mill and nail factory of
the Pottstown Iron Company were destroyed; and in July of the same year, when
the farm houses, as they were known which stood on High Street across the
Manatawny creek on the west side, were completely gutted by fire; the citizens of
Pottstown realized that more effective methods must be used to safeguard
property. It was about that time that the Pottstown Gas & Water Company began
operations to furnish the town with a water system and in a year or two had
completed the erection of a reservoir on Washington Hill and also a pumping
station at the foot of Washington Street and had laid water mains throughout the
main portion of the town with a number of fire hydrants. It was during the latter
part of 1870 that the agitation for better fire protection was discussed and
eventually the town council took action. The fire department of Philadelphia had
just been changed from voluntary department to a paid fire department and
many old companies of the city were disposing of their apparatus. The members
of the town council decided to purchase a hose carriage and hose as they
deemed that would be sufficient at the time as the water pressure was about
forty-five pounds and they believed it was sufficient to throw a stream over the
tallest building in town.
A committee went to Philadelphia and purchased the hose carriage of
Philadelphia Fire Co. No. 18 together with a lot of copper riveted leather hose
and other accessories. The carriage arrived a few days later and was housed in
the market house. At once the agitation to form a fire company was renewed
and the question was debated pro and con upon the streets, in cigar stores,
stores, hotels, and etc., but nothing definite was done.
In the rear of the residence of Wm. M. Antrim, 360 Chestnut Street, there was a
frame building used as a storage house by Mr. Antrim, who was a market janitor,
and the second story was fitted up as a place for his employees to spend their
evenings. They formed an organization and a number of their friends joined.
Among them were ---Harry H. Harner, Daniel E. Ellis, Chas. Ibach, James B.
Schotter, the Antrims and others. It was known as the Grecian Band Minstrels
and they gave exhibitions in the town and surrounding towns and villages. When
the agitation started they immediately took an active part and were the first to
start a concrete movement to organize a fire company. They called upon a
number of our business men and other prominent citizens and received a hearty
response.
It was then decided to call a town meeting for that purpose and the date decided
upon was 3rd day of January, 1871 and upon that date quite a number of
citizens gathered at the store room of the Honorable John C. Smith. After an
organization had been effected and a decision to organize a fire company, the
question of a name for the new organization came up.
Before we proceed further we will show that the rivalry that existed in the old
volunteer fire department between the Philadelphia and Goodwill Companies of
that city was injected into the question of naming the new company. Emissaries
of both the companies from the city came to Pottstown. Each sought to secure
advocates for the names Philadelphia and Goodwill and when the question
arose in the meeting both names were introduced. Those that desired to name it
the Philadelphia brought forth the argument that as the carriage had the name
“Philadelphia” properly shown on both sides it would be unnecessary to change
it and the citizens of Pottstown were not interested in the quarrels of the two
companies from the city. Those that favored the name of “Goodwill” argued that
the name Goodwill was more appropriate as it meant goodwill to all. The debate
was very keen and Thomas Clark, who led the boosters of the “Goodwill” slogan
and others argued long. They were met by a number of the opposite side and
when the vote was reached it resulted in the name “Philadelphia” by a large
majority. Mr. Clark and his supporters left the room vowing they would start
another company which they did a few day s later.
Before the meeting was held, Messrs. Harner, Ellis, and others had called upon
the members of council and got their permission to deliver the carriage and
equipment to the new company and they at once claimed it. And as threats had
been made, that it would be wrecked, night after night it was guarded by some of
the boys until it was housed in the new home of the company on King Street,
west of Hanover. Thus formed the first regular company of the town and
inaugurated the present fire department of Pottstown, The new Company
(Philadelphia) being the nucleus of the same.
After the carriage had been housed in the new home a large cylinder stove was
placed in the rear of the room and it became the home of the boys to spend
their leisure time. Much interest was manifested and a number of members were
added to the roll.
There were a friendly rivalry among the boys as to who should secure the honor
of manning the tongue of the carriage when an alarm of fire was sounded, and
reel out the rope as more recruits arrived until at times thirty to forty men were
struggling to get to the scene of the fire as soon as possible. There were no
alarms calls of any kind. Except by cries of fire relayed to one another. The calls
came frequently until it became suspicious that the most of them were the work
of an incendiary. About this time the members of the old Philadelphia Fire Co.
No. 18 as an appreciation of the honor of having named the company
“Philadelphia” presented to the company helmets, belts, trumpets, and other
paraphernalia. Thus equipping them for parade purposes and etc. It was not
long until the company had a roster of names upon its roll, comprising some of
the most prominent citizens of town.
The need of a steam engine soon presented itself, as the pressure from the
reservoir did not meet the expectations and the agitation resulted in the
purchase of a new Silsby Engine. Also drawn by hand and the company was
equipped for all emergencies.
The question has been often been asked, why both companies have been
named No.1 After the institution of the company it was decided to incorporate
and an attorney was secured to prepare the necessary papers and latter were
presented to the court of Montgomery County but a section was found that
conflicted with the law and the matter was laid over until next term of court. In the
meantime the attorneys of the Goodwill Company presented their articles of
incorporation and as they passed the court the Goodwill was incorporated being
the first while the Philadelphia Company was compelled to wait until the next
term of court when their incorporation was granted. The court failed to designate
and they were both incorporated as No. 1.
After The disastrous fire of June 1868 when the nail plate mill and nail factory of
the Pottstown Iron Company were destroyed; and in July of the same year, when
the farm houses, as they were known which stood on High Street across the
Manatawny creek on the west side, were completely gutted by fire; the citizens of
Pottstown realized that more effective methods must be used to safeguard
property. It was about that time that the Pottstown Gas & Water Company began
operations to furnish the town with a water system and in a year or two had
completed the erection of a reservoir on Washington Hill and also a pumping
station at the foot of Washington Street and had laid water mains throughout the
main portion of the town with a number of fire hydrants. It was during the latter
part of 1870 that the agitation for better fire protection was discussed and
eventually the town council took action. The fire department of Philadelphia had
just been changed from voluntary department to a paid fire department and
many old companies of the city were disposing of their apparatus. The members
of the town council decided to purchase a hose carriage and hose as they
deemed that would be sufficient at the time as the water pressure was about
forty-five pounds and they believed it was sufficient to throw a stream over the
tallest building in town.
A committee went to Philadelphia and purchased the hose carriage of
Philadelphia Fire Co. No. 18 together with a lot of copper riveted leather hose
and other accessories. The carriage arrived a few days later and was housed in
the market house. At once the agitation to form a fire company was renewed
and the question was debated pro and con upon the streets, in cigar stores,
stores, hotels, and etc., but nothing definite was done.
In the rear of the residence of Wm. M. Antrim, 360 Chestnut Street, there was a
frame building used as a storage house by Mr. Antrim, who was a market janitor,
and the second story was fitted up as a place for his employees to spend their
evenings. They formed an organization and a number of their friends joined.
Among them were ---Harry H. Harner, Daniel E. Ellis, Chas. Ibach, James B.
Schotter, the Antrims and others. It was known as the Grecian Band Minstrels
and they gave exhibitions in the town and surrounding towns and villages. When
the agitation started they immediately took an active part and were the first to
start a concrete movement to organize a fire company. They called upon a
number of our business men and other prominent citizens and received a hearty
response.
It was then decided to call a town meeting for that purpose and the date decided
upon was 3rd day of January, 1871 and upon that date quite a number of
citizens gathered at the store room of the Honorable John C. Smith. After an
organization had been effected and a decision to organize a fire company, the
question of a name for the new organization came up.
Before we proceed further we will show that the rivalry that existed in the old
volunteer fire department between the Philadelphia and Goodwill Companies of
that city was injected into the question of naming the new company. Emissaries
of both the companies from the city came to Pottstown. Each sought to secure
advocates for the names Philadelphia and Goodwill and when the question
arose in the meeting both names were introduced. Those that desired to name it
the Philadelphia brought forth the argument that as the carriage had the name
“Philadelphia” properly shown on both sides it would be unnecessary to change
it and the citizens of Pottstown were not interested in the quarrels of the two
companies from the city. Those that favored the name of “Goodwill” argued that
the name Goodwill was more appropriate as it meant goodwill to all. The debate
was very keen and Thomas Clark, who led the boosters of the “Goodwill” slogan
and others argued long. They were met by a number of the opposite side and
when the vote was reached it resulted in the name “Philadelphia” by a large
majority. Mr. Clark and his supporters left the room vowing they would start
another company which they did a few day s later.
Before the meeting was held, Messrs. Harner, Ellis, and others had called upon
the members of council and got their permission to deliver the carriage and
equipment to the new company and they at once claimed it. And as threats had
been made, that it would be wrecked, night after night it was guarded by some of
the boys until it was housed in the new home of the company on King Street,
west of Hanover. Thus formed the first regular company of the town and
inaugurated the present fire department of Pottstown, The new Company
(Philadelphia) being the nucleus of the same.
After the carriage had been housed in the new home a large cylinder stove was
placed in the rear of the room and it became the home of the boys to spend
their leisure time. Much interest was manifested and a number of members were
added to the roll.
There were a friendly rivalry among the boys as to who should secure the honor
of manning the tongue of the carriage when an alarm of fire was sounded, and
reel out the rope as more recruits arrived until at times thirty to forty men were
struggling to get to the scene of the fire as soon as possible. There were no
alarms calls of any kind. Except by cries of fire relayed to one another. The calls
came frequently until it became suspicious that the most of them were the work
of an incendiary. About this time the members of the old Philadelphia Fire Co.
No. 18 as an appreciation of the honor of having named the company
“Philadelphia” presented to the company helmets, belts, trumpets, and other
paraphernalia. Thus equipping them for parade purposes and etc. It was not
long until the company had a roster of names upon its roll, comprising some of
the most prominent citizens of town.
The need of a steam engine soon presented itself, as the pressure from the
reservoir did not meet the expectations and the agitation resulted in the
purchase of a new Silsby Engine. Also drawn by hand and the company was
equipped for all emergencies.
The question has been often been asked, why both companies have been
named No.1 After the institution of the company it was decided to incorporate
and an attorney was secured to prepare the necessary papers and latter were
presented to the court of Montgomery County but a section was found that
conflicted with the law and the matter was laid over until next term of court. In the
meantime the attorneys of the Goodwill Company presented their articles of
incorporation and as they passed the court the Goodwill was incorporated being
the first while the Philadelphia Company was compelled to wait until the next
term of court when their incorporation was granted. The court failed to designate
and they were both incorporated as No. 1.
