History of Hammonton Fire Company # 1

Hammonton Fire Company # 1 was founded as a result of a large fire in Hammonton during August of 1886. As reported then by editorial in The Republican: “May the lesson of the fire be speedily learned before more serious loss is occasioned. We want first an organization with a chief whom all are bound to obey. Then will come the question of apparatus. It would cost but little to procure a truck and a set of ladders, a half dozen hooks, the same of axes, half a hundred pails and a building on the town lot to house them. Our men are willing to work but they need intelligent direction and this time it took too long to sour the neighborhood for tools which to work. Organize at once!”

The first meeting of the fire company took place over Black’s store on November 1^st, 1886.  Employees of William Bernhouse and a few local businessmen attended.  The group discussed purchasing fire equipment; Bernhouse said he knew of a hand pumper in Philadelphia. He later obtained it for a dollar and shipped it to Hammonton.

Town officials offered the use of a lot on Central Avenue to locate a firehouse. Bernhouse offered to donate lumber for the building and provide carpenters and millmen for the work. All the work was done by lantern at night after the men finished a full day’s work. Those included in building the original firehouse were: Paul Seely, John Seely, John M. Austin, Charles W. Austin, Manley Austin, George King and Issac Naylor. That site remained the location of the fire company until another member of the company offered a lot he owned near Bellevue Ave and Horton Street for $800.

The company agreed to buy the lot. Some time later, the old firehouse was moved to Bellevue Avenue. In the 1920’s members decided a new firehouse was needed.  Founders financed it through a local bank. Construction of the new firehouse cost $15,000. The original firehouse was torn down in 1928 and replaced by the new brick building.

The first hook and ladder wagon was built by Francis Lehman, and a member of the company who also operated a black smith shop.  Four ladders were built in the Bernhouse mill. They were house with the hand pumper in the first firehouse.

Constitution and bylaws were drawn up on November 1, 1886.  Some of the laws dictated the company was to consist of not more than 100 men the youngest member not younger than 18 and could reside no more than ¾ of a mile from the center of town.

The charter and constitution were witnessed by G.W. Pressey, William Bernshouse, W.H. Bernhouse, C.F. Osgood, W.J. Smith, George King, J.D. Fairchild, Paul Seeley, Charles Austin and Samuel Craig. It was recorded in Mays Landing on May 3, 1887.

Charter members were J.B. Drown, John P. Gelshaker, Henry E. Andrews, A.N. Bernhouse, William Bernhouse, Frank N. Thomas, J.A. Wass, Charles W. Austin, Manley Austin, George King, John T. French, Jesse D. Fairchild, John M. Roller, Herman Fiedler, N.A. Hinchmann and H.P. Blythe.  In 1903 the town did not have a waterworks facility. It built six cisterns holding 25,000 gallons each which were filled by rain water from the roofs of buildings. They were used until the water works was built.

An alarm bell was placed in the firehouse tower in August of 1890 but it was removed when it cracked the following month. The general alarm rang for one minute followed by signals to indicate the direction of the blaze from the firehouse. One stroke meant North, two East, three South and four West.  After the direction signal, the general alarm was again sounded.

The early days of the fire company saw some thrilling races as farmers, who lived near the fire drove their houses to haul the pumper to the fires. Town council gave a purse of $5 to the team hauling apparatus to the blaze. The first team to reach the firehouse was allowed the privilege of towing the pumper.

Fire Company No. 1 bought the lot at Front St and Passmore Ave in 1966 which is now the new location of the firehouse.