Weekly Features

Historically Speaking

WABASH ADDITION OF WEST UNION HOUSEFIRE  

100 YRS. AGO

BRIDGE OVER MIDDLE ISLAND CREEK TO 

WABASH ADDITION

   Henry Reed was the 24-year-old son of William and Rachel Lowther Reed.  He married the attractive daughter of Elisha and Pearley America Vincent, Miss Lula Idell Vincent, on July 8, 1917 here in Doddridge County and at the time of the housefire, they had 3 young children, Amos who was 3, and twins, Kenneth, and Annie, who were less than a year old. 

He served honorably in the Brest Casual Company No. 215 B & C MEN, Co. E. 1st Army Hdqrs. where he served in Brest, France. He returned home on Jan 19, 1919. 

    On Friday, March 10, 1921, tragedy struck at their rented home located in the Wabash Addition on High Street. It happened about 7:30 in the evening. 

Word reached the main part of the town by way of telephone that there was a house, but nobody knew whose house it was or where in town it was even located.

   This resulted in several townspeople driving around looking for the fire.  Finally, it was ascertained that the house that was on fire was indeed the Henry Reed home. 

    At first it looked like the fire was the result of a burning brush pile that was near the house for all that could be seen was the rising of smoke with no apparent cause for it.

    Oddly enough, on closer inspection, it was discovered that all the blinds were pulled down and the fire had been kept smothered in.  It was several minutes before the windows dropped out and the flames licked their way to the roof.  Owing to the rain that evening and the way it was smothered in, the world inside part of the cottage was afire before anyone could get to it.  The house was a complete loss.

   The good news was that everyone living at that house was alive and unharmed.

   Due to the questionable circumstances of the fire, Mr. Reed was taken into custody and brought to the county jail.  It was then obvious to young Henry that most of those who gathered there believed that he had started the fire.

   The newspaper stated that he was given the “lunacy” (their words, not mine) the following day by the proper officials.  He was determined to be of sane mind. 

   The officials decided to continue the proceedings on the following Wednesday. Henry Reed was found not to be guilty of any wrongdoing that might have contributed to the housefire that night.

   Henry Reed was a good soldier, a good father, and good husband to his wife, Lulu.

    Henry died on February 22, 1979 at Clarksburg, Harrison County, WV. Lulu Vincent Reed died nearly 3 years later on December 23, 1981. 

   Firemen through the ages have offered their lives to save others and to prevent the destruction of homes and in some cases, whole city blocks.

    So, the next time you hear the shrill sound of a fire engine racing along to a local blaze, give a thought to the life-threatening events that often transpire during the fierce battle to extinguish the flames.

   Today our firefighters are geared up with life-saving clothing and equipment that help them in their great efforts and it still does not guarantee their safety.  We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our firemen and women and should never forget that.

HORSE DRAWN FIRE WAGON

Imagine for a moment how it must have been in those early days of American firefighting, they had those beautiful red fire wagons pulled by horses and large number of courageous volunteers.

An entire town would turn out for a fire during Colonial times, everyone shouting the alarm to his neighbor who, likely as not, was already shouting the news to the next house.

What a sight it must to have been to behold. The heavy engine was dragged through the streets; men appeared with axes, chains, ropes, buckets, saws, and other tools which might be handy; animals squealed and bellowed, while impossible numbers of boys scurried about vying with one another to be most in the way.

  Even with their most valiant efforts, it was not surprising that the fire was often not extinguished- especially if it had made any headway at all.

It might come as some surprise to learn that fire engines were originally used around the 2nd century B.C. They were based on a Greek mechanic’s invention of the force pump and, though ingeniously designed, it had a bad habit of falling apart when it was needed the most.

   During the Middle Ages, there was at least variety in the methods of firefighting, if not much practicality. At that time, men alternated between an old standby, the bucket brigade, and the latest innovations: hand squirts and syringes.

   A complete set of firefighting equipment of the 16th century consisted of a squirt, 3 buckets, a sledgehammer and 2 fire hooks for pulling down burning roofs. 

   However, in the late 16th century, a sturdier fire pump was introduced with moderate success. An engine of the time consisted of a pump mounted in a tub of water on a sledge. The pump handle was worked by 2 men; a 3rd directed the feeble stream of water issuing from a tube, while the 4th member of the team replenished the water in the tub with a bucket.

   By the 1860s, American hand-pumpers were a lot more efficient. But, because of the lack of dependable water supplies, it was often necessary to line the engines up so they could pump water to one another in a kind of mechanized water bucket relay. One 19th century fire in NYC required 23 such engines to be connected with more than a mile of hose in order to produce a single stream of water.

   To the beloved hand-pumper, time added the steam pumper, drawn by horses, which could throw 750 gallons of water a minute – and finally the efficient gasoline or diesel engines and pumps that we are familiar with today.

   While firefighting has come a long way through the ages, one truth hasn’t changed since the dawn of history. Now, as then, the best way to fight a fire is to prevent it from happening in the first place. And, that my friend, is everybody’s responsibility.  

   Did you know that every 24 seconds a fire department in the USA responds to a fire?

   Here are a few tips to help prevent a fire in your home:

•      Never leaves food unattended while cooking.

• Make sure to keep your dryer filter clean and do an annual or regular check of the vents.

• Beware of leaving lights on in your home when you aren’t there.

• If you have a chimney, be sure and have it cleaned frequently.

• Inspect your electrical wiring.

• Use caution with electrical and extension cords.

• Consider using battery candles instead of real flamed ones.

• Use caution when using space heaters. Follow manufacturer’s directions.

• Make sure your home is equipped with smoke alarms and check the batteries frequently.

   If you do your part in helping to prevent house fires, they do their part, should the fire come to your door. As they did at this well fire in our county.

God Bess and Stay Well

Patricia Harris

D.C. Historical Society