Historian's Corner



Charlene Cole
Sandy Creek/Lacona Historian
Historian's Corner
March 21, 2017

A water bucket that was used to fight fires in the early days.

We are updating the fire department books at the History Center and as always with a project like this we find some interesting articles thanks to the Sandy Creek News. This fireman is not named but what he wrote is interesting. “Our first efforts as a fire company were meager in the extreme as we got no help or support from the village whatsoever. The village bought a little hand pump and one hose cart with about 500 feet of hose. They gave us a little old shed on South Main Street. Upstairs in this little building was our meeting room. We had no uniforms of any kind so we were rather a joke as a fire company. Therefore, we arranged for a little home talent show and took in $115 with which we bought some blue caps and little gray blouses.”

“That little old pump was about as effective in time of a fire as a school boy’s squirt gun made of sumac or alder would be. Nevertheless, we were a dignified, well organized bountifully equipped fire company and therefore expected to combat any conflagration which might ever arise, even up to the size of the Chicago fire. As compensation for all our efforts in the saving of life and property for others at the risk of our clothing, to say nothing of our lives or health, we were magnificently rewarded by exemption of poll tax, exemption from jury and military duty (in time of peace) and taxation of $500 personal property.”

“After about one half of the village had burned down and the people began to realize the necessity for more adequate fire protection, the Honorable D. E. Ainsworth presented the company with a second hose cart so we had what we called No. 1 and No. 2 hose companies.”

Charlene Cole
Sandy Creek/Lacona Historian
1992 Harwood Drive
Sandy Creek, NY 13145
315-387-5456 x7
office hours: Friday 9am to 2pm
www.sandycreeknyhistory.com