Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/528

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

��CHAPTER LI.

HISTORY OF MANSFIELD, CONCLUDED.

Fire Department and Water Works — The Mayors of the City — First Council— First Railroad — Pop- ulation AND Business in 1857 — Gas Works — Railroads — Market House — Mansfield Made a City — Erection of Buildings — The "Flush Times" Following the War — The Wholesale Trade — The Business of the Manufacturing Establishments — Incomes — Business of the City According to the Directory for 1869 — Library Association — Young Men's Christian Association — The Cemetery Association — Building and Loan Association — The Coldwater Railroad — The "Collapse" of '73 — Prosperity in 1879 — General Review of Business.

��ABOUT 1829, the village of Mansfield had made such headway that a fire depart- ment was thought of. There was no way of rais- ing funds for such a purpose at that time, but b}^ subscription, and accordingly Dr. William Bush- nell carried around a paper, and obtained a sub- scription of 1150, with which a small hand- engine was purchased. It was a queer machine, the water being forced through a hose by turn- ing two cranks, one on each side of the engine. This was the first fire engine, and Dr. Bushnell, Dr. Miller, Jacob Lindley (at that time Mayor), Hugh McFall, James Smart, Nathaniel Bryan, Henry Hufiman, a Mr. Canfidd and some others, constituted the first fire company. Jacob Lind- ley was foreman. On the occasion of a fire, they would range themselves in a row extend- ing from the engine to some convenient well or cistern, or to the big spring, and pass buckets of water along the line to keep the engine supplied. Dr. Bushnell sa3's it was a very good engine, and was in use about fifteen j-ears or more, be- fore the village felt able to invest in a better one. It was kept in Lindley's cabinet-shop on the site of the present Baptist Church. In 1846, a new engine was thought of — one with more power and eflfectiveness. The subject was pre- sented in the Council on the 10th of April, 1840, and S. J. Kirkwood appointed by that body to obtain information with a view of purchasing.

��In July of the same 3'ear, as a result of this in- quir}', Isaac J. Allen was directed to conti-act with Messrs. Borden & Craw, of Newark, N. J., for a fire engine, to cost not over $600. This was done. At the same time the Council took the precaution of stipulating that the engine should be forwarded to Mansfield, free of expense to the town, where it would first receive a fair trial, and, if found satisfactory, it was to Ije purchased at a stipulated price ; otherwise, to be returned to the makers. It was not until May, 1847, that this engine made its appearance. It was duly weighed in the balance, found want- ing, and the Ma3-or directed Mr. Allen to return it to the manufacturers. It was accordingly- returned in June. Meanwhile, in the foil of 1846, while the new engine was in process of construction, it was thought best to devise some means for a water supply, and, for this purpose, it was decided to make a number of cis- terns, which should hold from three to five hun- dred barrels, to be built in diflferent parts of the village, most convenient in case of fire. For the construction of these cisterns, the Council advertised for bids, and Jacob Scholl, being the lowest bidder, received the contract. Three cis- terns were to be built, to be walled with stone, to hold five hundred barrels each, and to cost $92 each. These cisterns seem to have been sufficient for the fire department until 1853,

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