PALAWREN-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: History of the Fire Department - New Castle, PA
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 10:56:10 EST

Taken from the bulletin, 8th Annual Convention, Northern Pennsylvania
Firemen's Association, New Castle, Pennsylvania, 1938.

"The First Fire Engine brought to New Castle was a small hand-engine, which
was operated by means of two cranks, one on either side of the wheel, which
forced water through a hose. It was a very imperfect machine, but
nevertheless, it was regarded by the people of New Castle with considerable
pride.

The first Fire Engine purchased by the New Castle Council, for the Eagle
Engine Company, arrived in New Castle on Saturday, August 30, 1851, and was
described by the New Castle Gazette as a beautiful piece of mechanism.

There is no authentic record of the organization of the Eagle Hose Co., but
the first meeting there is record of, was held April, 1851. On Tuesday, the
2nd of November, a new fire company was organized under the name of Relief
Fire Company, which shortly disbanded.

Although there had been a Fire Company in New Castle known as the Eagle Fire
Company, the present Eagle Company was organized on the 16th of November,
1871, at a meeting held in White Hall, which was presided over by Colonel D.H.
Wallace as Chairman and J. A. Porter as Secretary.

The New Eagle Steam Fire Engine arrived in New Castle about the first of
October, 1873, and for several months, the new engine, which weighed about
fifty-three hundred pounds, was drawn by hand. In January, 1874, Council
purchased a team of horses, and named Frank Miller, driver.

The Neshannock Fire Company was organized on the 26th of September, 1873. Hugh
Flinn was elected the first President and C.C. Agnew the first Secretary.

The Vigilant Hook and Ladder Company was organized on the 12th of December,
1873, and was originally known as the Amoskeag Fire Company, from the fact
that the members proposed to procure an Amoskeag Fire Engine. After a time
this was abandoned, and resolved to procure a Hook and Ladder with Babcock
Extinguishers.

The first Hook and Ladder, equipped with Babcock extinguishers, arrived in New
Castle in April, 1874. The first captain of the department was William
Dickenson, and he was elected September 26th, 1836.

The following have acted as Chief of the Fire Department: John Young,
1872-1876; Geo. Hagen, 1876-1878; J. Stritmater, 1878-1879; Col. D.M.
Cubbison, 1879-1880; Capt. A.S. Love, 1880-1881; W.W. Cubbison, 1881-1892.
James H. Brown, 1892-1901; Frank J. Connery, 1901-1924; Chas. H. Lynn,
1924-1932; H.C. Stockman, 1932-1935; Jas. E. Thomas, 1935-1936; A.P. McIlwain,
our present chief, was elected 1936.

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