Hydrant Hose Company History
Boiler Works Fire Sparked Hydrant Formation
In the early part of October 1880, a small fire broke out on the rear north side of the Dunning Boiler Works, located at Exchange Street and Railroad Place.
The usual crowd of spectators was on hand to watch the progress of the Dunning fire and the efforts of the firefighters to extinguish the blaze. For some unknown cause, the local fire department did not appear until the fire had completely destroyed the small shed standing outside the main building. This resulted in considerable comment among the citizens of the village present at the fire. Selam Sloman, one of those in attendance and a former member and foreman of Rochester’s Active Hose Company, suggested the formation of a new hose company, and several men at once became interested.
F.A. Malette, H.K. Winnie, R.C. Rappalyea, Dr. George E. Flood, John Van DeBogart, F.T. Savage, Fred E. Beard, George W. Goodwin, C.W. MacDougall, C.E. Coon and several others agreed at that time to meet at Mr. Malette’s office the following evening and plan a course of action. At the hour fixed, 22 men were present. Dr. Flood was made chairman and C.E. Coon, secretary.
A committee of three, Malette, Flood and Van DeBogart, where instructed to call upon the village board of trustees and request a permit to form a new hose company. This committee, at the next weekly meeting of the trustees, made this request and the master was referred to the fire department committee. At the next meeting of the trustees, on recommendation of the fire chief, William P. Hayward, the permit was refused.
W.B. Dunning, president of the village, was very much in favor of adding the new organization to the village fire department and with the help of D.E. Moore, a member of the board of trustees, at the next meeting, December 20, 1880, succeeded in prevailing upon the board to grant the permit. The chief was ordered to provide a cart and hose for service, and one of the old carts with large high wheels with four-inch iron tires with several sections of old hose was assigned to the new company. The volunteers agreed to furnish a new cart and also a house with room for six bunkers at no cost to the village.
President Dunning allowed the company the use of the trustees’ room for the meetings of the company until quarters could be located. A meeting was at once called and a constitution and by-laws were adopted. A full set of officers was elected and several committees were appointed; the company was ready for duty.
Hydrant Hose Company Has Occupied 7 Sites
The first home was in the Keyes Building now occupied by Aldon Appliance Center. The second was in the Baird Building on Castle Street – now a parking Iot for the Finger Lakes Times. Home number three was located on Linden Street on land now the site of the Post Office. The hose cart was located downstairs with bunkroom for six bunkers upstairs.
The fourth home was on Seneca Street where the Social Security Building is located. Bunkers quarters were in the Wheat Building on the corner of Seneca and Linden Streets. The Hydrants fifth location was back on Linden Street now the present Offices of Attorney Frederick W. Warder. Bunkers quarters remained in the Wheat Block. Home number six was in a building at 103 Castle Street later known as the New York State Electric and Gas Corp. building, since demolished to become a New York Telephone Company parking facility.
In 1913 the Hydrants constructed and occupied their present quarters at 79 Geneva Street. In 1938 the Company purchased the Thalman property on the South side of the home. The residence and barn were removed and the space utilized for members parking.
The Hydrant Hose Company, the only volunteer fire company in Geneva to own its station house, expanded in February of 1956, when it acquired the Market Basket property behind the Geneva Street facility. The property was donated by H.E. Hovey, owner of the parcel and a Hydrant member, and was arranged through the efforts of Frederick “Doc” Reed, who was the secretary of the Hydrant Hose Company for thirty-five years.
An interesting development in city affairs led to the acquisition of a second firehouse, next door to their Geneva Street facility. The City of Geneva developed plans for off-street parking areas in the central business district and required land that the Hydrants owned behind their home. In return for a parcel of that property, the Hydrant Hose Company received the adjacent building that formerly housed the 6400 Cab Co. The exchange was recorded in the City Clerk’s office on October 13, 1977.
The members proceeded to remove the top story of the building, to install a new roof, and to gut the interior of the structure. They removed a section of the front of the building to make it flush with the face of their hose house, and began the process of making three new engine bays. To make the appearance consistent with that of the hose house, the Hydrants stuccoed its face and painted both buildings.
