Compiled by William Hammel
(click photo to enlarge)
In the beginning . . . "It was April 24, 1837. The city of Dubuque was four years old. From a mere mining camp it had attained the dignity of a town. The city fathers had held three meetings. The town government had been organized and resolutions for the improvement of the harbor had been adopted. On this day the trustees were to enact the first municipal laws. By Ordinances Seven, Eight, and Nine they purchased four ladders and two fire hooks, ordered that every householder should provide at least one leather fire bucket that was to be sent to all fires and authorized the formation of the first fire company in what is now the State of Iowa. From this beginning grew the Dubuque Fire Department, which has proved so efficient that the city enjoys insurance rates that are among the lowest of any city of its class in the United States." —Federal Writers' Project
1842 Dubuque Forms The First Independent Fire Company—Iowa First 1854 Washington No.1 Fire Company Is Organized—Hunneman Engine 1855 Washington No.1 Fire Company Is Re-Organized—Button Engine Hook & Ladder No. 1 Is Organized— 1856 Protection No.2 Fire Company Is Organized— Hunneman Engine 1857 Protection No.2 Fire Company Is Re-Organized—Button Engine Mechanics No. 3 Fire Company Is Organized— Hunneman Engine 1858 Key City Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 Organized by Mike Bluemenauer City Council Disbands Independent Fire Companies City Council Enacts An Ordinance Establishing A City Fire Department Protection No. 2 Petitions City Council To Organize As A Hose Company 1858 Philip Sage Elected Chief Engineer and Adam Jaeger, Jr., Assistant Chief
| The City had three Engines, three Hose carts and one Hook and Ladder Truck, manned in all by 255 men. The system in detail is made up as follows: J. B. Howard, Chief Engineer. Philip Sage, Assistant Engineer. WASHINGTON ENGINE CO. No.1. -Wm. Barton, Foreman; A. T. Cook, 1st Assistant; J. Van Alstine, 2nd Assistant, with 75 members, one Hose cart, and 800 feet of leading hose, in good order. PROTECTION ENGINE CO. No. 2. -H. M. Shaw, Foreman; L.E. Wright, 1st Assistant; J. McDermott, 2nd Assistant, with 76 members, one Hose cart, and 800 feet of leading hose in good order. MECHANICS ENGINE CO. No. 3. -C. H. Jenish, Foreman; Jno. Appel, 1st Assistant; Heinrich Heeb, 2nd Assistant with 76 members, and one Hose cart, with 800 feet of leading hose in good order. The Hook and Ladder Truck is in charge of No. 3, with 30 men at present, but will be organized as an Independent Co. in a few weeks. It has four ladders, three hooks, two axes and two crotch poles. There are sixteen public cisterns, containing each 600 barrels. The number, the Chief Engineer, stated were insufficient for the wants of the city. He hoped that this defect would in some manner be remedied as speedily as possible. |
1863 City Council Abolishes The Office Of Chief Engineer Fire Department 1866 Fire Companies Threaten To Abandon Engines In Protest To Low Annual Allotment City Council Votes To Abolish The Fire Department 1867 City Council Purchases Silsby Steam Fire Engine—J. K. Graves Hawkeye Hose Company Organized To Run With Steam Engine J. K. Graves Philip Sage Appointed Engineer On The J. K. Graves (The First Steam Engineer) Philip Sage Becomes The Fire Departments First Full Time Employee 1868 City Council Establishes A “Steam Fire Department” Part Paid & Part On-Call Hand Engine Companies Disbanded Volunteer Firemen Form A Firemen’s Union To Protect The 3rd and 5th Wards 1869 City Council Purchases Second Silsby Steam Fire Engine—Sol Turck City Council Grants Firemen’s Union Request—Gave Them The Hand Engines 1880 Frank Morgan Elected Chief Engineer and Joseph Trieb Assistant Chief Engineer 1883 The Dubuque Fire Department Consisted of The Following:
The following is a list of Officers & Fire Department employees and the amounts due them for services preformed during the month of Dec. 1882
Frank Morgan Chief Fire Department 25.00 Joseph Trieb Asst. Chief Fire Department 20.85 Job Barnes Engineer Sol Turck Engine Company 66.65 Frank Strinsky Engineer JK Graves Engine Company 50.00 James Daley Driver Sol Turck Engine Company 50.00 Jerry Murphy Driver Sol Turck Hose Company 50.00 Edward Morgan Driver JK Graves Engine Company 50.00 Joseph Strinsky Stoker Sol Turck Engine Company 12.50 C. H. McMaster Stoker JK Graves Engine Company 12.50 |
The following is a list of Officers & Fire Department employees and the amounts due them for services rendered during the month of April 1883:
Frank Morgan Chief Fire Department (April 1st to April 9th) 7.20 John Drehouse Chief Fire Department (April 10th to April 30th) 17.80 Joseph Trieb Asst. Chief Fire Department (April 1st to April 9th) 8.30 Jerry Sullivan Asst. Chief Fire Department (April 10th to April 30th) 12.80 Job Barnes Engineer Sol Turck Engine Company 66.65 Frank Strinsky Engineer JK Graves Engine Company 50.00 James Daley Driver Sol Turck Engine Company 50.00 Jerry Murphy Driver Sol Turck Hose Company 50.00 Edward Morgan Driver JK Graves Engine Company 50.00 Joseph Strinsky Stoker Sol Turck Engine Company 12.50 C. H. McMaster Stoker JK Graves Engine Company 12.50 |
FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS-The different fire companies of the city elected the following officers- J. J. LINEHAN HOSE COMPANY. (1881 Silsby Class 1 Engine 800 GPM) Foreman-John Essman. Assistant Foreman-Steve Schollenberg. Treasurer-John Sloan. Secretary-Richard T. Hartig. Steward-Wm. Howard. SOL TURCK HOSE COMPANY. (1868 Silsby Class 1 Engine 800 GPM) Foreman-Dan Daly. Assistant Foreman-John Cahill. Secretary -Treasurer-Wm. Kennedy. Steward-J. Connelly [Conley] FIFTH WARD HOSE COMPANY. (1867 Silsby Class 2 Engine 700 GPM) [J. K. Graves] Foreman-B. Domenig. Assistant Foreman-D. Demars. HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY. (1874 Babcock Ladder Truck) Foreman-Tom Cullen. Assistant Foreman-John Flynn. Treasurer-Mike Kavanaugh. Steward-Tom Rawson. |
City Council Approves Construction of 5th Ward Engine House (18th & Clay Street)
J.K. Graves & Key City Hook & Ladder Stationed In 5th Ward House In December
City Council Re-Organizes The Fire Department-Two Full- Paid Companies
The Men Selected To Fill the Positions
Two Full-Paid Companies To Go Into Service January 1, 1884
SOL TURCK ENGINE COMPANY - Foreman-James Daley, Engineer-Job Barnes, Stoker-John Cahill, Driver Engine-Jerry Murphy, Driver Cart-Andrew Cullen, Hosemen-John Connelly, Jacob Schoenberger and John Hilson. Minutemen-Monroe Barnes, Charles Gibson, Samuel Hammer and William Lonergan FIFTH WARD ENGINE COMPANY - Foreman-John Essman, Engineer-Frank Strinsky, Stoker-Michael Eitel, Engine Driver-Ed. Morgan, Hose Cart Driver-John Flynn, Hosemen-James McLaughlin [McGloughlin], John Pfiffner, John Wiltse Minutemen-Joe Sloan, M. Mohr, Henry Dunnellon, Obert Brandt. HOOK AND LADDER -Driver-William Howard, Tillerman-James Allen Minutemen-Foreman, Thomas Cullen; Laddermen, Frank Essman, Ira Davis, William Flynn, Steve Schollenberg. |