The Brubaker Lumber Yard

Sunday, May 7, 1905

Reading railroad workers running an engine in the West Reading rail yard, located in the 100 block of Spruce street, discovered a shed and a small pile of lumber on fire at the Solomon Brubaker Lumber Yard, 436 South 3rd street. At 15:19, the hook on Telegraph Station 12, Canal and Spruce streets, was pulled. Moments after Box 12 sounded its location, Box 121, 3rd and Pine streets, began to sound.

The Liberties were the first to arrive, and took possession of a plug on South 3rd street near the lumber yard. Soon after, the Reading Hose's steamer pulled up to the scene. The company's chief engineer found no plugs nearby and attempted to hook up to one of the two remaining gates on the hydrant the Liberties were operating off of. The Liberty's chief engineer intervened and argued that the plug was theirs, and that the Reading Hose's steamer should go find a plug somewhere else. A verbal argument ensued between the two company engineers, which escalated to kicks and punches. As volunteers from the two respective companies arrived on the scene, they to joined in, not even knowing what the fight was about. Within minutes, a large crowd of trumpet, axe, wrench and nozzle wielding firemen were rioting over a single hydrant. Two Reading police officers who were responding to the fire call, soon found themselves attempting to break up a riot. When it became apparent they were unable to control the fight themselves, they sent a call in on a nearby Gamewell Police Telegraph Box for more help. Moments later, nearly the entire police force was on the scene.

No one tended to the fire while the altercation of the single hydrant was in progress. This prompted Chief of the Fire Department Miller to sound a general alarm from Box 121 for more help. Once the police gained control over the rioting firemen, they found themselves tasked with the responsibilities of pushing over one-thousand spectators back to a safe location.

When the triple-three signal for all hands to respond was sounded, several members of the West Reading Fire Company, who were watching the fire develop from the west banks of the Schuylkill River, responded into the city to lend their support. While en route to the general alarm, the Riverside's wagon collided with a carriage, driven by two ladies heading east on Penn street, when they failed to yield for the hose wagon.

Sparks from the now raging lumber yard fire sent a heavy shower of burning embers down on the general area. Flames began to spread faster than hose lines could get in service. The first to catch fire from the radiant heat was a 20 foot high, wood-framed ice house that was used to store lumber in the southwest corner of Brubaker's establishment. Soon after, a large abandoned structure, formerly known as the Keystone Iron Works on Pine street between 3rd and Canal, went up in flames. This was followed by a stable at the Anchor Bending Works, located in the rear of 408 Carpenter street. Fire communicated to an adjacent stable at 410 Carpenter and then to the rear of a dwelling at 412. Before the entire stable at 410 Carpenter was consumed, several horses were led to safety.

Soon, the entire lumber yard was in flames. When firefighters realized that the old Keystone building was vacant, they concentrated their hose lines on other exposures. The few who continued to deluge the old Keystone Iron Works brought that fire under control in about an hour.
Heat from the fire forced the firefighters to move out of the lumber yard and fight the fire from other vantage points. Many of the men could only stand to be in action for a dozen or more minutes before they needed to be relieved. Numerous firefighters walked away from the conflagration scarcely able to breathe and watery eyed from the smoke. One volunteer, John Devine from the Liberties, was overcome by the heavy smoke and had to be pulled out of the lumber yard.

Complications grew as a westward wind pushed the fire in the direction of four dwellings on Canal street. Another row of six homes in the 400 block of South 3rd street was also in danger. Many families feared the worst and began to hastily move their belongings out of their homes.

Firemen attempted to head off the spread of flames by dragging hose lines through the lower ends of dwellings' yards on South 3rd street. Though they worked diligently, the rear of 426 through 436 South 3rd caught fire several times. A dwelling across the street from the even numbered homes was also burned by the intense heat. Many home owners in the 300 block of South 3rd climbed to the roofs of their homes to watch the spectacle. As the fire grew larger, they instead found themselves carrying buckets of water to douse the heavy shower of embers falling on their homes. Some houses as far away as the 400 block of Bingaman street had their roofs partially burned away. The roof of the Union Traction Company, located at the foot of South 3rd street, caught fire but was controlled by their own workers. Union Traction employees remained on the roof, dousing hot embers that fell on their place of employment while watching the roaring fire.

By 18:30, the situation was listed as under control. Most of the companies were released from the fire scene by 20:00. Miller kept a hand full of steamers on the fire grounds to douse hot spots until the next morning. The only items that were saved in the lumber yard fire were sashes and door frames. A small house on the northeast corner of the yard was also spared.

Chief Miller believed the fire was started by the men who were working on the Reading railroad engine near the Spruce Street Freight Station. Through carelessness, he explained, sparks given off by the steam engine ignited some wood and brush near the lumber yard. The rail workers never checked on the sparks, allowing them to smolder until the fire was discovered. They then attempted to control the blaze themselves but it got out of hand. Mr. Brubaker's loss totaled $13,725, while damages to the other structures involved in the blaze came to $1,133.75.

The next day, Captain Amos Kissinger of the steam boat, "The City of Reading," complained to reporters of the Reading newspapers that he discovered the blaze well before the Gamewell boxes were activated. Captain Kissinger went on to explain that several years ago, he asked the City Councilmen to recognize and fund his steam ship as part of the Reading Fire Department. He petitioned that he and his crew could handle any fire emergency along the river front. In trying to gain recognition, Captain Kissinger installed powerful fire pumps that could throw a stream of water more than 300 feet, which he claimed could do the work of five first-class steamers. While his ship was being modified, his crew of more than ninety men were trained in fire fighting. Kissinger also equipped his boat with powerful search lights and other modern equipment. After failed attempts at getting funded, he had the fire pumps removed and disbanded the company, which he named, "The Packerack Hose Company."

The next day, the Select and Common Council met and read a message written by Mayor E. R. Gerber. Gerber insisted a thorough investigation be held into the matter of the fight involving the men of the Liberties and Reading Hose. He also recommended that, to remedy the problem, the city should, ".....abolish the antiquated system under which we now operate and substitute for it a paid fire department......it is time we separate ourselves from the village idea of fire departments and get down to something that will meet the requirements of a city of 100,000 people".

A member of the Liberties was allowed to take the floor during the council meeting. He defended his companies actions by stating, "We had a plug stream attached when the steamer arrived and as we were about to change, the Reading Hose came up. They insisted upon the main way of the plug and our fellows objected. All who saw the incident know we were in the right." A representative from the Reading Hose then stood and stated, "We were entitled to the main stream and got it. When the Liberties arrived, we had position and refused to give it up. That's
all there is to it." Both representatives insisted that their men were not drunk, as was reported in a local newspaper story. A reporter for the Reading Times mentioned on May 9, 1905, that this was a most opportune time to establish a paid department. He wrote that nearly every fire department was divided on the question of clubs, and these clubs were said to be primarily the cause of disturbances at fires.

During the May 15, 1905, monthly Firemen's Union meeting, Secretary Charles A. Gill read a supplementary report from Chief Engineer George W. Miller. It read:

"I desire also to report for your consideration and disposition the controversy which occurred between some of members of the Liberty and Reading Hose Fire Companies at the Brubaker Lumber Yard on Sunday, May 7. While I was not a witness to any part of this controversy, my information from some of those who were present is that while it was unusual and an exception to the rule and general good disposition and discipline of the firemen of this department, I feel that it should not be passed unnoticed; that it is a proper case for submission to your body. I feel it my duty, however, in reporting this controversy to say that in the face of this unfortunate occurrence, with the condition of the weather the very high wind and the dry, flammable material burning and surrounding the fire, the services and efforts of the firemen were unusually efficient and I still say, from a position of personal knowledge, that our department ranks with any volunteer and many paid departments in the country.

In as much as the two companies complained of having representatives on the grievance committee, I would suggest that the matter be referred to a special committee, knowing that this matter will receive from your body prompt and impartial consideration and such disposition as will be satisfactory to the department and the public, and assuring you all the information and assistance I can render....." With that, President W. D. Thompson named the committee. It consisted of Hiram Hertwig of the Rainbows, Frederic P. Heller of the Juniors, F. C. Clemson of the Neversinks, Harry Eisenbise of the Friendships, Laurence Noll of the Washington, William W. Wunder of the Keystones, John Gallagher of the Hampdens, J. Ross Miller of the Marions, Daniel F. Schroeder of the Riversides, Henry S. Heath of the Schuylkills, and Nevin M. Davis of the Unions.

On July 15, 1905, the committee reported their findings to the Firemen's Union. Because of the controversy surrounding this incident, the committee stated that future meetings should not be made public.
The first findings was that the Liberties were in violation of Rule 24 of the Rules Governing the Fire Department, because they attached their gate valve to the north outlet of a three way hydrant, then attached their line of hose to the gate valve.

The Liberties were also found guilty of placing a bystander, who was not a member of any fire company, in charge of the plug. The committee stated that the Liberties were on the scene before the Reading Hose, but drove past the plug. They unhooked their horses and hand-pushed the steamer back to the hydrant. By this time, the Reading Hose had stopped at the proper distance from the hydrant. Each company had a hand line attached to the plug, the Liberties on one side outlet and the Reading Hose on the other. The fight apparently began when the Reading Hose attempted to hook up the suction to the plug. The committee stated that the Reading Hose should have had possession of the plug because of the proper placement of the steamer. The Liberties were at fault by placing someone in charge of the hydrant that was not a member of any fire company. They also reported that the fight only caused a ten minute delay.

The hearings on this matter continued because the outcome was not satisfactory to either company. Results were never made public. Thanks to Tony Miccicke for submitting this historical look at the Department.