ENGINE 229/LADDER 146 (CONTINUED)
BROOKLYN FIRE DEPARTMENT 1869-1898 (PAID)
ENGINE COMPANY NO. 29 : ON THE LINE OF THE MANHATTAN BEACH RAILROAD
Engine Company No. 29, although of comparatively recent organization, has among its members those who have saved life in the hour of peril, and others who have been seriously injured while in the discharge of duty. When the company was organized on Nov. 1, 1890, it took immediate possession of the new house built expressly for it in Frost Street, between Humboldt Street and Kingsland Avenue. No company in the Department has finer quarters, and the men individually and collectively have taken especial pride in fixing up the interior in a tasteful and artistic manner.
The engine team consists of a large bay horse and a bald-faced sorrel, both young and handsome, while "Dick." a beautiful bright bay, and his mate, a fine young gray horse, pull the hose-cart. For beauty, speed and endurance they cannot be excelled. A very important attack of the company, and a great favorite among the men is " Spot," an English coach-dog. He. is seven months old, but during this brief existence he has acquired an insight into the habits of the men and horses. The company is provided with a second-class Amoskeag engine, which, as she stands on the floor resembles a mass of highly burnished gold and silver. The hose-cart is of the latest pattern and is equipped with all the best appliances for fire service.
Foreman MICHAEL McGINNESS was born in this city, June 29, 1856. He was appointed to the uniformed force on March 8, 1881, and rose to the rank of Assistant Foreman on Sept. 1, 1888, while connected with Hook and Ladder Company No. 4. On June 1, 1891, he was promoted to the grade of Foreman and placed in command of Engine Company No. 29. Mr. McGINNESS is married and lives at No. 182 Devoe Street. He is a brave man and has been many times in positions where his own life was in peril. While responding to an alarm of fire from box 487 on the night of Oct. 3, 1891, he
received severe injuries by being thrown violently between the suction and the boiler of the engine, when the latter came in collision with a house which was being moved, and which had been left standing in the centre of Oakland Avenue without, as is alleged, having any danger lights upon it. Transferred, August, 1892, to Engine Co. No. 13.
Assistant Foreman OWEN S. CAMPBELL is a relative of several well-known CAMPBELLs who are prominent in Brooklyn public life. Superintendent and Captain CAMPBELL, of the Police Department, Ex-Congressman Felix CAMPBELL, and the famous, "Tim" CAMPBELL. He was born in Ireland on Sept. 20, 1839. In 1861 he enlisted in the United States Navy and served on the " Iroquois " and " Montauk." He was severely wounded during the war and in consequence received an honorable discharge in the early part of 1864. He was made a fireman on Sept. 15. 1869, when the Department was organized, and was promoted to the grade of driver on May 1, 1870. His promotion to the post of Assistant Foreman occurred March i. 1887. Mr. CAMPBELL is a widower and has four children living, one of whom, a daughter, is a well-known contralto singer in the choir of a New York church. A son holds the position of Professor of Music under the Board of Education of this city. Mr. CAMPBELL
was badly burned- about the hands in the fire at Stover's dry goods store on April 29, 1887, and at a fire on Dec. 14, 1888, he fell from the second story to the cellar of the building and would have been instantly killed had it not been that the cellar was partially filled with water at the time, which broke his fall. As it was, he received severe injuries to his body and legs in the descent. Promoted to be foreman of No. 29. August 11, 1892.
Engineer JOHN M. PRATT is a man of whom the company is proud. He was born in New York State on Feb. 18, 1865. He received a good education and turned it to account, when he started out in life. He is well read, methodical in his ways, and to his comrades is a perfect encyclopedia of information. He carries a diary in which is kept a record of all that has transpired since he was appointed a fireman, even to the minutest details. Fifteen years ago he commenced the collection of ancient coins and relics, and at the present time has over 700 coins of various denominations, including gold, silver, brass, copper and pewter, some dating as far back as 1793. One of the most valuable pieces in the collection is a Judea Shekel, made of pewter and issued in the reign of Simon Maccabees, 145 B. C. Engineer PRATT was made a fireman Dec. 3, 1887, and since that time has been attached to Engines Nos. 18, 26 and 29. He was promoted to the grade of engineer on Jan. 9, 1888. He is married and lives at No. 271 Lorimer Street. At a fire in a four-story frame tenement on Atlantic Avenue near Nevins Street, on the night of Aug. 31, 1890, Mr. PRATT
made a brave rescue of Mrs. SWIETZER and her child, whom he brought safely to the street from the second floor, down a burning stairway. About a month prior to this event, while going to a box factory fire at the foot of Nevins Street, he was
injured by the engine colliding with a heap of upturned earth from a sewer.
HENRY M. HELLEN has twice met with serious misfortunes since he was appointed on April 1, 1885, and
to-day he is a cripple, and will be for the remainder of his life. He was born in New York City on Nov. 11, 1860, and during his career as a fireman has seen active service with Engines Nos. 12,13, 15 and 29, the last of which companies he is still a member. He is married and lives at No. 96 Jackson Street, and was the driver of Engine No. 29 when he was last injured. At the great fire at
Pratt's oil works, he was so severely burned about the face and hands, that he was not able to perform duty for several months. He sat on the driver's seat of Engine No. 29 when she rolled out of the house on the night of Oct. 3, 1891, in response to a call from box 487. The horses were dashing swiftly down Oakland Avenue, when without the slightest warning they turned quickly to the left, and the right front wheel, axle and forward part of the engine came in collision with a house in course of removal which stood in the middle of the street. The axle broke and Driver HELLEN'S right leg was crushed between the house and his engine.
He was conveyed as quickly as possible to the City Hospital, where it was found necessary to amputate the leg.
THOMAS J. McGlNNESS the second engineer of the company, and the brother of the Foreman. He was born in Philadelphia on July 4, 1848, and was appointed a member of the Fire Department Sept. n, 1883; since which time he has been attached to Engines Nos. 5, 12, 19 and 29.' He is married and lives at No. 182 Conselyea Street. He was riding with his brother on the back of the engine on the night of Oct. 3,1891, when Driver HELLEN had his leg crushed, and was
thrown so violently against the hand rail of the boiler that his face and head were severely injured.
JOHN F. ASMUS has been the driver of the engine since Driver HELLEN was injured, and was born in Albany on July 4, 1851. He lives at No. 499 Graham Avenue with his family. He secured his appointment through Ex-Fire Commissioner POILLON, then Deputy Fire Commissioner, on Feb. 1, 1882, and was assigned to duty with Engine No. 15. He is a fearless man in discharge of duty and one well-liked by his superior officers and by his brother firemen. Mr. ASMUS
helped to rescue Foreman Fanning of Engine No. 15, now District Engineer, when the latter fell Sept. 1, 1884, from the roof to the second floor of a furniture factory at Leonard and Devoe Streets, and received injuries which laid him up for three months. During the time Foreman Fanning was on the sick list, Mr. ASMUS was Acting Foreman of the company. It was through the bravery of Mr. ASMUS at the Pratt's oil works fire that Foreman Joseph McCORMICK, then in command of Engine No. 15, was saved from being burned to death when he was cut off from escape by the flames which had well nigh enveloped him
. Mr. ASMUS saw McCORMICK's hand stretched out toward the window near which ASMUS was at the time. He seized it and the roasted flesh fell off in his grasp. He held on to the unconscious man although the heat was terrific, until assistance came and McCORMICK was pulled out from the seething caldron of oil into which he had fallen, and hurried away to the hospital.
CHARLES FRANKLIN WAY is a second-grade fireman, and was appointed Feb. 11, 1891. He was born in this city May 2, 1867, is married, and resides at No. 173 Ainslee Street. Mr. WAY distinctly remembers his
first fire, for he was called on to help remove bodies from the ruins.
PATRICK HEAD is among the life-savers of the company, and the act of bravery which placed his name on the roll of honor, was one difficult to perform and attended with great peril to himself. The fire broke out in a bakery on the ground floor of a three-story frame building on Kingsland Avenue on the night of July 26, 1891. On the top floor was Mrs. GAFFNEY and her child, who were cut off from escape by the stairway, which was in flames, and had been overcome with the smoke. The truck company had not arrived, and Fireman HEAD knowing that there was not a moment to lose, found a thirteen-foot ladder, ran up to the cornice, drew the ladder up with the assistance of comrades, and then placing the foot of the ladder on the cornice mounted to the third story and got the unconscious woman and child out and lowered them down to the men below. At the Waterbury rope works fire, Mr. HEAD
was completely overcome by smoke, and was laid up for some days after. He was born in this city on March 7, 1854, and has a family with whom he resides at No. 198 Kingsland Avenue. His appointment was made on June 15, 1885, and since that time he has served with Trucks Nos. 4 and 6, and Engines Nos. 12, 24 and 29.
MARTIN JOSEPH SMITH occupies the driver's seat of the hose-cart, and handles the fleet-footed bay and gray which draw it. He was born in this city, Jan. 30, 1867, and has been quite a traveller in his day. He was made a fireman April 16, 1890, and served for a short time with Truck No. 6 before being transferred to this company. He assisted in the rescue of Mrs. GAFFNEY and her child at the Kingsland Avenue bakery fire on July 26, 1891. He lives at No. 61 Driggs Avenue.
PATRICK F. CARROLL was born in this city, April 16, 1858, and has been a fireman since Jan. 3, 1888. He has been connected during the time with Truck No. 6 and Engines Nos. 16 and 29. Mr. Carroll lives with his family at No. 382 Leonard Street.
CHARLES STOTHARD was born in New York City, Aug. 21. 1857 and was appointed July 16, 1891. Prior to becoming a member of this company he was attached to Engine No. 30. Mr. STOTHARD is a widower and has five children and resides at No. 506 Driggs Avenue.
HENRY W. REICKENBERG was born in the city of New York on Feb. 22,1869. He began life in the merchant marine service, and when he left it was second mate of the " Nova Scotia." In 1886 he entered the United States Navy and served for four years on board the men-of-war Minnesota," "New Hampshire," "Quinebaug" and " Galena." He was the coxswain of the " Galena" cutter which captured the Navassa Island negro rioters, three of whom are now serving terms in the Kings County penitentiary. Mr. REICKENBERG has been once and a-half around the world, and a description of the places he has visited and incidents that have occurred are highly interesting. He is still a bachelor and lives at No. 104 North Henry Street. He became a fireman Nov. 16. 1891, and was assigned at once to this company, where he has made a good record for himself.
MICHAEL MARKS was born in this city on Oct. 4, 1863, and was made a fireman Jan. 3, 1888. He has done duty with Truck No. 8 and Engines Nos. 22 and 29 respectively. He is married and lives at No. 275 Humboldt Street. Mr. Marks was overcome by smoke at the Waterbury rope works fire.
JOHN F. HICKEY. a comparatively new member of the company, was appointed May 4, 1892. He is a native of Brooklyn, where he was born June 5, 1858.
JOHN J. McCARTHY was born in the State of New Jersey on April 24, 1868 and was appointed on July 1, 1892.
As this history goes to press, announcement is made of the transfer of, Assistant Foreman
JAMES S. JONES from Engine Co. No. 27 to Engine Co. No. 29, of which he now Becomes second in command. The details of his service will be found under Engine Co. No. 29.
The territory covered by this company is an extremely large one. On the first, Alarm they respond to calls from 73 boxes and on the second from 124. The boundaries are Hunter's Point Bridge, the city line, Graham Avenue and Meserole Street and Bedford Avenue and North Eleventh Street. Among the large buildings in this district are two public schools and several churches. Besides these there are the Chelsea jute mills, several buildings belonging to the Standard Oil Company, the New York cordage works, Logwood works and Eagle pencil works, Church's soda works, Continental Iron Works, Kalbfleisch's chemical works. Hardy & Voorhis' lumber yard, .Bossett's lumber yard, the New Haven cooperative fur factory, St.Catharine's Hospital, Waterbury rope works, Lawrence's rope works, Brookfield's. glass works, Reynolds' coal yards, a large tannery, Seitz's brewery, Huber & Abbott's brewery, Graham's pottery, Peter Cooper's glue factory, a refrigerator manufactory, Fisher's furniture factory, Gallon's moulding mills, Orr's lumber yard, Reeves & Church's lumber yard, Charles Havemeyer's sugar house. Safety Boiler Manufacturing Company works and Palmer's cooperage and barrel yard.
- from OUR FIREMEN : THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE BROOKLYN FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM THE FIRST VOLUNTEER TO THE LATEST APPOINTEE. COMPILED FROM THE RECORDS OF THE DEPARTMENT. BROOKLYN, N. Y. 1892.
