| Empire Hook and Ladder Fire Co. No. 1 Montgomery County Station 69C Pottstown Pennsylvania "The original boyz in the hood" |
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| Empire Hook and Ladder Fire Co. No. 1 76 North Franklin Street Pottstown Pennsylvania 19464 (610)-326-2212 EMERGENCY'S DIAL 911 EMAIL WEBMASTER |
As time passed on the quarters on King Street became to small and the
members of the company agitated the question of building a new home, larger
and better fitted for our needs and in 1878 it was decided to build. A committee
was appointed, a site was purchased at Chestnut and Penn Streets for a cost of
$13,000,00. And the project assumed shape. The members were very
enthusiastic and they soon had the cellar excavated and the present home was
built. The work being all done by members of the company.
The removal of the company’s effects was a gala holiday for the boys and
appropriate exercises were held upon the date of its dedication. Since having
built the new building there have been many changes from man drawn to
horses. The various trial of hose carts; to the change from the old Silsby to a
new one and its replacement in 1914 with a new motor apparatus, to organized
a Steam Fire Engine Company, this being the way the company adopted the
name “Steam Fire Engine” making it “Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co No. 1”.
With the new piece of apparatus. A year or so ago by adding another motor
apparatus of larger capacity; being the best-equipped fire company in this
section of the state.
First Quarter of A Century of This Organization
The Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Company, No 1, was instituted January 3rd,
1871 by the following persons, in John C. Smith’s store on the corner of High
and Hanover streets: H. H. Harner, Francis Engle, William M. Antrim, Harry
Kinney, Daniel E. Ellis, Thos. L. Yegery, Henry Auchey, William A. Dyer and a
number of persons. Previous to that time, there were only bucket companies
and hard engines without any instituted or properly organized companies in
Pottstown.
The first quarters of the Philadelphia S. F.E. Co. was on King street, between
Hanover and York street, which quarters were occupied by the company from
immediately after institution up to April 1st, 1880.
Letters of incorporation were granted by the Courts of Montgomery County to
this company August 21st, 1871. A petition signed by H. H. Harner, Francis
Engle, William Antrim, Harry Kinney and a number of others was presented to
members of the Town Council Of Pottstown, in special meeting assembled, on
the 16th of January, 1871, asking for the use of a hose carriage and 1,000 feet
of hose that had been purchased by said Town Council. The said petition set
forth the fact that the petitioner had instituted and organized a Steam Fire
Engine Company under the name of the Philadelphia S. F. E. Co. No. 1, in
honor of the company of who said Town Council had purchased the Hose
Carriage. Jos. E. Yeager was President and A. K. Shanner was clerk. The
prayers of the petitioners were granted. The hose carriage and hose, handed
over to the said Philadelphia S. F. E. Co., No. 1, and to be used to their intent
and purpose, subject to the restriction of town council.
The first officers of the Company were: president, John C. Smith; Vice President,
Jacob S. Levan; Recording Secretary, John Scheetz; Financial Secretary, James
B. Schotter; Treasurer, M. S. Longaker; Trustees, R. B. Longaker, Jos. E.
Yeager and John A. Andre.
The first parade of this company was February 22nd, 1871 the members
wearing for the first time in parade, their regularly adopted equipment. The
chief Marshall for that parade was Jos. E. Yeager and the company’s Marshall
was Wm. A. Dyer.
On March the 16th, 1871 at the regularly held meeting, M. S. Longaker moved
that a committee of six be appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of
purchasing a Steam Fire Engine. This was the initial step towards procuring the
first new steam fire engine in Pottstown. On March 30th, 1871, a committee
consisting of M. S. Longaker, Jacob S. Levan and Wm. Dyer was appointed a
committee to ascertain what the cost of a steam fire engine would be.
May 11th, 1871 a committee of three was appointed to purchase a steam fire
engine with John C. Smith as chairman. The purchasing committee on engine
being John C. Smith, M. S. longaker, Jacob S. Levan, W. A. Dyer, R. B. longaker
and D. B. Hartranft.
Engine purchased and delivered by the Silsby Manufacturing Co., of
Seneca Falls, N. Y., in June, 1871
On October 5th, 1876, at the regular meeting of the company, the question of
purchasing a lot on which to build an engine house was introduced and the
trustees instructed to purchase a lot which was done, and the trustees
purchased a lot upon which this engine house stands at a cost of $1550.00. The
Deed of the lot was passes January 13th, 1877, at which time the company
became owners of their first real estate.
On August 10th 1878, there was committee of nine, including the trustees,
appointed to consider the feasibility of building an engine house. The committee
appointed by W. S. Royer, President at that time, was M. S. Lomgaker, W. M.
Anrim, V. R. M. Missimer, W. B. Scheetz, Thos. L. Yergey, L. L. Lessig and the
Trustees. The Committee, on September 5th, 1878, reported to the company
recommending the erection of a building and accompanying the report was a
plan or draft of the building. The report was favorably received, whereupon Wm.
M. Antrim motioned that the company erect an engine house in accordance with
the plan proposed, or, if possible, improved, and that a building committee of
five be appointed who shall be empowered to proceed with preparations for the
building. The Building Committee was Thos. L. Yergey, W. M. Antrim, M. S.
Longaker, Eph. Reifsnider and V. R. M. Missimer.
The mason and brick work was done by and under the supervision of Thos. L.
Yergey. The carpenter work was done under the management and supervision
of Frank G. Fegley. The erection and construction of engine house was by day
work. The committee through its manager or foreman, F. G. Fegley, selected
and furnished all material used in the construction of the engine house that now
stands as a monument of credit and untiring efforts of the members of this
company. Daniel Weidner was the first person to start the work, he having struck
the first pick in excavation of the cellar. The estimated cost of the building of the
engine house was about $13,000.00.
members of the company agitated the question of building a new home, larger
and better fitted for our needs and in 1878 it was decided to build. A committee
was appointed, a site was purchased at Chestnut and Penn Streets for a cost of
$13,000,00. And the project assumed shape. The members were very
enthusiastic and they soon had the cellar excavated and the present home was
built. The work being all done by members of the company.
The removal of the company’s effects was a gala holiday for the boys and
appropriate exercises were held upon the date of its dedication. Since having
built the new building there have been many changes from man drawn to
horses. The various trial of hose carts; to the change from the old Silsby to a
new one and its replacement in 1914 with a new motor apparatus, to organized
a Steam Fire Engine Company, this being the way the company adopted the
name “Steam Fire Engine” making it “Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co No. 1”.
With the new piece of apparatus. A year or so ago by adding another motor
apparatus of larger capacity; being the best-equipped fire company in this
section of the state.
First Quarter of A Century of This Organization
The Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Company, No 1, was instituted January 3rd,
1871 by the following persons, in John C. Smith’s store on the corner of High
and Hanover streets: H. H. Harner, Francis Engle, William M. Antrim, Harry
Kinney, Daniel E. Ellis, Thos. L. Yegery, Henry Auchey, William A. Dyer and a
number of persons. Previous to that time, there were only bucket companies
and hard engines without any instituted or properly organized companies in
Pottstown.
The first quarters of the Philadelphia S. F.E. Co. was on King street, between
Hanover and York street, which quarters were occupied by the company from
immediately after institution up to April 1st, 1880.
Letters of incorporation were granted by the Courts of Montgomery County to
this company August 21st, 1871. A petition signed by H. H. Harner, Francis
Engle, William Antrim, Harry Kinney and a number of others was presented to
members of the Town Council Of Pottstown, in special meeting assembled, on
the 16th of January, 1871, asking for the use of a hose carriage and 1,000 feet
of hose that had been purchased by said Town Council. The said petition set
forth the fact that the petitioner had instituted and organized a Steam Fire
Engine Company under the name of the Philadelphia S. F. E. Co. No. 1, in
honor of the company of who said Town Council had purchased the Hose
Carriage. Jos. E. Yeager was President and A. K. Shanner was clerk. The
prayers of the petitioners were granted. The hose carriage and hose, handed
over to the said Philadelphia S. F. E. Co., No. 1, and to be used to their intent
and purpose, subject to the restriction of town council.
The first officers of the Company were: president, John C. Smith; Vice President,
Jacob S. Levan; Recording Secretary, John Scheetz; Financial Secretary, James
B. Schotter; Treasurer, M. S. Longaker; Trustees, R. B. Longaker, Jos. E.
Yeager and John A. Andre.
The first parade of this company was February 22nd, 1871 the members
wearing for the first time in parade, their regularly adopted equipment. The
chief Marshall for that parade was Jos. E. Yeager and the company’s Marshall
was Wm. A. Dyer.
On March the 16th, 1871 at the regularly held meeting, M. S. Longaker moved
that a committee of six be appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of
purchasing a Steam Fire Engine. This was the initial step towards procuring the
first new steam fire engine in Pottstown. On March 30th, 1871, a committee
consisting of M. S. Longaker, Jacob S. Levan and Wm. Dyer was appointed a
committee to ascertain what the cost of a steam fire engine would be.
May 11th, 1871 a committee of three was appointed to purchase a steam fire
engine with John C. Smith as chairman. The purchasing committee on engine
being John C. Smith, M. S. longaker, Jacob S. Levan, W. A. Dyer, R. B. longaker
and D. B. Hartranft.
Engine purchased and delivered by the Silsby Manufacturing Co., of
Seneca Falls, N. Y., in June, 1871
On October 5th, 1876, at the regular meeting of the company, the question of
purchasing a lot on which to build an engine house was introduced and the
trustees instructed to purchase a lot which was done, and the trustees
purchased a lot upon which this engine house stands at a cost of $1550.00. The
Deed of the lot was passes January 13th, 1877, at which time the company
became owners of their first real estate.
On August 10th 1878, there was committee of nine, including the trustees,
appointed to consider the feasibility of building an engine house. The committee
appointed by W. S. Royer, President at that time, was M. S. Lomgaker, W. M.
Anrim, V. R. M. Missimer, W. B. Scheetz, Thos. L. Yergey, L. L. Lessig and the
Trustees. The Committee, on September 5th, 1878, reported to the company
recommending the erection of a building and accompanying the report was a
plan or draft of the building. The report was favorably received, whereupon Wm.
M. Antrim motioned that the company erect an engine house in accordance with
the plan proposed, or, if possible, improved, and that a building committee of
five be appointed who shall be empowered to proceed with preparations for the
building. The Building Committee was Thos. L. Yergey, W. M. Antrim, M. S.
Longaker, Eph. Reifsnider and V. R. M. Missimer.
The mason and brick work was done by and under the supervision of Thos. L.
Yergey. The carpenter work was done under the management and supervision
of Frank G. Fegley. The erection and construction of engine house was by day
work. The committee through its manager or foreman, F. G. Fegley, selected
and furnished all material used in the construction of the engine house that now
stands as a monument of credit and untiring efforts of the members of this
company. Daniel Weidner was the first person to start the work, he having struck
the first pick in excavation of the cellar. The estimated cost of the building of the
engine house was about $13,000.00.
