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History of Protection Engine Company No. 1 |
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Written by Steven Porcaro
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Saturday, 11 February 2006 |
The following was submitted by Robert Schnibbe
After the Sugar Refinery Fire on the waterfront on Christmas Eve, 1875, and “other fires of suspicious origin” it was proposed that a “protective association” be assembled to address this problem along with combating the “roving thieves menacing the welfare of our citizenry”.
“A meeting of the young men of Hastings being called for the purpose of ascertaining their different views in regards to organizing a fire company in the aforesaid place was held in A. Berberts Hall on Maple Avenue, Monday evening, January 31, 1876. The meeting was well attended and much enthusiasm showed …” thus wrote meeting secretary, C.A, Nelson.
At the second meeting, held six days later on Saturday eve, February 6th, Mr. Nelson continues, “the purpose was to elect the necessary officers but as the meeting was not fairly well attended …, those present signed a document & roll which had been written, stating that all signing said roll would use their utmost influence and aid in assisting to organize and stand by a Fire Co…and take the roll to have all those not present sign it … The meeting adjourned until Tuesday Eve, February 8th.
The “first regular meeting” was held on that date, February, 8th, in the Silver Star Club on Spring Street. The membership chairman, W.W. Breese reported the “names of persons who consented to become members”. J.N. Havens, who was elected Foreman, W.W. Tompkins, Assistant Foreman, , W.H. Hoppock, T.M. Mills, Joseph G. Mattison, J.L. Tice, Charles R. Phillips, Henry Doscher, G.S. Nelson, A. G. Havens, William Chrystie, J.V. Dorland, Harry J. Meyer, Abraham Carpenter, Charles Boye, L.W. Robinson, Charles H. Bevers, William Stechert, Joseph N. Breese, Adam Nix, William Naubert, Caleb Capron, Henry Witchuf, J. McLave, Adolph W. Bevers, B.F. Tompkins, Augustus Hopke, James Tompkins, Allen Hoppock, H.M. Ives, John Bonnett, Frank Will and Martin Kittinger. (Caleb Capron’s granddaughter, Jean Capron Hornbostel is still a resident of the village).
The vote was 12 to 11 to name the organization Hastings Protective Association instead of Empire Protective Association of Hastings.
These “good and true men” at that meeting, pledged their time and self-sacrifice, and then backed their pledges with $1,000. for an “Apparatus, Water & Building Fund” One of the members, William Chrystie, gave perpetual lease to Protection’s home site on Warburton Avenue. (The property title was transferred to Protection Engine Company almost 100 years later). They hauled burned bricks salvaged from the sugar factory, and constructed the firehouse still in use today. The building was completed on July 16, 1877.
The first alarm was sounded “somewhere between 9:00 & 9:30 on May 11th. The minutes reporting the first fire are rather direct, and a bit mystifying. “All the men responded very quickly. There was no cause for action however, the location being Nelson’s Carpenter Shop”.
As for the fire equipment, water buckets were the standard equipment for the first few months until “East View Hand Engine No. 17” was purchased from New York City and a horse drawn wagon was “supplanted” by the “Pope Automobile Fire Truck” in 1912. In the 1920’s a Mack Pumper was purchased, followed by replacement Mack’s in 1936, 1955 & 1977 and the current Pierce 1500 Gallon Per Minute Pumper in 1991.
Through the years many spectacular fires were fought by this company, in addition to lesser fires and other alarms. Including but not limited to major fires, at the Torowski house at 421 Warburton Ave., the Southside Club, The Tower Ridge Yacht Club, the Zinsser Chemical Plant (in which one of our members died in the fire / explosion as an employee there), the Ridge Street gas explosion, Anaconda Office Building Fire and many others.
The company members also played a major roll in the Hudson-Fulton Celebration in 1909; their own 50th Anniversary at Longvue, in 1926, the 75th Anniversary in 1951 and the company Centennial Celebration.
They provided the Village of Hastings on Hudson with a President, W.W. Tompkins; a longtime judge, A. W. Bevers, both charter members. Another member was a Mayor, William Steinschneider Both Judge Bevers & Mayor Steinschneiders’ painted portraits’ still hang in the Municipal Building.
After the organization of the two other engine companies formed in strategic neighborhoods of the village (Uniontown Hose Co. No. 2 in 1899 and Riverview Manor Hose Co. No. 3 in 1910), Protection provided the first Fire Chief of the combined of the “Hastings on Hudson Volunteer Fire Department” and their successors as follows:
- Fred Gorlich, the first Hastings Fire Chief, who served continuously from 1911-1923,
- Reuben Limekiller (1929-31 & 1935-37 -- it was in between this period that the Hook & Ladder Company was formed in 1934).
- Frederick Charles (1943-45);
- Francis E. Teasdale (1951-53);
- William H. (Jack) Cattell (1959-61 & 1976-77),
- Americo (A. J.) Paretti (1967-69);
- Santo J. (Sam) Caruso (1975-76)
- Robert J. Schnibbe Jr. (1983-85, 1991-93 & 1999-2001).
- Jeffrey P. Bannon – First Asst. Chief – scheduled to be Chief in 2007
We are extremely proud of our heritage and try to preserve our history as best we can. This is evident in the 1997 planning and restoration to the same design of the original firehouse that was built with burned bricks. It still stands, along with all its’ many dedicated members, including the numerous completely dedicated Captains (formerly Foreman’s) and company officers through the years, as strong as those “young men” who met, organized, and pledged over 130 years ago “protection” to the lives and property of the residents of our community.
Their successors have never failed that trust.
As we celebrate this anniversary, this same pledge and trust will continue for many years to come.
February 2006
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