More About Pelham Hose Company No. 2 of the Village of Pelham (Today's Pelham Heights)

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Little study seems to have been made of the history of firefighting in Pelham Heights.  I have collected some information about the early years of Pelham Heights' Bravest and have written once before about their earliest years.  See Fri., Jun. 23, 2017:  A Little of the Early History of Hose Company No. 2, the Pelham Heights Volunteer Fire Fighting Unit.  

Pelham Heights was incorporated as the "Village of Pelham" in 1896.  It had no organized firefighting unit of its own until about 1912.  Until then, the Village relied on firefighters of the First Fire District of Pelham, the headquarters of which stood in the adjacent Village of North Pelham.  

In 1912, or perhaps shortly before, Pelham Heights residents formed an auxiliary company of volunteer firefighters associated with the First Fire District of Pelham.  The company was named Hose Company No. 2 of Pelham.  (Although some accounts indicate the company was formed in 1913, the company existed at the time of, and its members participated in, the 1912 Firemen's Inspection held on September 25, 1912.)  Dr. Augustine C. McGuire, a Cliff Avenue resident, was an important organizer of Hose Company No. 2.

Today's Historic Pelham article collects some additional information about the early years of Hose Company No. 2 of Pelham.  

Originally, according to one account, the Pelham Hose Company No. 2 "was formed as an auxiliary company, answering to all alarms in Pelham Heights and second alarms in North Pelham."  Shortly after creation of the Company, however, the "interest of the members" grew to such an extent that the Company began answering "all alarms."

As an "auxiliary company" at the time of its founding, the membership of the Company was limited to twenty firefighters.  By about 1922, however, the Company established itself as a "regular company" with expanded numbers.  Indeed, that year it requested the Board of Fire Commissioners to allow it to expand membership of the company from twenty to thirty men.  Thus, it engaged in a membership drive to "interest . . . the younger men of Pelham Heights."

For a number of years -- at least a decade if not more -- Pelham Hose Company No. 2 held monthly meetings in the homes of members.  In addition to the day-to-day risky business of fighting fires, an important part of the focus of the Company was to prepare for its annual inspection, an opportunity to demonstrate competence, training, and readiness to the community the Company served.  

In those early days of local volunteer fire fighting there was a constant theme of the need to improve the professionalism of Pelham's Bravest.  At one meeting held in the home of Harry Dotts on September 11, 1922, a local Fire Captain spoke with the members of the Company and "emphasized the necessity of reporting to fires in uniform, because of the danger involved for the individual member and the need for identification and prevention of improper persons passing inside the fire lines."  In response, the Company moved to authorize "the appointment of several special policemen for duty at time of fires, such duty to apply only to Pelham Heights." 

In those years, one of the most important events of the year for local firefighters and townspeople was the annual inspection of the First Fire District of the Town of Pelham.  Hose Company No. 2, of course, took part proudly in such inspections that usually were followed by parades, with marching bands, that proceeded through North Pelham and Pelham Heights.  A vivid description of one such parade following an annual fire inspection held in 1917 during World War I appears immediately below, followed by a citation and link to its source:

"Annual Inspection.

The annual inspection of the fire department of the first fire district of the town of Pelham was held last evening at 8 o'clock at Firemen's hall, Fifth avenue.  The inspecting party consisted of the fire commissioners, fire chiefs and representatives of the town and village governments.  Following the inspection a parade with about 150 in line was held through Pelham and North Pelham.  The firemen were headed by the subway band of New York, and were escorted thru the streets of North Pelham by a squad from the North Pelham Home Defense league of that village.  The firemen in other years were escorted by the village police.  There were three companies in line, the Liberty Engine company, the Relief Hook and  Ladder company and Hose company No. 2 of Pelham Heights, with a total of five pieces of apparatus including the automobile combination hose and pump apparatus of the Liberty Engine company, the old steamer, the old hose wagon, the hook and ladder and the new automobile apparatus of Hose company No. 2.  Refreshments were served at headquarters where a social time followed the parade."

Source:  Annual Inspection, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Sep. 29, 1917, No. 8483, p. 5, col. 1.  

Hand-Drawn Hose Cart of the Type Acquired by

Hose Company No. 2 of Pelham in About 1912.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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The articles below, quoted in full, form part of the basis for today's Historic Pelham article.  The text of each is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"To Increase Membership Of Hose Company No. 2
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Hose Company No. 2 will endeavor to interest the younger men of Pelham Heights in the Fire Department, and in that end requested the Board of Fire Commissioners to allow the membership of the company to be increased from twenty members to thirty.  Gardner Hazen, secretary of the Pelham Heights company, appeared before the Board of Fire Commissioners Tuesday night and made the request.  The commissioners granted it.

Originally the Pelham Heights Company was formed as an auxiliary company, answering to all alarms in Pelham Heights and second alarms in North Pelham.  The interest of the members of this company has become such that the company answers all alarms.  Being an auxiliary company the membership was limited to twenty, but since the company has established itself as a regular company it was thought advisable to enlist the interest of the younger men of Pelham Heights."

Source:  To Increase Membership Of Hose Company No. 2, The Pelham Sun, Jun. 9, 1922, Vol. 13, No. 15, p. 6, col. 2.  

"Heights Hose Company Favors Fire Police
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Pelham Hose Co. No. 2 held its September meeting Monday, Sept. 11th, at the residence of Mr. Harry Dotts.  After a discussion of the approaching annual inspection, two new members were elected, Messrs. Clifford B. Howell and Wm. L. Bradley.

Capt. Ingalls in addressing the meeting emphasized the necessity of reporting to fires in uniform, because of the danger involved for the individual member and the need for identification and prevention of improper persons passing inside the fire lines.

A motion was made authorizing the appointment of several special policemen for duty at time of fires, such duty to apply only to Pelham Heights.

The membership committee took under consideration five names which will be voted upon at the next meeting.

Eleven of the company were present, Capt. Ingalls, Lieutenants Howe, Davis, Eliot, Hazin, Rich, Snyder, Specht, R. P. Young, Dotts, Baker.

GARDNER HAZEN,

Sec. Hose Co. No. 2."

Source:  Heights Hose Company Favors Fire Police, The Pelham Sun, Sep. 5, 1922, p. 7, col. 2.  

"Fire Board Sets February 24th As Date Of Election
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Seven Candidates For Six Positions Open On Fire Board of First Fire District

Indications point to a lively contest at the election of the new Board of Fire Commissioners for the First Fire District which will take place at the Town Hall on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 2 P. M. to 9 P. M.  Six candidates have been nominated for the five Commissionerships on the Board.

Pelham Heights Hose Co. nominate Commissioner Brundage for re-election and also placed in the field L. L. Willard.  Both nominations were indorsed [sic] by Relief Hook and Ladder Co. . . . "

Source:  Fire Board Sets February 24th As Date Of Election, The Pelham Sun, Feb. 9, 1923, p. 1, col. 1.

"FOSTER BEGINS 22ND YEAR AS FIRE CO. HEAD
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Nimphius, Powers and Van Cott Elected Captains of Three Companies in First Fire District.
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Charles W. Foster, Sr., of Fourth avenue, North Pelham, the only man to hold the office of president of Relief Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1 of the First Fire District, was re-elected to that office on Monday night at the annual meeting of the company.  Mr. Foster began his 22nd year in this office.  Gordon Miller was re-elected president of Liberty Engine and Hose Co. No. 1, and all other officers of both companies were re-elected.

A. C. Nimphius was again elected captain of the Hook and Ladder Company, with Harry Pickard and Howard Berger, first and second lieutenants, respectively.  The other officers elected in this company were:  James W. Caffrey, vice-president; William L. Dollny, treasurer; Edward Broege, recording secretary; A. A. Tegetmeier, financial secretary [illegible] seargeant-at-arms.

Robert Powers is again captain of Liberty Engine Company, and Henry Zeller and John Keppel, first and second lieutenants.  Other officers are William Reilly, vice-president James Bollettieri, financial secretary; James Black, recording secretary; Frederick Head, treasurer, and Christopher Cullen, sergeant-at-arms.

At the annual departmental election held last week, Chief Robert O. Reilly, First Deputy Chief Irving J. Wallach and Second Deputy Edward Field were re-elected for the next year.

D. Merrill Van Cott was elected captain of Pelham Height Hose Co. No. 2 at the annual meeting which was held recently.  Arthur Koppel was chosen first lieutenant and Richard Smith, Jr., second lieutenant and secretary."

Source:  FOSTER BEGINS 22ND YEAR AS FIRE CO. HEAD, The Pelham Sun, Mar. 10, 1933, p. 6, col. 1.

"New Secretary for Hose Co.

Kenneth C. Downing of Clifford avenue has resigned as secretary of Pelham Heights Hose Co. No. 2 and the work has been taken up by John W. Roche of Corlies avenue."

Source:  New Secretary for Hose Co., The Pelham Sun, Dec. 11, 1942, p. 11, col. 3.

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