Today's Throwback Thursday was written by Joseph Sheppard

 

The Wilmington Steam Fire Engine Company, No. 1., incorporated on 8 March 1869 by an act from the General Assembly of North Carolina. Generally, a 38-40 private team member men’s company, the constitution and by-laws were amended and adopted Tuesday 2 November 1880 and presented the next day at a meeting held at the company’s headquarters, presently 316 Princess Street (City of Wilmington Clerk of Courts.)

 

 

The 1880 by-laws, a copy of which is in the Local History Room at New Hanover County Public Library, explain the duties expected of the officers of the company, elections, and order of business. They provide a description of the company uniform (Article VI); a fireman’s cap or hat, with such designs as shall be from time to time determined by the company. A double breasted gray, all wool shirt, shade to be observed with red cuffs and red collar, and figure “No. 1,” in red, in the center of the shirt. A black leather belt, tipped with red, the figure “No. 1,” in white, on bed of red, in front, and with the initials “W. S. F. E. Co.,” composed of white letters, on bed of red, behind. The pants in black.

The company’s constitution also includes rules of conduct, for instance, “no member during a meeting may speak more than twice upon the same subject (Article X, Sec. 7),” $1 fines for nonattendance at fires and parades (Article II, Sec. 2), the foreman had the power to order a parade whenever he deemed it (Article V, Sec. 1), and charges would be lain against a member for any bad behaviour “unbecoming a gentleman (Article III).”

 

 

The horse drawn steam fire engine “Little Giant,” carried approximately 950 feet of hose, a stream through an inch nozzle could throw water a distance of 155 feet, under a stream pressure of 100 pounds and H2O pressure of 220 pounds as reported in a Wilmington Star newspaper story (15 April 1882).

 

The Wilmington Steam Fire Engine Company, No. 1, fought fires for 28 years and held many charity bazaars before consolidating with the City of Wilmington Fire Department in 1897.
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Charter: Constitution and by-laws of the Wilmington Steam Fire Engine Company, No. 1. Adopted Nov. 2, 1880. Manuscripts MSS 180. North Carolina Room, New Hanover County Public Library.

Wilmington Fire Department. Bill Reaves Collection subjects document box. Local History Room, New Hanover County Public Library.