The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, April 28, 1939, Image 7
Fire Department Here For More Them Half A Century
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1930
THE SUM
• ■ •
SEVEN
(Continued from Preceding Page)
From the day of the bucket brigade
to the present modemly equipped
organization, the 56-year history of
the Newberry Fire department is re
plete with unstinted sacrifice and
service on the part of a long line of
volunteer firemen who have watched
and are watching over the safety of
Nerwberrians.
Back in the days when Newberry
was no more than a village of a few
wooden stores and a few homes, the
fire squad consisted of young men,
-not organized, who would run with
buckets of water from a nearby
-spring or well or large tanks kept
for such an emergency to the fire
attempting to extinguish it. It was
-during these early days that New
berry’s first great fire occured.
From the Annals of Newberry we
read: “On the night of June 18, 1866
was the first great fire at Newberry
:after the war. It swept through the
town from northwest to southwest,
burning everything in its way almost
without let or hindrance, as there
was no fire engine and no organized
fire department or fire company
‘here at the time. Ten or twelve
•stores were burned and several dwell
ing houses—lost estimated at no less
than one hundred and fifty thousand
■dollars, with very little insurance.”
At a later time the fire-fighters
began to work in a more systematic
method, organizing themselves into
the “hook and ladder team”. They
had leather buckets that were kept
hung on the hook and ladder truck
ready to be used at any moment.
When an alarm was given, the volun
teers ran with buckets to the nearest
water place, filled them, and with
ladders ran to the fire scene. The
ladders, placed on the burning build
ing, had several'hooks on each side —
•enough to hold about 20 buckets
-each. The men lined up from the
ladder to the nearby water source or
■supply and the buckets were filled
and passed down the lines to the
ladder as fast as the men on the
buildind could empty them and throw
them back to the end of the line or
pass them back again.
The hook and ladder system was
"far from satisfactory to the insur
ance men who expressed themselves
■ as rather tired of coming to Newber
ry to adjust loses. Two of them
■who represented very strong compan
ies seriously considered giving New
berry a certain time within which to
make some provision against fire,
■and if It be not done within that time,
to withdraw entirely from the city.
This proposed action by the in
surance agents resulted in a citizen’s
meeting called June 11, 1883 to con
sider the purchase of a steam fire
engine. Soon afterwards an engine
was secured. The first regularly or
ganized fire company was started in
1883 when some of the young men in
the town met and formed the Excel
sior Steam Fire Engine company. The
Newberry Fire department considers
this its beginning. The first presi
dent was George S. Mower and the
first secretary-treasurer, Mordicia
Foote, Jr. Members of the company
that first year or year or two after
included the following: George S.
Mower, Mordicia Foote, Walter H.
Hunt, William Walters, J. W. White,
Harry White, John W. Taylor, E. H.
Kingsmore, W. S. (Billy) Mann, Har
ry Blease, Jesse Prince, Brice Mc-
Carley, Ben Lane, Frank Lane, W.
T. Jackson, J. W. Earhardt, and
George Gilliard. Sometimes later, I.
H. Hunt was elected secretary and
treasurer of the company. He was
also president for many years.
The first fire chief was John W.
Montgomery who resided on College
street in the house in which Dr. C.
D. Weeks now lives. This house was
on the present court house lawn
close to The Sun office. Others serv
ing as chief or assistant chief in the
early years of the department were
Ed Schoaltz, J. E. Brown, Mordicia
Foote, Jerry Walton, and Will White.
About the time the Excelsior com
pany was formed, the negroes were
organized into the “Young American
Truck Company”. When the city
purchased the steam engine, an old
pump which hd been given to New
berry by Columbia was turned over
to the negroes who started another
company called ‘The Eagles”. This
group, also, lasted a short time and
in 1895 or 1897 the Etna Reel Team
was formed. But soon the city did
away with negro companies alto
gether.
In the early nineties the depart
ment, still known as the Excelsior
company, consisted mainly of the
steam fire engine managed by the
whites and the old hand pump oper
ated by the negroes. The steam en
gine, a small one with a comparative
ly large smoke stack, was called
“Young John”, named from Judge
Young John Pope, mayor of the city
at the time of its purchase.
The first quarters for “Young
John” and the pump and reels was
in the Foote building which was lo
cated where is now McHardy Mow
er’s garage. Mordicai Foote, Sr., liv
ed across the street where is now the
Pure Oil station. He permitted the
fire company to use his dray horses
when they were available. The en
gine was equipped with a tongue to
be propelled by man power when the
horses could not be obtained.
In the days of the steam engine,
which were many before the water
works system, water was obtained
from well-filled cisterns built es
pecially for that purpose. One of
the largest of these was built on the
lower, public square very near the
sidewalk, the present sidewalk since
the widening of the street now cover-
out a piece of the stone window sill,
the gap in which can be seen today.
The late Warren Jones was sitting
on this sill and was almost struck
by the flying rock. When the cis
tern was completed it was covered
with thick boards, level with the
ground. The square at that time
was used as a public parking place
for farmer’s wagons. But they were
not allowed to park too near or on
the cistern. Another cistern was
built on Harrington street, in the
street.
After the death of Mordicai Foote
rying the hose and equipment. In all,
the department had six horses. They
were Dick, the first; Dick, the second;
Cole, named from Cole L. Blease;
Frank, named from Frank Baxter;
Joe, the first; Joe, the second. The
second Joe was the department’s most
famous horse. He was purchased in
the fall of 1905 from Tom McCrary
and died May of 1930 and buried at
the side of the present fire house. In
October of 1917, the horses were
superceded by two motor trucks now
in use. However, the firemen kept
old Joe until his death. .
':
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V
MODERN NEW HOME OF THE NEWBERRY FIRE DEPARTMENT
ing the upper side of the cistern.
There were at that time large mul
berry trees on this sidewalk under
which many folks would stand or sit
on chairs watching the work of the
fire-fighters who often practiced
shooting water over the Opera House
steeple, which feat was accomplished
only after many trials. The roar of
the engine and pumping of water was
most interesting to the boys and on
lookers. The engine was tested once
a month. While digging this cistern,
the workers encountered large rocks
which had to be blasted and one time
a large stone flew over to where is
now C. L. Havird’s store, knocking
Sr., the fire company headquarters
were moved to a rear room of the
Opera House building, now the office
of the city clerk and treasurer. Here
the equipment stayed for years until
new quarters were provided at its
present locality on Nance street. Just
before moving the water works sys
tem had been installed and the wa
gon and horses purchased.
A history of the local fire depart
ment would be most incomplete with
out mention of the horses who so
ably served until motor trucks came
into existence. The “Young John”
was placed in discard and horses
purchased to pull the fire wagon car-
In 1936 and 1937 a movement be
gan to modernize Newberry’s fire
fighting equipment. Within the last
two years, the department has made
more progress than at any other time
in its history.
The fire statjpn, after remodelling
which began three years ago, is com
plete and is a credit to our town. Ful
mer Wells was the architect on the
building and the finished product
certainly reveals his talent. It looks
just as a fire house should look—
beautiful with a rugedness apt to
the vocation the volunteer boys like
so well. The words, “Newberry Fire
Department” are engraved on the
snow-white front of the building. The
engine room now houses three pieces
of apparatus with room for six more
pieces as Newberry grows. Fire
alarm and battery rooms are at the
rear and hose storage racks are on
the left wall. Leading upstairs are
two sets of steps. Here are arrang
ed four living apartments to acorn
modate four night drivers should
such a number be used. The rear
apartments have temporary parti
tions which may be removed in case
the department ever becomes full
time paid, allowing a dormitory with
the front or chief’s quarters built in
permanently. In the Basement is the
furnace room, kitchen, dining hall,
game room, repair shop, and showers.
A new fire truck, built according
to specifications furnished by Chief
H. B. Wells to meet the particular
needs of Newberry, is the pride of
the department. This truck, carry
ing 250 gallons of water in special
tanks connected with the pump, has
saved thousands of dollars on pro
perty loss by fire and water damage
since it has been on the. job. The
new truck arrived here July 8, 1937
and was tested and accepted July 12.
It cost the city $8,702 net.
Moving steadily forward the mem
bers of the department voted recent
ly to put all < future applicants for
membership into the company
through a schooling before accepting
them as regular members. During
the summer months of 1938, the de
partment held its first drill school
which covered ladder drills, life sav
ing, salvage and life hazzards at and
during fires. Those completing the
schooling were presented certificates
at a home-coming gathering on Aug
ust 10, 1938. At that time seven
new members were added to the com
pany increasing the efficiency of the
department.
In February of 1939 construction
was started on the new fire alarm
system, put in by the Gamewell com
pany. For over four years the city’s
leading citizens had been advocating
such a system. By the end of March
it was in operation thus making
Newberry among the best-equipped
towns in the state for combating
fires.
Since February of 1906, H. B.
Wells, Sr., has served faithfully and
most capably as chief of the New
berry Fire department. It is large
ly through his efforts and those of
his son, H. Burton Wells, Jr., the de
partment has made such splendid
progress. Chief Wells was connect
ed with the department for sometime
before becoming its head as he is
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now rounding out his 50th year with
it. When only 14, Chief Wells was
a “junior member” of the department.
When 16 years old he began active
service while Walter H. Hunt was
president.
Present members of the depart
ment and their dates of joining fol
lows: Chief Wells, 1889; assistant
chief T. P. Wicker, 1906; assistant
chief E. L. Rodelsperger, 1922; W. S.
Cameron, 1916; J. P. Vaughan, 1916;
Sam Johnson, 1920; H. B. Wells, Jr.,
1920; Sam Beam, 1921; George Rod
elsperger, 1923; H. O. Swittenburg,
1924; Paul Haile, 1925; E. M. Lip
scomb, 1927; J. C. Longshore, 1927;
H. L. Duke, 1929; O. L. Whitaker,
1930; H. H. Hedgepath, 1930; Jas. F.
Epting, 1931; Sam Glenn, 1932; J. S.
Lide, 1933; Ralph Whitaker, 1934;
Jas. Sease, 1934; S. E. Whitten, 1936;
T. P. Wicker, Jr., 1936; J. T. Daniel
son, Jr., 1967; Howard Lipscomb,
1937; John Marlow, 1938; “Bro”
Brown, 1938; E. M. Lane, 1938; Gra
ham Purkerson, 1938; Jack Senn,
1938; Clayton Smith, 1938; Paul
Whitaker, 1938; Pat Boyle, 1939;
Dick Mims, 1939. Newberry is fortu
nate in having men so entirely wrap
ped up in the fire contrpl business
as to make great sacrifices for its
furtherance.
Twould be fitting to bring to a
close this brief history of the depart
ment with the mention of the depart
ment’s faithful old colored driver,
Malcolm Lesesne, better known as
“Mac”. When he was only 15 years
old, Mac became a member of the
negro fire company. He is now 65.
When the negro company disbanded,
he was put on the city payroll as a
driver of the horses. He has seen
the department through thick and
thin and he delights in reminiscing
over old times. He can tell you with
out a moment’s hesitation the exact
date of any important happening
in the life of the department. He
can tell you all about the big fire of
March 29, 1907 that swept the en
tire city, burning most of it, because
he drove the horses that day and he
also readily recalls all the major
fires and loses in the city for the
past 50 years. In commenting on the
spectacular races and conventions
Newberry has taken part in, old Mac
declares that Newberry has “helt the
record and everybody is scared of
Newberry”. According to his opin
ion and that of everyone here,
Newberry is as well, if not better, or
ganized and equipped than any other
town in the state for fighting fires
and Newberry’s department is cer
tainly as modern as any in the state.
Compliments of
Aragon-Baldwin Cotton Mills
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Whitmire, S. C.
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