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1913
This town having been visited by three disastrous fires within a year, the first at A.H. Uhler destroying his barn and other out buildings on May 11, 1912, putting the whole upper end of the town in jeopardy, one on March 22, 1913 destroying a fine residence belonging to Messrs. Heise and Currie with other out buildings. . . . It was deemed advisable by the citizens of this community to organize a Volunteer Fire Company, and for this purpose a mass meeting was held in Landstreet Hall on May 9, 1913 presided over by Prof. H.H. Murphy at which time it was decided to hold a picnic and supper in order to raise funds to start said Fire Company. At this meeting a committee of the following ladies Mrs. S.S. Yingling, Mrs. Jas. Gore and Mrs. J.M. Currie were appointed to take the charge of and conduct the picnic and supper which was held May 30, 1913 in the grove on Chatswoth Ave. and which proved a grand social and financial success, there was raised the sum of $412.29 which is now held by the treas. H.H. Russell deposited in the Reisterstown Savings Bank subject to the order of the community. There were elected that day the following temporary officers, S.S. Yingling President H.H. Russell Treasurer and W.I. Stevenson Secretary who’s duty it was to co-operate with the ladies in the settlement of the affairs of the picnic and as soon there after as possible to call a public meeting for the purpose of announcing the financial result of the picnic also organize a Volunteer Fire Company and elect permanent officer for the same, and here we are now assembled to attend to these duties.
Proved and read W.I. Stevenson Secretary”
The Preceding Quotation appeared in the original minutes of the Reisterstown Volunteer Fire Company. The A. H. Uhler referred to operated a feed store at the present location of the Stebbins Anderson hardware at 43 Main Street, and was the second president of the fire company. The Russell residence was at 23 Hanover Road and was occupied by Mrs. Annie Heise and her family. The double stable mentioned was situated at 227 Main Street, just south of the present residence of Mr. And Mrs. August Heise. At this fire a bucket brigade, including several women, was formed to bring water from a well on Harry Gore’s property across Main Street. The Glyndon Fire Company assisted at all of these fires with there hand drawn, hand operated equipment. It is interesting to note that Messr. Heise, Currie and Uhler all became charter members of the fire company.
Landstreet Hall was in the Franklin High School building and Professor Murphy was the Principal of the High school at the time. The grove where the picnic was held is now the property of the fire company and the site of the annual carnival.
The meeting held on June 11, 1913 was the beginning of the Reisterstown Volunteer Fire Company. During this meeting permanent officers were elected:
S. S. Yingling-President
Arthur H. Uhler-First Vice President
Walter Tovell-Second Vice President
B. H. Gorsuch-Third Vice President
J. M. Currie-Secretary
H. H. Russell- Treasurer
“Volunteers to act as fireman were called for and promptly handed in their names: J. V. Brown, George H. Stevenson, Harry E. Fox, Joseph Shaeffer, Wm. E. Peregoy, Martin Smith, Harry Demoss, Kephart Pfeffer, Jeff D. Fisher, Geo. H. Gillman, Clarence Baseman, George Jessop, Oliver Shaefer, Joseph Eline, Wm. I. Stevenson, Reuben Berryman, Wm. Lentzner, Rev. Geo. Hazel, Jno. C. Logsdon, Edward Heise, Jno. W. Devese Sr, David Berryman, Wilbur Kelly, Elmer Marshall, Wm. Mettam, August Heise, Wm. Ruley, Raymond Russell, Russell Thomas, Ed Caron, Ray Rau”
On June 23, two weeks after the first meeting, a second meeting was held in Russell’s Hall at 23 Main Street. It was then that the following men were enrolled as “Volunteers”: Chas. Bruehl, Harry Russell, Arthur Berryman, Lee Hobbs, Wm. Russell, Thos. Poe, Geo. Henry, F. G. Yingling, Ed Shugars, Frank Shugars, Wm. Uhler, Neal Brown, Elmer Jonhson, Dr. F. Miller, Edwin Mowbray, W. A. Cole, Oscar Gorsuch, Frank Shriver, Morris Stunpf, Carl Dannenberg, Marion Michael, and H. Mathias.
These two groups of “volunteers” compromise the charter members of the Reisterstown Volunteer Fire Company.
It was agreed to hold the meeting of that date under the rules in practice by the Glyndon Volunteer Fire Company. W. I. Stevenson was elected chief and Joseph Shaeffer assistant chief. Committees were appointed to approach the Baltimore County Commissioners for a contribution towards acquiring fire apparatus and to solicit the school board to gain use of the unused Franklin Academy building.
“It was decided to appeal to the citizens of Reisterstown and surrounding country for fund to purchase an up to date fire fighting apparatus, same to be an automobile truck”. Subscriptions were raised for $1307 from Reisterstown and $85 from Owings Mills. Owings Mills did not have a fire company at the time.
The next meeting was held on July 13, 1913, during which a constitution and by-laws patterned after those of the Glyndon Volunteer Fire Company were adopted. It was decided that the name of the company would be “ Reisterstown Fire Company #1 of Reisterstown”.
The first equipment secured was a Challenge hand pump, 250 feet of 1 ½” hose, thirty feet of 2” hose, eighteen rubber buckets, one roof ladder, two hooks, and a three gallon hand operated chemical tank. The total cost was $285.39. It was kept in Uhler’s barn and fireman were summoned by means of the bell in the town clock on Goodwin’s hall which was rung by hand. Some very effective work was done with this equipment during the following year.
During the next several months there was considerable discussion regarding the purchase of a fire truck and the Franklin Academy building. Several visits were made to the county commissioners in an attempt to get funds.
The company joined the Baltimore County Volunteer Fireman’s association in April 1914. On May 8, 1914 it was decided to cancel all plans to purchase the Franklin Academy building because of its location and the expense of remodeling it. There was disagreement as to an “uptown or downtown” location.
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