Mostly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..

Mostly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.

It is odd that “Canada” was used in CHC but early Cumberland Times articles stated that the name came from the B&O’s “Canada Viaduct” that spans across North Cumberland as well as a reference to North Cumberland which was referred to as the Canada district.

The property on 400 Mechanic Street for the Canada fire building was donated by merchant John Witt and paid for by public subscription with the building being built in 1836 and chartered by the state in 1839.  When the CHC was incorporated in 1839 it was deemed more proper by the Maryland General Assembly to use the name “Cumberland Volunteer Hose Company”. 

To this day the names Cumberland Hose and Canada Hose Company is used interchangeably though the sign above the doors read Cumberland Hose Company.

The CHC was the oldest chartered volunteer fire and rescue company in the State.  Following the reorganization of the Canada Company on North Mechanic Street. 

Prior to 1871 there were no fire hydrants or pumping stations in Cumberland. The only possible source of water would have been accessing water from Wills Creek which was right behind the CHC.  Horse drawn fire engines of the day would have had to pump their own water from Wills Creek into their storage tank.  Of course there was always the infamous bucket brigade which spilled more water than it was worth. 

 Four years after the 1833 fire, the city purchased for them a “Gooseneck” nozzle which delivered streams of water with some accuracy into a burning structure.  Also provided were four ladders, three hooks, four axes and $30 (yes, $30) toward building a fire hall. 

 In 1850, a new engine from Putton and Company of Waterford, New York was purchased by the town corporation for the CHC. This engine officially was called the “Cumberland” but familiarly called as the “Dutch Chest” was later augmented from the same firm that was purchased by members of the company in 1882.

It is odd that “Canada” was used in CHC but early Cumberland Times articles stated that the name came from the B&O’s “Canada Viaduct” that spans across North Cumberland as well as a reference to North Cumberland which was referred to as the Canada district.

The property on 400 Mechanic Street for the Canada fire building was donated by merchant John Witt and paid for by public subscription with the building being built in 1836 and chartered by the state in 1839.  When the CHC was incorporated in 1839 it was deemed more proper by the Maryland General Assembly to use the name “Cumberland Volunteer Hose Company”. 

To this day the names Cumberland Hose and Canada Hose Company is used interchangeably though the sign above the doors read Cumberland Hose Company.

The CHC was the oldest chartered volunteer fire and rescue company in the State.  Following the reorganization of the Canada Company on North Mechanic Street. 

Prior to 1871 there were no fire hydrants or pumping stations in Cumberland. The only possible source of water would have been accessing water from Wills Creek which was right behind the CHC.  Horse drawn fire engines of the day would have had to pump their own water from Wills Creek into their storage tank.  Of course there was always the infamous bucket brigade which spilled more water than it was worth. 

 Four years after the 1833 fire, the city purchased for them a “Gooseneck” nozzle which delivered streams of water with some accuracy into a burning structure.  Also provided were four ladders, three hooks, four axes and $30 (yes, $30) toward building a fire hall. 

 In 1850, a new engine from Putton and Company of Waterford, New York was purchased by the town corporation for the CHC. This engine officially was called the “Cumberland” but familiarly called as the “Dutch Chest” was later augmented from the same firm that was purchased by members of the company in 1882.

When Cumberland Fire was slightly more Canadian

A brief history of the city’s oldest fire station building

The first fire company in Cumberland was established in 1830 and was named the Cumberland Fire Engine Company but was renamed in 1833 the Canada Hose Company – CHC.

In that year the infamous 1833 fire occurred in the downtown business district destroying 75 buildings.  Because both local newspapers were destroyed the Annapolis Gazette article reported that the fire damage to downtown Cumberland was $252,000 which today would be equal to $6,492,659.  

It is odd that “Canada” was used in CHC but early Cumberland Times articles stated that the name came from the B&O’s “Canada Viaduct” that spans across North Cumberland as well as a reference to North Cumberland which was referred to as the Canada district.   It is unknown why the name Canada was used.   

The CHC was not much of a company as it had minimal fire equipment.  Four years after the 1833 fire, the city purchased for them a “Gooseneck” nozzle which delivered streams of water with some accuracy into a burning structure.  Also provided were four ladders, three hooks, four axes and $30 (yes, $30) toward building a fire hall.  Members of the company met in a box shed of the Whither’s Tannery on Mechanic Street where the new engine was kept.

The property on 400 Mechanic Street for the Canada fire building was donated by merchant John Witt and paid for by public subscription with the building being built in 1836 and chartered by the state in 1839.  When the CHC was incorporated in 1839 it was deemed more proper by the Maryland General Assembly to use the name “Cumberland Volunteer Hose Company”.   To this day the names Cumberland Hose and Canada Hose Company is used interchangeably though the sign above the doors read Cumberland Hose Company.

The CHC was the oldest chartered volunteer fire and rescue company in the State.  Following the reorganization of the Canada Company on North Mechanic Street.  There were six other volunteer fire companies established here previous to first paid department in 1906.  Mountain Hose Company was organized in 1838, Pioneer Hose– Central Headquarters, the Vigilant Hose Company on Walsh alley off Washington St. in 1873, South Cumberland Engine and Hose Company in 1877 on Thomas St., the Friendship Hose Company No. 5 on Broadway Street in 1896 and the Chapel Hill Hose Company on Arch Street in 1897.

Slowly equipment began to be purchased for the Hose companies though there was little community interest or political will to invest in the service.  In 1850, a new engine from Putton and Company of Waterford, New York was purchased by the town corporation for the CHC. This engine officially was called the “Cumberland” but familiarly called as the “Dutch Chest” was later augmented from the same firm that was purchased by members of the company in 1882.

Prior to 1871 there were no fire hydrants or pumping stations in Cumberland. The only possible source of water would have been accessing water from Wills Creek which was right behind the CHC.  Horse drawn fire engines of the day would have had to pump their own water from Wills Creek into their storage tank.  Of course there was always the infamous bucket brigade which spilled more water than it was worth.  After 1871, the Hose companies were able to access water from fire hydrants supplied from the Municipal Water Pumping station located on Greene Street.  However due to a limited water pressure, buildings in higher locations such as upper Washington Street could not access the water.  In 1880, the Holly Company replaced their aging pump with a “compound condensing quadruplex pumping engine” of a capacity of three million gallons of water for twenty-four hours.   This more powerful engine allowed for a higher water pressure that could fully reach up Washington Street.  After the Municipal Pumping Station was closed  1911, water was obtained from Evitts Creek and stored at the Constitution Park reservoir which made water pressure no longer an issue.

According to a May 25, 1887 Times article a new volunteer fire company was reorganized and called the “Young Canada Fire Company”.  One of the devices used by the fire service was called a Hose Reel which can be seen displayed in the Allegany Museum exhibit.   On June 20, 1887 a volunteer was returning back from a fire on Valley Road when the cart he was rolling fell on his pelvis luckily not causing a serious injury.

Fireman training through competition has always been a priority for readiness and was conducted locally as well as regionally.  An 1876 article mentioned that there use to be cut throat competition between the nicknamed Mountaineers, Bloody Reds (Vigilant Hose) and the Canadas.  Each of Cumberland’s hose companies had their own fierce and loyal fan base.  

Sanborn Insurance Maps provide important information about a town or city and their fire control systems.  According to the Cumberland 1897 Sanford Map there were 16,000 inhabitants in this city.  Installed were 157 double hydrants linked by iron pipes capable of producing fire pressure of 100 lbs. per sq. inch.  Throughout the city there were 500 volunteer fire fighters of which five men were paid.  There was one steam Fire Engine drawn by two horses, five hose carts, five hose reels, one hook and ladder truck, 18 stations and a Gamewell System of Alarms.

For 50 years, the fireman generously lent out their second floor for a variety of community events such as religious services, political rallies, a military recruitment post, and various public assemblies.  A September 16, 1945 article written by a local North End resident explained that those who lived above the Viaduct at one time or another used the CHC second floor hall for dances, concerts or meetings.  It would seem logical then that these were the citizens who were served by the Hose Company firemen.  One of the primary uses was as a voting site.  One published story noted that Major William McKinley, before he was president, served as a Provost Marshal in the Union Army and used the hall as a headquarters where stragglers and disorderly solders were detained and taken to camp.  The building even served as a church until a congregation completed their own building.

In 1940, the City’s volunteer auxiliary police force began using the Canada building as a storage site and meeting hall. In 1946 there were 200 volunteers of which a rescue corps of 150 was to be organized in preparation of returning to its previous full scale operation.

The Force had to be relocated in 1987 as the structurally unsound building was in need of a complete renovation.  Part of the poor condition was as a result of numerous floods that inundated the building causing warped flooring which was later replaced by a cement floor.  After reconstruction which was paid for by government funds, the building was given to the Cumberland Neighborhood Housing Service Inc. (CNHS). Today, the building – the city’s oldest firehouse at 400 Mechanic Street – sits empty – a renovated and beautiful site with its future use constantly the topic of debate.

Allegany Magazine is a monthly glossy award winning lifestyles magazine covering the good life in Mountain Maryland and the people who live it. A Publication of The Cumberland Times-News

First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.