Fredericksburg, Virginia 1608-1908/12
CHAPTER XII.
Hotels of the Town, old and new — Agricultural Fairs — Ferries and Toll Bridges — Care of the Dependent Poor — City Water Works — City Gas Works — Electric Light — Telephone Company — Fire Department, &c.
Fredericksburg, from the time it was first chartered, found itself on the main line of travel from North to South and vice versa. For this reason it was the main point for stopping, if the traveller could reach it even by journeying a few hours after dark. As the post office department came into existence and the mail matter increased, the pony had to give way for the small vehicle, and the small vehicle for a larger one, and the larger one for the stage, and the one stage for two, three, four and five, for Fredericksburg was a great mail distributing office, and the travel to and fro, stopping in the town, became immense. This necessitated the construction and opening of inns, and so the town became famous for its many elegant hotels. This continued until broken up by the rapid transit of steamboats and railroads, where the travellers found floating palaces and moving cafes. They look not for the hotel in small towns—they have their dining cars of eatables and drinkables. But let us not forget the village hotel, our former friend "where we slaked our thirst, ate to the full," and where we lost ourselves in "balmy sleep, nature's kind restorer."
The old time hotels, which have passed out of the memory of the present generation, will no doubt prove one of the most interesting chapters of this historical sketch of the town. The ground upon which many of them stood is now bare or occupied by other buildings, and the names of many of their keepers have been lost to the town. A short reference to some of these public resorts will probably refresh the minds of the citizens of what was at one time one of the principal features of the town, and will introduce to the younger generation the names of these hotels and their keepers, so intimately associated with the "good old times." For most of these references we are indebted to the memory and pen of Mr. Wm. F. Farish, who died at Lanhams, Md., a few years since. He was born here eighty-four years ago and spent his boyhood days in the town.
Near the present opera house, on Main street, was a hotel and oyster house, kept by Mr. Thomas Curtis. This place was headquarters for the politicians, and it was there the merits and demerits of candidates were discussed and their success or defeat was determined upon. It was what would be called to-day the Tammany Hall of Fredericksburg. The beginning of the war was the end of this hotel, as it was destroyed during the shelling of the town in December, 1862.
The Rappahannock House was located on the east side of Main street, about half way between George and Hanover streets. It was kept by Thomas Goodwin. The name of this house was afterwards changed to the Shakespeare, and was conducted by a Mr. Parker. It was burned down soon after the close of the Civil War and store houses were built on the ground it occupied.
The Farmers' Hotel was situated on the west corner of Main and Hanover streets, and extended up Hanover street to Jail alley,. then known as Hay Scales alley. A part of this building is still standing on the corner of Hanover street and Jail Alley and is now owned and occupied by Mr. M. E. Ferrell, who has changed it into a residence. The main part of the building, on the corner of Main and Hanover streets, was burnt many years ago. In its stead a large, brick structure has recently been erected, called the Enterprise Building, the lower part of which is used for store and post office and the upper floors for a public hall, sleeping apartments and offices. This Farmers' Hotel was regarded as the leading hotel of the town in its day, and was headquarters for both stage lines— (afterwards Governor and Confederate General) William Smith's and Colonel Porter's. It was kept at different times by James Young, Wm. E. Bowen, Bowen and Ramsay, Turner H. Ramsay, Charles E. Tackett, Peter Goolrick and Daniel Bradford.
The Exchange Hotel, so well known and in operation to-day, on the south corner of Main and Hanover streets, was built in 1837 by Wm. D. Green. The brick work of this building, which was destroyed by fire in 1850, is said to have been the handsomest in the State. The front walls were of pressed brick, oil finished and were of a beautiful red. The first building had three stories and a hall for theatrical purposes, with an entrance on Hanover street. This hall was known as "Green's Assembly," and very fine companies occupied it, many of them for several nights in succession. The present three-story building was commenced soon after the first one was burnt, but was not fully completed until after the late Civil war. The Exchange was first opened by Mrs. Wm. D. Green and was succeeded by Mrs. Fenton Brooke Smith. Since the Civil War it has been conducted respectively by W. T. Freaner, Captain George Henry Peyton, Cadmus B. Luck, Cotton and Hills, H. B. Tuttle, John TJltz and W. L. Laughlin, who is the present landlord.
Just above the Exchange Hotel, on Hanover street, was the Eagle Hotel. It has recently been refitted for families and room renters and is known as the "Eagle Flats." The Eagle was very popular in its day and was a favorite stopping place for the farmers.
It had a very good patronage also from passengers on the two stage lines. No hotel has been kept there for many years. In its day it was conducted by James Newby, James Cunningham, Jesse Pullen, Wm. P. Quisenberry and Wm. H. Murphy.
The Alhambra, on Main street, just below the Exchange Hotel, was first kept by James Timberlake, who was succeeded by Samuel Stone, and he by Charles F. Barlosius. After the death of Mr. Barlosius, several years ago, the house was repaired and remodelled by Capt. Thomas P. Wallace and leased to John W. Allison, Jr., who conducted it some time as the Alsonia. Some years ago it was purchased by Mr. Michael Long, who conducted it until his death. It is now a restaurant.
On the south corner of Main and Charlotte streets stood the Indian Queen Hotel. This was a fine, old building, erected probably in colonial times for a hotel, with a porch the entire length of the building, with colonnade. It was the favorite stopping place for members of Congress and other travellers going to and from Washington. The first proprietor of the Indian Queen, in the memory of our oldest inhabitant, was Jacob Herndon. He was succeeded by James Young, John Gray, Robert Blackburn and Mr. Rawlings. The last to occupy it was a Mr. Whiting, and during his occupancy, in May 1832, the building was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt. The lot to this large building extended to Princess Anne street, and the stage yard and stables were located where the Southern Foundry now stands. It was in this building that the statute of religious liberty was considered, adopted and written, and it is a matter of great regret that the house was destroyed.
The committee that produced this wonderful document, which is given elsewhere, was composed of Thomas Jefferson, George Wythe, Archibald Cary, George Mason and Ludwell Lee. On the south corner of Main and Frederick streets stood Traveller's Rest, a tavern of considerable notoriety and popularity, kept by Jesse Pullen. It was headquarters for all circuses and manageries, and was frequented by large numbers of laboring men after their day's toil was over. Here were talked politics and the general topics of the day by the ward politicians, and where they laid schemes to carry elections. The house was destroyed some years before the Civil War and the lot remained vacant for nearly sixty years.
The Western Hotel was located at the corner of Commerce and Charles streets, where Mr. Robert T. Knox and Brother keep store. It was a frame building, and the business was conducted first by Thomas Procter, then by Walker Lucas, who was succeeded by Mr. Joseph Sanford. Mr. Sanford, some years before the war, tore the old frame building down and erected the present three and a half story brick structure and changed its name to the Planters' Hotel. During the Civil War it was conducted by Mr. Councellor Cole, and a short time after the war by a Mr. Mitzell. Since then it has not been kept as a hotel.
Liberty Hotel was located on Liberty street, then outside of the corporate limits, but now a part of the town. For many years it was kept by Boswell Alsop and was headquarters for the sporting men of the town. General Sam Houston, after his return from frontier life, spent much of his time at this hotel, and quite a number of the leading men of the South, on their journeys to and from Washington, made it their stopping place. It is an old fashioned frame house, one story and a half high, of the same style of architecture as the Mary Washington house, and shows that both of them were built about the same time.
AGRICULTURAL FAIRS.
We have no means of ascertaining where the fairs previously referred to were held or how long they were continued under the act of 1769, or any similar act that might have been passed by the Legislature after Virginia became a State. In the first of the nineteenth century an agricultural fair was held on the Kenmore farm, near the Kenmore building. The gate leading to the grounds was on Lewis street, where it intersects with Winchester street. The stock was exhibited on the fair grounds and the ladies' department was kept on the upper floor of the present city hall.
At one time Mr. Samuel Gordon, then proprietor of Kenmore, was president of the association, who was succeeded by Hon. James M. Garnett, of Essex county. It was the custom of this association to have an address by the president on the first night of the exhibition on agriculture and stock raising, which was one of the main features of the fair, and drew together a large number of farmers and others to hear it.
A silver cup, awarded to Mr. Jacob Gore for the best wheat fan exhibited at one of these fairs, is now in possession of Police Ofiicer Charles A. Gore, a grandson of Mr. Jacob Gore. It is in a good state of preservation, the inscription on it being "Presented by the Fredericksburg Agricultural Society, 1823." On the left of the inscription is a wheat fan, beautifully engraved, near which is the letter J, which stands for Jacob, and on the right is another fan, near which is the letter G, standing for Gore. We do not know when these annual fairs ceased.
About the year 1850, possibly a little earlier, fair grounds were laid out on Green House Hill, covering most of that part of the town where Prof. A. B. Bowering now lives. A Mr. White, of Caroline county, was the first president, Mr. W. N. Wellford succeeding him to that ofiice.
The first steam engine for threshing wheat ever seen in this country was exhibited at one of these fairs by the Hope Foundry, of this place, then operated by Messrs. Scott and Herndon. It was constructed by Mr. Benjamin Bowering, foreman of the works. A committee of farmers was appointed to examine it and report upon its merits. After witnessing its work the committee condemned it, because "it would burn all the wheat up." Fairs were held on these grounds about three years.
A year or so after the Green House Hill fair grounds were closed, the grounds on which Major W. S. Embrey now lives and those in front of him for some distance east of Spotswood street were purchased and converted into fair grounds. Very successful fairs were held there until the commencement of the Civil War, when they were closed. The last fair held on these grounds was in 1860, only a few months before hostilities actually commenced. At one time Major J. Horace Lacy was president of this society and Major J. Harrison Kelly was secretary.
After the closing of the fair grounds, in 1860, Fredericksburg had no other fair for twenty-five years. In 1887 steps were taken by the citizens of the town to inaugurate annual fairs. A charter for a society was obtained, stock was subscribed for and the Amaret farm, on the Fall Hill road west of the town and bordering on the Rappahannock river, was purchased and converted into excellent fair grounds. The society inaugurating these fairs is known as the Rappahannock Valley Agricultural and Mechanical Society, and its annual fairs have been a great success. The presidents of the society from its organization have been Hon. A. P. Rowe, of Fredericksburg; Charles Pierson, Esq., of Caroline county; Hon. Spotswood Wellford Corbin, of King George county; Mr. Oliver Eastburn, of Spotsylvania county; Frank W. Smith, of Spotsylvania county; Captain Terence McCracken, of Fredericksburg; Colonel E. Dorsey Cole, of Fredericksburg; Capt. M. B. Rowe, of Spotsylvania; Chas. H. Hurkamp, of Stafford; Henry Dannchl, of Fredericksburg, and Thomas F. Morrison, of Spotsylvania.
FERRIES AND TOLL BRIDGES.
The first ferry across the Rappahannock river, provided by law, was an act of the House of Burgesses passed in 1748. This act provided for a ferry from the Fredericksburg warehouse, where the tobacco was deposited and inspected by public, bonded inspectors, to the land of Anthony Strother, on the Stafford side of the river. The charge for a horse, which seems to have been the only one regulated by law, was fixed at three pence. In the year 1796 a petition was presented to the General Assembly of Virginia for leave to build a toll-bridge across the Rappahannock river from the lower line of the land of William Fitzhugh, of Chatham. The Legislature granted the request and Mr. Fitzhugh built the bridge, which was kept open for the public travel as a toll-bridge until 1889.
This bridge has been destroyed several times, some times by floods and at other times by fire, and has been rebuilt, but the dates of its destruction have passed from the minds of our oldest citizens. The only dates that can be given, with anything like accuracy, are, that in 1820 it was destroyed by a great flood, in 1861 by fire, in accordance with military orders, and in 1889 by another great flood. In 1890 the city purchased the site and constructed the present iron bridge, which is about one thousand feet long. On its completion it was opened to free travel and has been continued such to the present time. It was at first a toll-bridge and owned by private parties for nearly a century, and yet so far as we can discover there have been but three owners up to the time it was purchased by the city. These three were William Fitzhugh, Esq., Judge John Coulter and Charles S. Scott.
Near the beginning of the nineteenth century a covered bridge spanned the river at the foot of Wolfe street, landing on the farm on the opposite side of the Rappahannock. The farm was then owned by a Mr. Thompson. No one knows when this bridge was built or to whom it belonged. It was known as the Stafford bridge, as the one above it was known as the Chatham bridge, until it was purchased by Mr. Scott, after which it was known as Scott's bridge. The two bridges were destroyed in the flood of 1820 and the Stafford bridge was never rebuilt.
CARE OF THE DEPENDENT POOR.
The first move made by the Common Council, or any other town organization, to provide for the dependent poor of the town was on the 25th of January, 1805, when the hustings court appointed five commissioners—Elisha Thatcher, James Smock, Wm. Benson, Benjamin Botts and Wm. Taylor—to "enquire into the probable and comparative expense of erecting or renting a poor and work house for the reception of the poor of the corporation, and ascertain the probable salary of a steward for such poor and work house and the annual expense of supporting the same."
These commissioners were empowered to receive propositions from persons desiring to rent suitable houses for the purpose, and to ascertain who would be willing to act as steward and report at the next session of the court. The report was submitted at the March term of the court and was approved and filed; when another commission was appointed, with Dr. George French as chairman, to "rent a house for a term of one or more years," at a cost not exceeding fifty pounds, and John F. Gaullier was appointed steward of the poor and work house.
The steward was to be "allowed a salary at the rate of one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, with two rooms and so much provisions as may be necessary for himself and family," which should not exceed three in number. He was to be at his post at all times to receive the poor into the poor and work house, to "treat them with tenderness and humanity, but at the same time to make them work." For the better government of the institution five inspectors were appointed by the court, consisting of George French, from the lower end of the town to Wolfe street; James Brown, from Wolfe to Hanover street; James Smock, from Hanover to William street; Stephen Winchester, from William to Lewis street, and Wm. Taylor, from Lewis street to the upper end of town. From the record it appears that John Minor was appointed inspector for the town at large.
The inspectors were instructed to place all the poor in the poor and work house and to "advertise a request to the inhabitants to assist no poor person residing in town, lest imposition and idleness be encouraged." This manner of providing for the poor seems to have been continued to the beginning of the Civil War, and, in addition to looking after the steward and the inmates of the poor and work house, the inspectors (more frequently recorded overseers of the poor), were to bind out all orphans who had no one to look after and provide for them.
It is not stated in what part of the town the first poor house was located, but for many years before the Civil War it was located on the Lang property, near Gunnery spring, and afterwards the poor were quartered in a brick house near the western limit of Princess Elizabeth street, which was rented for the purpose and which is now owned by the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company.
After the war, for about eighteen years, the poor were maintained at the private houses, with such families as would agree to take them. In some instances the town paid rent for the houses for the families who would take one of the poor, and in others a stipulated amount per month for their maintenance. This manner of providing for the poor caused much complaint, both from the city and its dependents. The city authorities charged that the cost per capita was entirely too much, running annually in the aggregate from two to three thousand dollars, and the poor complained that they were neglected in both food and clothing.
But the overseer of the poor (the number having been reduced from five to one under the city ordinances) aided and assisted by a committee of three from the Common Council, could do no better with the facilities at his disposal, and while the subject continued to be discussed the Council had been slow in making any change.
This inaction, however, was not because the citizens did not favor providing better methods for taking care of the poor, because the public favored it, and the necessity was recognized, but because no member felt willing to take the lead in such a movement.
In the Fall of 1882 a case, of small pox broke out in town, and, strange as it may appear, it caused the erection of the present almshouse. The small pox case occurred near the corner of Princess Anne and Frederick streets. The citizens in that part of the town became greatly alarmed and a stampede was threatened. An extra session of the Common Council was called in haste, to make arrangements for the removal of the patient (a colored man) to some isolated place. The Council met and discussed the matter, but it was found that there was no place to which he could be moved. The town owned no land where a temporary hospital could be erected, and land owners declined to rent to the city, for spreading a tent or for erecting a temporary hospital.
In this condition of things the economy of having an almshouse, in which to keep the poor, entered very largely into the discussion, and the result was the farm and residence of Mr. Frank Beckwith, on the hill about half a mile west of the town, was purchased for seventeen hundred dollars. The small pox patient, to the great delight of the citizens in the lower end of town, was at once sent to that place and the excitement subsided.
The following year the residence on the farm was greatly enlarged and a commodious department for the colored poor was built, under the direction of the Committee on Poor of the Common Council, consisting of Messrs. S. J. Quinn, E. D. Cole and M. B. Rowe, and the dependent poor of the town were sent to "Mount Nebo," which was the name given to the place, because of its commanding position and the splendid view of the town and surrounding country from that point.
Since the poor have been kept at the almshouse they are better provided for and are better satisfied, besides they are more comfortable than under the former system, and the expense of maintaining them has been reduced fully one-half. Mr. Albert Hooton, who was overseer of the poor of the town prior to the erection of the almshouse, was the first superintendent of the institution. Mr. Hooton died on the 23rd of November, 1897, and Mr. John Wesley Ball was elected to the vacancy and is now serving. Mr. A. Mason Garner is chairman of the committee of the Council having the almshouse in charge, and while it is conducted on economical principles, the poor are well provided for, in both food and clothing.
WATER WORKS.
For more than one hundred years after the charter by the House of Burgesses the town was without water works of any description. About the year 1832 a private company constructed the Poplar Springs Water Works, which distributed through the principal streets of the town the elegant water from Poplar springs, located on the Plank road, half a mile west of the city. About ten years afterwards the Smith spring was added, which increased the supply. But notwithstanding the addition of the Smith spring the supply was very inadequate; yet for more than half a century these springs, together with street pumps, furnished the only supply the town had. The works were constructed by a Northern contractor, whose name is not remembered, and are yet operated.
Since the Civil War these works were under the superintendency of Captain Joseph W. Sener, until his death, in 1889, since which time Mr. Robert Lee Stoffregen has been superintendent.
The inadequacy of the water supply for domestic and manufacturing purposes, and the great necessity for fire protection, were subjects for the consideration of the Common Council for many years, without definite action. On several occasions committees were instructed to have surveys and estimates made for a system of water works, which were done and recommendations had been made by some of the committees that works should be constructed, but the Council in each case had failed to act upon them. As a case of small pox contributed to the erection of a long-needed almshouse, so a fire, that threatened the town with destruction, showing the authorities how helpless they were when confronted by flames, contributed to the construction of water works.
The fire occurred in rear of George E. Chancellor's store in 1883, at the corner of Charles and Commerce streets, now conducted by M. S. Chancellor, and while it was confined to the premises and did but little damage, it threatened to be a serious conflagration. There was no fire department in town and no water to supply an engine, if one was sent from Richmond. This aroused the authorities and the people generally, whose property was constantly threatened with destruction, and at the next meeting of the Council a plan was adopted for "an abundant supply of water for all purposes, including fire protection," which was submitted to a vote of the citizens for their approval or disapproval.
The plan submitted was adopted at the ballot-box by a large majority, and a special committee of the Council was appointed to carry out the will of the people, thus expressed, and construct the works, consisting of Messrs. S. J. Quinn, James S. Knox, Charles E. Hunter, Terence McCracken and Wm. E. Bradley. After arranging the necessary preliminaries the committee contracted with Colonel Wm. W. Taylor, of Philadelphia, who constructed the works and turned them over to the committee in the latter part of February, 1885, at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars, Mr. Benjamin Bowering having been appointed by the committee to superintend the laying of pipe, setting of the pump, etc.
The introduction of water into the buildings, the extension of water mains, the changing of the old for newly-patented fire hydrants, and the erection of additional fire hydrants since the works have been in possession of the town, together with additional pumps and steam engine and boiler, have increased the cost of the works to about fifty thousand dollars. At present there are about eighteeen miles of pipe, ranging in size from eight inches to one inch, and seventy-two fire hydrants. These hydrants are so located that they protect from fire all the property of the town.
The reservoir pressure is from fifty to fifty-six pounds to the square inch, according to draught, which is sufficient to throw streams of water over any of our ordinary buildings. The pressure, by the use of the pump, can be raised to one hundred pounds to the square inch.
The water is taken from the Rappahannock river, which is known to furnish the softest and purest of water, the analysis showing that it is free from any foreign substance, and the reservoirs are so well arranged that the citizens are seldom served with water that is the least discolored. The works are under the control of a committee of the Common Council and a superintendent. Since their construction they have been under the superintendency of Captain S. J. Quinn, and they are in good condition and a paying investment to the city, at a comparative small cost to the consumers. The present water committee
consists of Josiah P. Rowe, H. B. Lane and A. M. Garner.
THE OLD GAS WORKS.
The old gas works of the town were constructed by a private company in 1843-44, at a cost, it is said, of about forty thousand dollars. The works have changed hands several times since their completion, it being a private company, and most of the stock holders residents of Philadelphia. In consequence of the wear and tear of the works, and the erection of an electric plant in town some twelve years ago, which secured the contract for lighting the streets, the stock of the gas company depreciated very much in value, and an effort was made on the part of the town to purchase the works.
For this purpose a special committee was appointed by the Common Council, consisting of Messrs. Wm. I. King, M. G. Willis, James S. Knox, Wm. E. Bradley and John T. Knight. They entered into negotiations with the officers of the company and finally purchased the works at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. Since their purchase the works have been placed in good repair and the mains have been extended in many parts of the town where they did not before run. There were about nine miles of pipe, but it was claimed by many who had examined the works that the plant was too small to supply the town, and there was much complaint of "no gas" on the part of the consumers, but it was then fashionable to complain against the city even if you were getting what you wanted, and so the matter went on until the "spirit of improvement" struck the town and estimates for a new gas plant were ordered, and before many months passed it was decided that the old works must be abandoned and a new plant constructed on a new site. And so the work of construction commenced and went forward with great rapidity. After the new plant was completed, and had been in running order for some time, the superintendent was asked for an article on the works for this volume, and he remarked that during the latter part of the year 1904 it became obvious that the old gas plant, which had been supplying the city with gas for fifty years, had gone beyond repair, and that for the sake of economy it would be necessary to erect a new plant. With this end in view a plot of ground was selected near the railroad depot and alongside the right-of-way of the railroad, and here the new works were built. Mr. Frederic Egner, an eminent gas engineer, was selected to draw the plans and engineer the construction.
Early in May, 1905, ground was broken and work progressed rapidly, and on the 25th of November the first gas was made in the new plant, and by the 28th everything was working smoothly and the old plant was abandoned. The plant is what is known as a coal gas works, using soft coal for manufacturing the gas. The manufacturing end of the plant consists of two benches of inclined retorts, four to the bench, with half depths regenerative furnaces, and has a manufacturing capacity of 100,000 cubic feet of gas each day of twenty-four hours.
Our plant is one of the most modern in the country, and no small plant now built surpasses it. Mr. Wm. Fitzpatrick, who had faithfully served the city as superintendent of the old plant for many years, retired upon the completion of the new plant and Mr. B. F. Bullock was made superintendent. Gas is $1.00 per thousand, and Mr. John C. Melville is chairman of the committee.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.
Fredericksburg was rather tardy in obtaining an electric light plant for street lighting, either through a private company or by city purchase. While the propriety of constructing a plant by the town was under consideration by the citizens, and often before the Council, application was made by a private company to erect one and the privilege was at once granted. In 1887 a plant of the Thompson-Houston system was erected by a Mr. NcNett. Soon after its construction Mr. McNett formed a company, many of whose members were citizens of the town. It has been purchased by others and is now the Rappahannock Light Co., with some changes. It has furnished the town with arc lights for the streets and many of the buildings with incandescent lights. The dynamo and power house were first located at Knox's mill, above town, but afterwards removed above the Bridge Water mills, where they are at present.
THE CITY'S ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.
The town authorities, concluding that our streets could be lighted better and at less cost if they had a plant of their own, arranged and purchased an outfit of machinery, wired the town and now have some seventy-five lights running. Those who opposed the city owning its own light before the plant was constructed have now changed their minds, not only as to the constancy and brilliancy of the light, but also of the cost of lighting the streets. The plant is located between the silk and woolen mills and is in charge of the Light Committee, Mr. Wm. Key Howard, superintendent.
TELEPHONE COMPANY.
In 1895 the Occoquan Woodbridge Telephone Company was organized in Fredericksburg by a Mr. Abner, of Occoquan, and a telephone line was erected. At first the undertaking did not appear to be popular and the company received very little encouragement. After the construction of the line the company, beginning with a small number of subscribers, grew rapidly in public favor and were soon enjoying a liberal patronage.
In 1897 all the property, rights and franchises were purchased by a few of our enterprising citizens, who organized and changed the name of the company to the Rappahannock, Fredericksburg and Piedmont Telephone Company; but subsequently the Bell Company extended their line through Fredericksburg to the South and the local company sold out to the Bell. The service, at first defective, was placed in splendid condition, and the service now equals that of the most favored towns and cities. Since the construction of the Bell line the town has become the center of many private country lines, which place the citizens in communication with all contiguous communities as well as with the cities of the country. The present manager of the local office is W. T. Jones.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
More than a hundred years ago Fredericksburg had an organized fire department, and from reports, which, however, were seldom made, was sufficient in extinguishing fires. In the early part of the eighteenth century, when the town was built up mostly of wooden houses, with wooden chimneys, and the water was scarce and inaccessible, several fires occurred that spread over considerable territory and did great damage, but even in those instances, although the winds were high, the department did much to retard the progress of the fires and finally got them under control.
The first fire company organized in town was known as the Vigilant. It was organized in 1788 and the names of its members were certified to the hustings court and filed with the court papers, but their names were not placed on the record. How long this company remained in existence is not known, but in 1814 the Hope Company was organized, which was soon followed by the formation of the Union. It is not known who commanded these companies when they were first organized, but we are told that long before the middle of the century the Hope was commanded by Charles C. Wellford and afterwards by John Pritchard, and the Union, about the same time, was commanded by Albert G. Lucas, who was succeeded by John M. Whittemore.
These fire companies had suction and force engines and got water from the river, street pumps, and sometimes from the canal west of the town, after it was constructed, using the source most convenient, and did effective work. It is said the rivalry between these organizations was very great, the excitement in times of fires was intense, and often disputes would arise between the members as to which company did the most effective work, which often resulted in blows. When they were in their prime fires were frequent. Scarcely a week passed that a fire did not occur, and often two or three would take place inside of a week. Then there was a grand rush to see which company could get the first stream of water on the fire.
The frequent fires soon led to the suspicion that some of the firemen originated and were responsible for many of them, and, strange to say, the disbandment of the companies was encouraged by the property owners of the town, as a means of preventing fires and saving property. They were disbanded before the Civil War, and since that time, until the year 1885, the town was without a fire department, and was without any means of contending with the flames, save the feeble efforts of citizens in what was styled "the bucket brigade." This name was applied to the large number of citizens, who, in times of fire, carried water in buckets to extinguish it, and used "wet blankets" to prevent the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings.
In 1885, after the completion of the present city water works, a new fire department was organized, with thirty-three, members, with Captain Terence McCracken as chief. This organization is very efficient, and has on several occasions saved the town from sweeping conflagrations. The department is now under the command of John H. Robinson, as chief, and consists of twenty-two members, all of whom render faithful and efficient service without compensation.