Glimpses of old Glasgow

Part I. Historical

The Fire Brigade: Then and Now

IT has been written that a great philanthropist is he who, by some improvement in agriculture, materially increases the food supply for man and beast. What can be said of him who preserves life, which is "better than meat," from being destroyed by fire, and renders safe property which otherwise would probably be consumed? Surely this, at least - "All honour to the Boys of the Fire Brigade, who at risk of life and limb, are ever ready to fight the flames, and immortality to Braithwaite, who is credited with being the maker, if not the inventor, of the first steam fire-engine." What of our own brigade? Its usefulness may be augured from this: the number of fires in the city in 1892 was 577, while the loss caused by these conflagrations was estimated at £120,000.

[page 148]

When I was a lad the procedure on the discovery of an outbreak of fire in our city was something like the following: The guardian of the peace made his way to head-quarters. If he happened to pass a man with horse and cart, he took possession of the horse, no matter how ill adapted the animal was for speed, and hurried along to Bell Street, in which street or neighbourhood lived most of the members of the brigade, composed of shoemakers, slaters, and other artisans. Water, taken from huge barrels, placed at intervals through the city, was put into smaller barrels, and pumped by a squad of men, who each received a trifling sum for the work done. Arriving at Bell Street the firemen were summoned by tuck of drum to the comparatively useless "butts"; the captured horse was attached, and away went the procession at somewhat the same rate of speed at which a hearse is driven to the graveyard. When the place at which the fire had broken out was reached the men of the old brigade did their duty manfully and well, but it stands to reason that, with the poor appliances they had at command, and the difficulty they had to encounter in getting to the scene of the fire, and the scarcity of water when there, the fire often had the best of it. Yet these forgotten heroes were not unworthy predecessors of the brave fellows who, under Firemaster Paterson, know no fear in battling with their fiery foe; and deeds of daring were not unknown when our city had neither electric alarms, nor telephones, nor could take advantage of any of the marvellous discoveries of later years.

[page 149]

What a change is to be found in the mode adopted by the firemen of to-day in combating the fiend of fire! Whenever it is apparent that danger from fire arises to life and property a rush is made to the fire alarm, and bells are rung at the Central and the sub-division nearest the place where the flames have been discovered. The horses, beautiful animals, swift in running, well groomed and fed, by an automatic movement are set free from their stalls and of their own accord hasten from their stables, in a few moments are harnessed to the fire-engine, and in an incredibly short time are hastening towards the place where the flames are threatening to destroy both life and property, the shrill sounds of a whistle causing every vehicle and pedestrian to "clear the way." When the building on fire has been reached the firemen invade the premises, and ply their axes so as to reach the seat of the fire, while streams of water begin to play on every place where the enemy lurks, and the battle between fire and water begins, ending in the victory of the latter, although sometimes not until the victory is almost as bad as a defeat. I have made reference to the "fire alarms," and it is noteworthy that the wire which causes the bell to ring at the stations, is utilized as a telephone, along which travels the news as to the progress or damping out of the flames, whether extra firemen are required, etc. Mr. Paterson, the present fire-master of the brigade, has made many improvements in the department over which he is chief: one, a signalling apparatus for use outwith the city, by means of which the police force of the district can be summoned to keep order and leave the firemen at peace to carry out their arduous duties. These fearless fellows are all sober men, and have a greater or less knowledge of building construction.