Fire Department. 259 



the private subscription the town paid $100 for a suction appara- 

 tus and 840 for a hose carriage, and built a new engine-house 

 which cost $185.75. 



Sept. 13, 1826, there was a grand parade of the Fire Companies 

 of Hingham with their engines, for exercise and practice. This 

 was the first exhibition of fire companies in Hingham. 



At a town-meeting Nov. 14, 1843, an article in the warrant, 

 " Will the town adopt any measures for the formation of regular 

 companies for the several engines in town ? " was referred to a 

 committee, which reported at a meeting Nov. 27, 1843, as follows : 

 " Your Committee recommend that companies consisting of 20 

 members each be raised and attached to engines No. 1, ' Prece- 

 dent ; ' No. 2, ' Centre ; ' No. 3, ' Torrent ; ' and No. 4, k Con- 

 stitution ; ' and a company of 40 members for Engine No. 5, 

 'Hingham;' and that individuals composing said companies 

 be allowed the amount of their poll tax." Companies were very 

 soon formed for the several engines. 



At the annual town meeting in 1846, a committee was chosen 

 to see what could be done to secure better protection to the 

 property of the town from fire. This committee reported at the 

 April meeting, recommending that the town purchase four new 

 suction engines, one to be the " Hingham, No. 5," if satisfactory 

 arrangements could be made with the proprietors. This the town 

 voted to do, and appointed a committee to purchase the engines, 

 stipulating that they should be all alike, to avoid rivalry. This 

 committee purchased the " Hingham " of its proprietors, and 

 three new ones of Hunneman & Co. The " Hingham" remained 

 at the harbor, and was called No. 1. No. 2 was stationed at West 

 Hingham, and like the former one was named " Torrent." No. 3 

 was stationed at Hingham Centre, and named " Niagara," and 

 No. 4 was stationed at South Hingham, and named for her prede- 

 cessor, kt Constitution." These engines were manned by volun- 

 teer companies, without pay, and the fire department has been 

 so made up to the present time. The first foremen for the new 

 engines were the following : — 



Torrent — William Jones. 

 Niagara — John Lincoln. 

 Constitution — Joseph Jacobs. 



In February, 1852, the town purchased a new engine of Howard 

 and Davis, to take the place of the " Hingham," which had proved 

 unsatisfactory, and located it at the harbor. This engine was 

 named " Extinguisher, No. 1," and her first foreman was John K. 

 Corbctt. 



In 1874 a hook and ladder truck was built for the town by 

 Whiton and Marble, of Hingham, which was stationed at Hing- 

 ham Centre, in the house with Engine No. 3. A company was 

 organized March 21, 1874, of which J. Edwards Ripley was the 

 foreman. 



