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Collection: Books and Periodicals
Three Years in California by John D. Borthwick (1857)(LoC) (423 pages)
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Page: of 423
88 FIRE-COMPANIES.
places, were emptied as quickly as if the buildings
themselves were on fire ; the business of the moment,
whatever it was, was at once abandoned, and the
streets became filled with people rushing frantically
in every direction—not all towards the fire by any
means ; few thought it worth while to ask even where
it was. To know there was fire somewhere was quite
sufficient, and they made at once for their house or
.
H
\
their store, or wherever they had any property that
might be saved; while, as soon as the alarm was
given, the engines were heard thundering along the
streets, amid the ringing of the fire-bells and the
shouts of the excited crowd. .
1
. The fire-companies, of which several were already
organised, were on the usual American system—vo. lunteer companies of citizens, who receive no pay, but
are exempt from serving on juries, and from some
other citizens’ duties. They have crack fire-companies
just as we have crack regiments, and of these the fast
young men of the upper classes are frequently the
most enthusiastic members. Each company has its
own officers ; but they are all under control of a “chief
engineer,” who is appointed by the city, and who
directs the general plan of operations ata fire. There
. is great rivalry among the different companies, who
vie with each other in making their turn-out as handsome as possible. They each have their own uniform,
: but the nature of their duties does not admit of much
finery in their dress ; red shirts and helmets are the
principal features in it. Their engines, however, are