Foundation
In 1837, the town of Houston had grown so quickly that fires had become frequent. While log homes were more common, there were quite a few people that were living in tents. The original plat of Houston consisted of 62 blocks. By the end of 1837 there were over a 1,000 people within the city limits. Augustus Allen organized a bucket brigade, named it “Protection #1” and applied for a charter in 1838.
On August 14, 1838, the city fathers formed Protection Fire Company No. 1 and constructed a firehouse for the company at the corner of Fannin and Preston. The fire company's motto was Semper Paratus ("Always prepared"). One of the first pieces of equipment was a large barrel with holes drilled on either side with a rod and two wheels placed on it with handles attached to the rod (“axle”) so that the men of the town could pull it. This barrel also had buckets attached with hooks at the top. By the end of 1847, Houston had cisterns and its first homemade fire engine which consisted of a big wooden box with wheels on it and a pump and a hole attached to the bottom of the pump. The pump would suck water out of the cistern into the box where the water would be pumped into the exit hose leading to the fire. This original homemade fire truck was stationed on what we know as Market Square.
In 1848, the State of Texas granted a charter to Protection Fire Company No. 1, the first fire company chartered by the state.
In 1852, Liberty Fire Company No. 2 was constructed on Franklin between Travis and Milam. Until 1858, the total firefighting force consisted of a pumper, a force pump, and several bucket brigades. The hook and ladder company was added in 1858 with the aid of prominent businessmen and was held at Company No. 1.
In 1859 James A. Cushman was elected to be the first fire chief of the Houston Fire Department. Houston’s first cistern was created to help supply water for fire fighting and wooden buildings were banned from being built within four blocks of Main Street.
In 1865 Hook & Ladder No. 1 moved into new quarters at Franklin & Travis. Liberty No. 2 in 1866 purchased the first horse-drawn steamer. While in the same year, it was illegal to use water from the cistern for any uses other than for firefighting.
Stonewall No. 3 was organized in 1867 with a donated hand pumper in Second Ward on the corner of Travis and Capitol. Protection No. 1 traded in its hand pumper for a steamer similar to one that Protection Company No. 1 currently had.
Mechanic No. 6 was organized in 1873 at Washington and Preston with a hand pump.
Brooks No. 5 was organized at Liberty and McKee in September 1874. It opened with a wagonload of chemicals and added a hose reel a later. The following year, the new fire company acquired the first chemical engine in the city. Stonewall No. 3 moved into new quarters on Travis between Prairie and Texas streets.
In 1878 a 25-year contract was established for a municipal waterworks using the water above tidewater of Buffalo Bayou. A New York firm was awarded the contract and the water lines were laid by the following summer. Mechanic No. 6 received a new hand pumper in 1878 and sold the old equipment to Rescue No. 7. (Junior fire companies, of which there were several over the years, were composed of boys too young to join a regular company.)
On July 10, 1879, the new water system, which had just been completed, was tested during a major fire at Congress and Main that involved a number of buildings. With the increased pressure available, the fire was put out in two hours. The downside to this was that the citizens had undrinkable water for several days every time there was a major fire.
In 1880, telephones were installed in all of the fire stations.
In 1881 Curtin No. 9 organized with a hose reel on Commerce between Travis and Milam, while this organization existed prior to this date, young men that were considered too young to join the other companies manned it.
Due to the inherent problems with a volunteer fire department being unable to respond to a fire in a timely manner, an attempt was made to establish a paid, full-time fire department in 1882 to “ensure perfect discipline, if nothing more.” Several businessmen backed this movement, but the firefighters strongly objected.
The main reason fire companies didn’t respond promptly to fires was the city’s failure to provide supplies, engineers and drivers. One firefighter had reasoned that if the city wasn’t able to supply a “Volunteer” fire department, how could it manage a paid department? A number of the current and past firefighters were influential with their political and monetary clout and the proposal for a paid fire department was defeated.
In 1882, Hook and Ladder No. 1 were destroyed in an arson fire by two dissatisfied members of the company due to the condition of the building and truck that resulted in the loss of the building and fire truck. The Structure and engine were immediately replaced.
In 1883, Stonewall No. 3 moved to a new location on Preston between Louisiana and Smith. The company had 25 active members.
Two artesian wells were drilled in 1887 to supplement the water from Buffalo Bayou for the distribution system. It was later determined to be the third largest artesian reservoir in the United States and in the same year Curtin No. 9 Fire Company relocated in the fire station abandoned when Brooks No. 5 disbanded in 1883.
Volunteer firefighters purchased a lot in Glenwood Cemetery on Washington Avenue in May 1888. It was intended for the burial of deceased members of the volunteer fire department. Cost of the cemetery lot was $300. The following month, firefighters began a drive to raise money for a monument to erect on the lot. They put on balls, picnics, theatricals, and other entertainment. Proceeds soon reached the needed amount, and a stone monument was ordered from a T. E. Byrnes. The following year the monument for the Glenwood Cemetery arrived in December 1889. Atop the monument was a marble statue made in Carrara, Italy. It was a life-size statue of Robert Brewster, the oldest living volunteer firefighter at the time.
In 1889, Protection No. 1 moved into a two-story brick fire station at 612 Fannin.
Liberty No 2 disbanded in 1890, after its worn out steamer was sold for junk.
In 1892, the city began to pay one driver on each fire company. Paid drivers cared for the fire station and responded to all fires. They worked 24-7 and were paid $100 a year.
Washington No. 8 began operations on August 4 at 1307 Crawford with a Clapp and Jones steamer and a hose wagon. Seibert No. 10 organized a couple weeks later. Seibert opened with a hose wagon at 205 Chartres. A new steamer was ordered to go along with the hose wagon.
After several major fires destroyed several buildings and claimed several lives due to faulty equipment, Mayor John T. Brown gave his sanction for a paid department, after he learned the city did not have to buy the fire stations of the volunteers. The city only had to purchase the apparatus and horses; fire stations could be leased. Packard then drafted an ordinance, and the ordinance passed at the next meeting of the Board of Aldermen.
Read more about this topic: History Of Houston Fire Department
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