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| HOW IT ALL BEGAN
$10,000 for a Steamer, Hose, and 3 Carts.
1874
The acquiring of the Silsby Steamer and the
formation of the William Cameron Engine Company are well narrated in the Lewisburg
Chronicle, a weekly newspaper of that period. The following accounts are taken directly
from those early issues:
Special Meetings of the Lewisburg Council, February
2, 1874; On motion voted that nominations be made for chief of fire department whereupon
Samuel D. Bates was nominated and unanimously elected to said office with the privilege of
selecting his own staff and assistants. On motion voted that the burgess fit up the engine
room in the Music Hall for the reception of steam engine, hose, etc. On motion voted that
Town Council act as a committee to receive steam fire engine and fixtures from William
Cameron Esquire.
Lewisburg Chronicle, February 13, 1874
The New Steamer
 The new
steam engine which is to be presented by William Cameron Esquire to the Borough of
Lewisburg, together with the three reel hose carriages arrived here on Saturday last. The
steamer is a magnificent piece of machinery. The apparatus was taken from the cars, and
placed in the market house on Tuesday. The hose which was manufactured by a New York City
firm is not yet here, and may not come for several days. It was to shipped on Monday, the
manufacturer not getting them finished in the time expected by the Silsby Company. When
the hose arrives and the engine is provided there will be a public presentation. Below we
give a letter received by the burgess from the manufacturers:
Mr. John V. Miller, Burgess
Lewisburg, Penna.
Dear Sir;
We have the pleasure of enclosing you a duplicate
bill of lading of steam fire engine and hose reels which will leave this station today.
The machine will be in charge of our engineer, Mr.
J. P. Teller who will make a public trial of its working qualities, and instruct a man how
to operate it. Our agent, Mr. Bernard Bosch will also be present at the trial, and settle
with you in accordance with the term of the contract after the apparatus has been duty
accepted. We have ordered the leading hose shipped to your address direct from the
factory, and it will probably reach you as soon as the machine, if not sooner.
We have taken special pains in filling this order,
and we feel confident your most sanguine anticipations will be abundantly realized. We
earnestly hope the "William Cameron" will prove a valuable acquisition to your
fire department, and that she may ever be as useful and efficient as she is beautiful and
ornamental.
In conclusion, permit us to congratulate you on
having in your borough such a munificent and public spirited man as he who is the donor of
this elegant and valuable gift. Hoping the apparatus will soon reach you in good order, we
remain, sir.
Very Respectfully yours
Silsby Manufacturing Co.
Lewisburg Chronicle, February 20, 1874
Last Saturday this beautiful machine was thoroughly
and most efficiently tested; and to make a long story short, it threw a stream of water
ten feet above the Baptist Church steeple, and that piece of architecture is 174 feet, 4
inches above the earth. Other tests were made and everywhere it more than exceeded the
most sanguine expectations of our citizens. Below we give the proceedings of the special
meetings of council on Monday morning, and the reports of the committees to the engines.
Special Meeting of Council, February 14, 1874
The Burgess and town council met at the office of
the town clerk: present-John V. Miller, Burgess and Messrs. Lawshe, Baker, E.M.
McLaughlin, Brown, Kelley, and Jackson McLaughlin, council.
The committee on first trial of engine, A.M. Lawshe,
Chairman, made report; On motion voted that report be accepted. It is as follows:
Dear Sir,
The first trial was in getting up steam, and
resulted as follows: In three minutes from the time smoke issued from the stack the gauge
showed five pounds steam pressure; in four minutes, fifteen seconds, ten pounds; in five
minutes, twenty pounds; and six minutes, thirty five seconds with a pressure of thirty
five pounds water came through the nozzle, 1 3/8 inches and 100 feet of hose.
The next test was one stream through 500 feet of
hose with 100 pounds steam pressure. She threw a horizontal stream 200 feet; with the same
length of hose and 98 pounds steam pressure she threw a perpendicular stream 10 feet
higher than the Presbyterian Church steeple, or counting difference in height of ground,
197 feet. The next test was through 1500 feet of hose, and resulted as follows: Steam
pressure 100 pounds, one stream, 1 1/8 inch nozzle threw 198 feet horizontally. Steam
pressure 112 pounds, 1 stream, 1 inch nozzle threw 204 feet horizontally.
The engine was then removed to Third Street.
Respectfully yours,
S.D. Bates
Chief Engineer
The report of the committee on second and third
trial of engine, J.T. Baker and R.F. Brown, Chairmen make report as Follows:
Gentlemen:
At your request and by your directions immediately
after the test from the river I ordered the "William Cameron" taken to the race
on Third Street for further trial. Before detailing the result of the different tests I
would observe that the water was very muddy, and hence unfavorable for showing all that
could be done with the engine.
The first trial was through 950 feet of hose up
Third Street, and up the spire of the Baptist Church. Steam pressure 105 pounds, pressure
on hose 215 pounds, size of nozzle 1 1/8 inch, horizontal stream 178 feet. Steam pressure
115 pounds, pressure on hose 220 pounds, size of nozzle 1 1/8 inch, perpendicular stream
175 feet, or over the spire of the Baptist Church.
The second test was through 100 feet of hose: steam
pressure 105 pounds, pressure on hose 180 pounds, nozzle 1 3/8 inch, horizontal stream 238
feet. Steam pressure 102 pounds, pressure on hose 170 pounds, nozzle 1 ¼ inch, horizontal
stream 234 feet. In this last test we ran out of coal.
The third test was 4 streams through 100 feet of
hose: steam pressure 75 pounds, pressure on hose 85 pounds, nozzle ¾ inch, horizontal
stream 171 feet. It should be born in mind that in all the tests except the last the
engine was made to do its best with a very high pressure of steam, and in the hands
of experts.
It would never be advisable to use such extreme
pressure, nor could it, in my opinion be maintained any considerable length of time. But
in the last test it was shown that this engine with an ordinary pressure of steam on both
boiler and hose will throw four effective streams about equal to eight thrown by the
"Valiant" when fully supplies with water.
I cannot close this report without my strongest
endorsement having been given as to the completeness of the "William Cameron".
I would call your attention to the fact that the
brake or lock can only be used by a person riding.
Respectfully submitted,
S.D. Bates, Chief Engineer
On motion it was resolved that the steam engine
named the "William Cameron", and made by the Silsby Manufacturing Co. of Seneca
Falls, New York upon trial has proven entirely satisfactory to the town council and
citizens of the borough of Lewisburg, and has more than filled the requirements of the
contract.
On motion it was resolved that a copy of this
resolution be given to Mr. Cameron, Esquire, and also one to Mr. Bernard M. Bosch, agent
of the Silsby Manufacturing Co. On motion adjourned.
John V. Miller, Burgess
William Jones, Town Clerk |
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