Springfield, IL Fire Department
... For the first time, there were set officers, firemen and horsemen. The first engine that the department bought on it’s own was a Button made by the Button Engineering Company of Waterford, New York. There was one fireman, one engineer, one horsemen and one driver assigned to the engine. The fire marshal received twenty-five dollars a month, and he was only required serve during bigger fires. The regular firemen received fifty-five dollars a month, but were required to devote all their time to the department. Horsemen received just twelve dollars and fifty cents a month, and only worked in case of fire. On Saturday, February 13, 1858, a fire began at the crockery store William McCabe & Co., and next extended to a drug store called Corneau & Diller. Afterward, the blaze reached the residency of Benjamine Piatt, after which it tackled the bookstore Paine, Booraem & Co. It was then thought that the fire had ended, but at 2.am., it was discovered that the dry goods store C.W. Matheny was on fire. The fire spread to three more buildings before being restrained. The total estimated damages were around fifty thousand dollars. On Sunday, April 21, 1860, a fire broke out in a livery stable on Washington Street, and spread to several other buildings, including a wagon and carriage factory, Withey Brothers. The total loss was at twenty-five thousand dollars. On Wednesday, Oct...