Holland: The Vigilant Fire-Engine. 421 



fire-fighting equipments were purchased by them, the latest being the 

 engine we have with us today. 



" This engine was built in 1850 by the then famous builder of hand- 

 engines, John Agnew, of Philadelphia, and was claimed to be the best 

 constructed and most highly finished engine ever turned out of his 

 shops. Alore than ten years afterwards, in the early sixties, it ap- 

 pears that this company supplanted it by a steam fire-engine, the first 

 ever brought to this city. The steam fire-engine was later trans- 

 ferred to the municipality when it took over the assets of the volun- 

 teer companies. The hand-engine was sold to Salem, Ohio. In the 

 course of time the people of Salem secured an improved engine. At 

 the time of the Centennial Celebration of Allegheny County they 

 brought, or sent, the Vigilant engine to Pittsburgh, where it was one 

 of the leading features of the exhibition. While here it was noticed 

 by a member of the Veteran Volunteer Firemen's Association of 

 Philadelphia, who was present, and by him it was quietly purchased 

 from the authorities of Salem, and at once spirited away to the 

 Quaker City. There the old boys had it repainted, and the iron-work 

 nickle-plated, and for more than three decades they in their old-time 

 uniforms with the engine attended many of the annual firemen's con- 

 ventions and tournaments, which were held throughout Pennsylvania, 

 New York, and New England. ' Time,' however, ' like an ever-rolling 

 stream, bears all its sons away,' and through the inexorable decree of 

 death, coupled with the infirmities incident to old age, the membership 

 of the firemen's organization in Philadelphia has been so reduced in 

 numbers that the remaining few decided to disband. While delib- 

 erating over their dissolution and considering what should be done 

 with their accumulated relics, in recognition of the fact that the 

 original home of the Vigilant engine was Pittsburgh, they unani- 

 mously agreed to tender it to the care and keeping of the firemen of 

 this city. The gracious tender was accepted and two of our oldest 

 firemen went on to Philadelphia and brought it here. Now we are all 

 of the undivided opinion that its proper place is in this famous 

 Museum, and to that end, as I have said, we have brought it here 

 with the request that you accept and place it in a position where to 

 the thousands of the future, as to those of the present, who come and 

 go, it will stand as a mute emblem of the means used in fighting fires 

 in the davs of vore."' 



