LIVERMORE

HERITAGE

GUILD

January 2002 Vol XXXI No. 4

 

CALENDAR

Thursday, January 10 @ 7: 00 p.m.
LHG Meeting, Carnegie Bldg.

February at the LAA Gallery: "Hearts and Flowers".
The Gallery will be decorated for Valentine's. Unique gifts and art are available for purchase. A Valentine's reception will be held Saturday, Feb. 9, 1-3 p.m. at the Carnegie Bldg., 2155 Third St. Livermore

 

HERITAGE GUILD HAPPENINGS

The LHG 2002 Calendars are in! Price is $8.50 each and they are beautiful with a watercolor of Robert Livermore in Monterey on the cover. Get your copy now as they are going fast.

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Excerpted from San Francisco Chronicle, April 4,1896

 

Shortly atier 3 o'clock this afternoon (April 3) a fire started in Bock's tailor shop on First Street. The flames spread quickly to Day's livery stable, the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and Thomas Flannigan's saloon, destroying the buildings and endangering the whole town. Day succeeded in saving his horses and vehicles, but lost a large amount of hay, feed and harness. The buildings on the opposite side of First Street were scorched and roofs of dwellings several biocks distant were set on fire by flying cinders, but extinguished before much damage was done. The fire department did good service keeping the flames confined to the three buildings destroyed A strong wind was blowing at the time, and several firemen were injured by a failing chimney, but no one was seriously hurt. The loss is estimated at over $8000. (The buildings identified were directly across First Street from Boughman's)

Excerpted, from Livermore Herald, March 8, 1929

Councilman Wm. Rees Tells Firemen History of Livermore Department

Interesting facts concerning the formation of the first fire fighting organizations in Livermore were presented in an address before the Livermore Fire Department at its annual banquet last week by Councilman Wm. Rees. He gave the following interesting details:

"More than fifly-four years ago the Livermore fire Department came into existence through the organization of the Livermore Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1. The exact date was October 12, 1874, at which time fifty-six young Livermoreans met and elected J.H. Mahoney as their president. Other officers were Anton Bardellini, Vice President; W. Jordan, Foreman; N.C. Burke, First Assistant Foreman; Fred Mally, Second Assistant Foreman; Fred Schlesinger, Recording Secretary; A, Mueller, Financial Secretary; M. Hupers, Treasurer.

"M. Hupers, A Mueller, M. Meyer and W. Jordan were appointed to draw up constitution and by- laws which described in detail each duty of the Officers and members and listed an imposing set of fines and penalties which could be assessed for absences and violations of the rules.

"Unifoms were obtained and a truck was purchased in San Francisco. Showing worthy ambition, the young department exerted effort to obtain a building in which to store their property and hold meetings. Partly by subscription and partiy by issuance of stock, funds for the biilding were obtained and one year Iater a two-story structure was built

on Second Street, between K and L on property now owned by Carlo Ferrario. That same building is still standing in Livermore, having been moved to Third and K streets and rebuilt.

"Two years after the organization of the Hook and Ladder Company, another group of young men formed Niagara Fire Department Company No. I and Livermore began to enjoy its present efficient fire protection. On July 12, 1876, thirty-three men were enrolled in the company and the following officers elected: G.E. Freeman, Foreman; J. T. Campbell, First Assistant; W. S. Lowe, Second Assistant; 0. S. Livermore, Secretary; and W.H. Church, Treasurer.

"A double-decker hand engine was purchased from the Stockton Fire Department and the two fire fighting organizations worked together for many years. The old engine, its days of usefulness long past, is still in existence, now standing in a corner of the town yard at Second and McLeod streets."

Much of the data from which Councilman Rees prepared his talk was obtained from the original constitutions of the companies which are in the town files, while other interesting facts were memories of talks he had had with his father, the late Jacob Rees, one of Livermore's earliest pioneers.