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Wheeling Historical Society & Museum
Display-Fire Department and History
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Details

Object ID 004879

Object Name Display-Fire Department and History

Object Desc Fire Department Display Cabinet See NOTES tab to view the document

Collection Museum Collection

Accession # 20140921.160605.00

Alternate ID

General Category Documents

Category Documents - General

Source Wheeling Historical Society

Source Category Society Property

Accession Date NOV 14,2018

Credit/Acknowledgement

Location M-DC-04

Object Date

Start Year Range 1896

End Year Range

Status In Collection

Object Keywords Fire Department,History,


Images

(click for full image)

Image Caption

Description

Notes

Date NOV 22,2018

Notes Internal Use Only


Date NOV 22,2018

Notes WHEELING'S FIRE DEPARTMENT According to research, the first move toward fire protection was made on April 6, 1896. On that date, a committee of three was appointed to investigate the subject of fire protection and its estimated cost. With nothing accomplished by June, another committee was selected to investigate various chemical and other fire extinguishers and report back to the Village Board. The committee consisted of ir. Christ Metz, John Forke, and William Fassbender. Following the recommendations of these men, the Board ordered certain equipment and on September 11, 1896, it was delivered at the Wisconsin Central Railway freight office. The Fire Department was to be allowed the use of the Village Hall for their meetings and a fire bell was purchased from Fassbender and Arnold for $27.40. The Constitution and By-laws of the Wheeling Fire Department, as adopted on September 30, 1896, allowed for the following fire bell signals: Regular or Special Meetings... ringing of bell and three strikes of alarm hammer; Company's practice... ringing of bell and five strikes of alarm hammer. Fire alarm...continuous fast rapping of the bell, then signal for the division of the Village. The Divisions of the Village and signals were : From the Southern line to crossing of Mr. E. Wagner's residence... ringing of bell and one strike of alarm hammer; From center of Village to corner of Dundee Road..ringing of bell and two strikes of alarm hammer; From corner of Dundee Road to Northern line...three strikes of alarm hammer; From corner of Dundee Road west... four strikes of alarm hammer. At the inception of, the Fire Department, most of the towns prominent citizens participated as Volunters which was a tradition for many years. The first officers of the Wheeling Volunteer Fire Department consisted of the following; Mr. Christ F