Omaha's First Fire Fighting Company Probably tho only (lro fighting company In tho stato of Nebraska holding an ospoclat charter from tho Icglslaturo was tho I'loncor Hook and Ladder company of Omaha, which was organized May G, 1800. This company was not only tho first company organized In tho Btato, but was tho last of the volunteer organizations of tho city to dis band, Its cxlBtcnco covering a period of twenty-nvo years. When Omaha was platted and tho first houses eroded tho principal building aber no T1 H t nr I n 1 ani n n 1 1 n n n n 1 li. l " .wnvunuuu, u iuuiui'1 11 u I M t- t.... fl .... I . iuukui iuuuhuixuu ujr uuuuoru, uui in ino bus ino only material rlal which could bo bordors of tho state, secured within the First with cottonwood logs and then with lumber cut from the trees woro tho build- lngs In Omaha city built. Cottonwood Is very Inflammable and It was not long beforo fires dostroyod sovcral buildings. Tho rosldonts of tho frontier city decided to organize n flro company, and, undor tho loadershlp of Benjamin Stickles, William J. Kennedy, J. S. McCormlck, Honry Gray, Honry Z. Curtis, M. H. Clark, A. J. Simp- son and P. W. Hitchcock, tho Pioneer Hook and Ladder company was organlzod. Tho territorial legislature mot tho following wlntor and tho company applied for a charter, which wbb granted It, crapowor-s tng it to own $2,000 worth of flro-Oght- Ing apparatus. Tho certificate of this In- corporation Is signed by J. Sterling Morton os torrttorlal secretary. Ono of tho next laws passed by tho IcglB- laturo was that relieving voluntoor flromon from Jury duty. In tho city of Omaha at that llmo Juries woro called moro frequently than 'flromon and that was ono of tho reasons which brought Into tho ranks ot tho Ploneor company a largo numbor of tho promlnont cltlzons of tho community, Among thoso In tho first organization, or who Joined It within tho first fivo years of Its oxlBtenco, woro: John A. Crelghton, Frank Murphy, Fred Krug, L. S. Hoed, W. P. Wilcox, J. B. Morkol, W. L. May, John M. and Joseph F. Sheoloy, P. J. Karbach, P. Wlndhotm, Gcorgo Glacoralnl, Samuel Hums, J, O. Mcgeath, I). C. Sutphcn and Henry Pundt. On tho list ot honorary rnombors will bo found names ot other men who took a prominent part In thoso days ln tho affairs of tho city. Later In tho organization appeared men who camo to tho city at a later day, but who are now deemod pioneer cltlzons, among thorn W. II. H. Llowollyn, now n resident of New Mexico, who lod a troop of cavalry In Colonol Thoodore Roosovolt's Hough Riders. Am the Company Appeared In 1H(IH. Herewith Is presented a photograph of the company as It appeared In 18C8, bo far as known tho first photograph taken ot tho company. Tho occasion of tho assembly which preceded tho plcturo was a parado to bo followed by a ball and entertainment nt tho Academy of Music for tho purpose ot raising monoy to pay for tho truck which was displayed with feelings of prldo that day. This truck was tho third purchased by tho company. It was bought by W. L. May, thon foreman of tho company, and was tho second which had boon secured by him for tho organization. In tho parado tho entlro police forco of tho city, hoadod by tho mayor, took part and tho pollco forco and flro department wero then lined tip In front of tho Control block on Farnam street for tho photograph. Ono romarkable thing about tho photograph Is that It wns the last ono takon showing Farnam street without a Btroct cor trook, for the old horse cor line which extendod from the Union Pnclflo depot and to the southeastern part of town was laid the following yoar. Tho Pioneers wer a fortunate company, for whllo they took part In all ot the flres sSswiHiKivSSiiHiiHi - "waegaBMEffl6 which occurred from I860 to 1885 not a man was killed whllo on duty. Tho most sorlous Injury received by any of tho mom bors was when ono of thorn broko bis arm at a flro on Harney street, near Ninth. Tho oldest record of tho company extant Is In tho possession of Lewis S. Heed, onco secretary of tho organization. Tho earliest dato recorded In tho minutes Is September 0, 1870. On that day Samuel Burns and Qoorgo Olacomlnl wore mado llfo members, LAST PHOTOGRAPH OF PIONEEIt HOOK AND LADDER having served soven years with tho society, A. P. Hopkins was then secretary, and . . iiuiimuo mruo mwii niitniui, llliu 1 .. ...111. ,.i . ..II . i . . I . i mniuo wuu uviuuiii uuiigm inui j. u, Markol reported having received on behalf of tho company $20 from tho city council for being tho first company at fires tho greatest numbor of times during tho precod- Ing year. Tho minutes Bhow that tho mom- bors woro particular In regard to their associates and that four black balls would sufllco to keep a man outstdo of tho palo, nnd ono applicant received thorn at this mooting. Thoro wbb a room coramlttco of threo rnombors whoso duty It was to kcop tho rooms and machlno In presentable shape. Tno "cord, which extends over sovcral years, shows an Invariable entry: "Room oommlttoo for month fined 25 cents each for 'n'l"ro t perform tholr duties." This Anally became unbearable, and after ap- Porontly every actlvo momber had con- trlbutod his quarter B. Lyttlo was em- ployed ot $24 por year to cloan tho room nnd apparatus, T,vo ,,ot '''' Tho two hottest flres ln tho history of tho earlier organization occurred In 1870. On Christmas ovo tho gas plant burned, Tho men fought as woll as posslblo, but could do nothing, nnd tho ontlro property was destroyed, entailing a loss of about $6,000. Tho men had not recovered from illlllllllllllllllllllllllllflillllSHilWilllW jglllH iiBif jiiHL! '"Sllfl tho exertions of this lire, but wore enjoying Christmas cheer tho next day, when they woro called out to fight a flro which originated In tho lumber yard of Hoagland & Son and communicated with the coal yard of T. S. Clarkson. Tho day was bitter cold, and the burning piles of lumber and coal gave off a flcrco heat which would parch tho hands and faces of tho flremcn. Tho coats and boots froze upon their bncks and feet, whllo from their heads and faces It scorned tho blood would burst from tho heat of tho flames. This flro Is remom bored by all of tho flremcn of that day as tho most disagreeable in tho history of tho company. For six hours thoy fought flames and tho secretary, In his report, notes tho fact that whllo tho day beforo thoy had fought flro at tho gas works, tho COMPANY. gas company furnished thorn, unwittingly. much old ln lighting tho Hoagland flre. II1UUU UIU in IlgUllDg IUO IIOUCIQIIU lire, ... . . .. Among ono or tno great troubles mulcting tho flremcn ln tho early day was a lack ot water. Many buildings wero consumed sololy becauso tho wells from which tho engines wero fed wero exhausted. Tho gas company first Intended to build Its plant near tho Hoagland lumber yard, and wont so far with tho work as tho sinking of holes for tho reservoirs. From thoso holes, do- sorted by tho company, camo tho water which oxtlnguished tho flro nt tho lumber yard. Tho next big flro was tho burning of the Grand Central hotel. Tho Pioneers took an actlvo part In tho fight, but tho only record of tho flro shown upon tho minutes of the company Is a mlnuto to tho effect that two of tho rnombors wero fined $2 for leaving tho flro without permission of tho foreman. From tho first tho rnombors of the iMoncor Hook and Ladder company were proud of tholr organization and to dls- tlngulsh thomselvcs provided for a uniform, which was maintained until tho company disbanded. This uniform is shown upon the body of Frank H. Roosters, the last as- slstant sccrotary of tho organization. Tho second plcturo of tho company is a freak ot D. S. Mitchell, an old-tlmo photog- raphor of Omaha, who was a member of tho company. Tho apparatus, motive powor and FIRST PHOTOGRAPH OF PIONEER HOOK AND LADDER bodies of tho members of tho company wore drawn by the photographer and tho heads of tho various actlvo members of tho com pany In 1885 wero cut from photographs and pasted upon tho bodies. Tho wholo was then photographed. Members of tho com- pnny say that tho heads nro probably tho best photographs of tho company as It was at tho tlnio of Its dissolution. May 5, 1883, Pioneer Hook and Ladder company assembled for tho last time. Tho paid department had been organized and thero was no longer a placo for voluntocrs. Tho town had grown so largo and tho Arcs so frequent that It was really easier to do Jury duty anyway than to run with tho machine. The event was onu marked ln tho history of tho city. Tho entire flro department and tho municipal organization turned out. Tho veterans of Pioneer com pany wero cheered along tho Hdo of march by tho citizens. That night nt tho "opera houso" thero was a final ball and assembly at which John M. Thurston delivered an oration voicing tho esteem In which trip company was held by tho citizens In the twenty-flvo years of its existence Then followed tho danco and at Its close Pioneer Hook and Ladder company, the Alpha and Omega of tho volunteer flro fighting societies of Omaha, beenmo a memory a memory which Is cherished in tho minds of many men now far scattered over tin country, but onco united In common tics in the city "above all others on a stream. " Little, but a Brave Man Tho murder In a Crawford, Nub., Huloon recently, of Uapttsto aarnier, bettor known m tho Black Hills country us "Llttlu Bat," removes from that suction of tho country ono of Its most famous characters. "Llttlo But's" llfo was passed on tho frontier, relates tho Chlcugo Chronicle. Ho knew llttlo of tho outside world and lie cured less. Horn In tho smoko of un Indian camp, his childhood wus ussoclutcd witli ull tho pastimes that wero Invigorating and strengthening. At 1G years "Little But' was as sturdy a specimen of young man hood as ono would euro to see. Ho was us supplo us a willow and as strong as u giant. Tho only education he possessed was that which tho sun, tho moon, tho stars and human nature had given him. Ho could neither road nor write, but ho spoko tho languages of tho Sioux, tho Cheyennes and tho Crows quite as well, if not better, than ho did that of tho whites. As hunter and scout for prospectors who wero then tumbling over ono another on tho oW sldnoy trall ln thelr rush to tlle hllls -riaio Bat" attracted tho attention hlllu "T Kiln Tin1 iiino 4J1U1U UUb attracted tho attention of army ofllccrs. Contemporaneous with Frank aurard, and a warm perSonal friend r .hi. fm .,, ,, i.. ,,. D found himself Intrusted to perforin tho n,08t hazardous bits of work u wa8 oniy when thero was no scouting to bo done or explorations to bo mado that tho wild harum scarum and yet harmless naturo of the blg-heartcd fellow who hail boon gulping fresh air from babyhood ex- hlblted ltsolf. "Llttlo Bat" enjoyed a gamo of m0nto about as well as any man on tho frontier and during tho long, dreary months when his services as a scout wero not ln demand ho could bo found beforo a layout smoking clgarottes which ho rolled himself and betting or borrowing, according to his success at the game, "Llttlo Bat's" last prominent field sorvlco was in connection with tho Sioux campaign of 1890-91. When Big Foot's band was cor- railed at Wounded Kneo creek by tho Soventh cavalry ho doubted tho sincerity of tho Indians, who had promised to sur- render formally on tho following day. Ho told Colonel Forsytho of his fears. The night passed without Incident. With tho break of day the camps of tho troopers and soldiers wero astir. Breakfast over, an order was Issued that tho redskins sur- rondor their arms. This thoy refused or COMPANY. December 30, 1000. nt least did not do. Thereupon they were commanded to stand ln lino and submit to a thorough search, as It was "Llttlo Bat's" belief that tho weapons wero concealed beneath tho folds of tho savages' blankets. t The search had not begun when a medi cine man, an aged rascal freshly painted for trouble, slipped beforo tho lines of Indians and thoso of tho soldiers. Ho began a chant which was full of meaning to "Llt tlo Bat." It was tho Sioux's death song. That u tragedy was at hand there could bo no doubt In tho mind of this seasoned scout. In vain did ho try to catch tho eyo of his colonel, who wns at tho cxtreino end of ono lino. Suddenly tho medicine man stooped, picked up n handful of snow and sand and flung It high in tho nlr, at tho same time V-'js 'SSlB FRANK II. KOESTERS LAST SECRE TARY OF THE PIONEERS. ceasing his chant with u. shrill cry. "Look out!" yelled "Llttlo But" to tho soldiers, but beforo thoy could rulso their carbines a murderous lire wus turned upon them from tlle two columns of savages. For a moment or moro tho troopers woro ln a panic. They knew not which way to turn, so sudden was tho uttuck. But tho tido of buttle wus quick to turn and within thirty minutes over 2U0 deud and wounded Indians lay upon the field. Of tho troopers thirty-live, Including bravo Captain Wal lace, wero killed outright and twlco us many moro were disabled an awful penalty to pay for attaching so llttlo Importance to tho suspicions of so experienced a scout as "Llttlo Bat." Gamier got out of the cross-llro of troops and savages by crawl ing on his hands and knees to un elevation whero a four-inch gun was planted. Here ho lay pumping his Winchester into the Indians as they lied for cover ln tho draws of tho hills. Slnco tho campaign of 1S90 the scout has "been a familiar llguro about Crawford, Chadron, Hay Springs and Oelrlchs. Ho seldom got farther east than Valentine, which Is near tho Rosebud reservation. Tho meager press reports of his death show that ho was slain by a saloon manager or bouncer. It may have been brought about by a quarrel over montc. "Llttlo Bat" en Joyed tho confidence of Generals Crook, Torry, Curr, Merrltt and Mites and next to Frank Gurard was tho foremost scout ln tho army. Ho was not a relative of Baptlsto I'ourlcr, who Is known as "Big Bat" and who enjoys soma distinction us a scout. Now Will You Smile Mrs. Kendal is nothing If not impulsively gonial, roports tho Philadelphia Telegraph, and tho imperturbability of certain charac ters has often n curiously Irritating effect upon her. Sho was shopping ono day at certain woll-known stores, and, having completed her purchases, took leave of the assistant who had served her with a friendly "Good morning." Thero was no reply, ln that hard-working damsel's busy career thoro was no time, probably, for tho minor gentlenesses of life. "Say good morning and smtlo!" exclaimed Mrs. Kendal, Im petuously. Tho girl stared In muto amaze ment. "Thon I shall remain until you do," said tho great actress, In tho most per suastvo but yet in the firmest tones. This was too much for tho girl. "Good morn ing," sho said, and burst out laughing. From that hour Mrs. Kendal's appearance at tho stores In question was the signal for an outburst of geniality. The Extreme Limit Washington Post: "I think thero snould be a law against publishing lies," said tho Innocent-faced man as ho laid down his paper and heaved a sigh. "Have you discovered a Ho?" was asked by a follow passenger. "I'm suro of It. A man who was on a stcomer when It was wrecked claims to have swam a distance of forty miles to land. Wo know that a physical Impossi bility. I myself was onco on a steamer lost off tho const, and at that time I vas called a champion swimmer. I swam and swam, but I didn't swim no forty miles. I couldn't havo dono it." "How for did you swim?" "Thlrty-nlno miles to a foot, sir, and any man ln this world who says ho has swum forty Is a liar, sir, and the truth Isn't la him, sir."