The History of the Portland Fire Department
Part 2,

The "Paid" Fire Department – 1883 to 1883

By Andrew C. Sherbert

With the inauguration of a paid department an entirely new order prevailed. The roster of volunteer fire-fighters had borne the names of many of Portland’s first citizens – including the leading merchants, bankers, lawyers and brokers. During the volunteer days it was not uncommon to witness customers, clerks, and the proprietors of an establishment rushing pell mell from a place of business – to take their pots at the hand-poles and ropes of hard drawn volunteer equipment – in response to the urgent clanging of the alarm bell.

Without the shadow of disrespect for the picturesque volunteer it must be said that the newly inaugurated system promised to be manifestly the better way. Authority was to become more centralized. Rigid discipline could be – though unfortunately was not always – maintained. The paid fireman was to hold his position because of personal qualifications, therefore, it was believed that each would strive to acquaint himself more thoroughly with the duties incumbent upon a successful firefighter. Under the new system 3 permanent firemen and 7 callmen were to be quartered in each station house, ready instantly to spring into action when an alarm sounded. Speed, being the most essential ingredient in any formula of successful firefighting, this was a highly important consideration and a vast improvement upon the old method.

In 1883, the paid fire department’s first year, Portland was becoming a city of size and importance with a population approximating 25,000. In the metropolitan district, buildings were commencing to point skyward; four, five, and six story buildings were becoming common and increasingly foot-front values were causing building congestion. Taller buildings brought fire-fighting problems not faced by the doughty volunteer. Firefighting had become a business, and a tremendously serious business. The new personnel needed to be composed of men who were physically able and temperamentally suited to battle fire from the top-most rungs of tall, swaying ladders. Equipment needed to be the best that money could buy and that the inventiveness and ingenuity of the times had made available. These, Portland had, in perhaps as great a measure as contemporary cities of comparable size.

In the early days of the paid department a deterrent to achievement and efficiency was caused by the close linking of the department with politics. Men were appointed or released as much on grounds of political affiliation than on a basis of individual ability. The tenure of office of a fire chief was brief indeed if his political views happened not to find favor with the current administration. Fire department affairs were constantly entangled in political intrigues. This unhappy situation caused continual turmoil within the department – engendered ill feeling among its members – and militated against the department’s proper functioning and advancement. In the first twelve years of the paid department’s existence, 1883-1895, there had been five fire chiefs appointed:

Thomas A. Jordan

1883

H. Morgan

1884-1892

Robert Holman

1892

John Buchtol

1893

David Campbell

1895

The illustrious David Campbell, perhaps Portland’s most colorful fire chief, was chief of the fire department from June, 1895, to September, 1896. Campbell was too rugged an individualist to accede to the wishes of the administration then in power when its wishes did not conform to his own. As a matter of political expediency Campbell was removed from the department at 6:00 p.m., the evening of September 30, 1896, at the instance of Mayor Sylvester Pennoyer. Coincident with Campbell’s removal, the Council ordered all fire department salaries cut and all members of the department quit with their retiring chief, to the great embarrassment of the service.

F. De Boest succeeded Campbell, holding the position until July, 1898, when Mayor W. S. Mason, who succeeded Pennoyer, restored Chief Campbell to his former position. Chief David Campbell remained chief until June 26, 1911, when he was killed in line of duty.

David Campbell was a two-fisted man whose experience in firefighting dated back to volunteer days. In his 20’s he as also a pugilist of more than local reputation, having had the temerity – and the fistic ability to be recognized by Jack Dempsey (The Nonpareil), a first-string fighter of international renown. An extract from the Oregon, October 10, 1885, announces:

"Jack Dempsey, hero of 22 fights, arrives here from California and says he is willing to fight David Campbell of this city with or without gloves, for $2,000 . . . .” Campbell also fought James J, Corbett t 10 round draw.

Campbell carried his aggressive spirit and fighting prowess into the department, subliming these personal attributes into a high order of executive ability. He was well liked by his subordinates who found him a fair and impartial leader and a dependable friend. He met the gaze of those above him with unswerving directness. His men knew him to be a leader who would not ask them to face a personal hazard he himself would not willingly accept. The truth of the latter statement was borne out at the time of his death in the $100,000 Union Oil Plant fire, June 26, 1911. His last order to the men of Engine Company 7, perhaps saved their lives. These men were working near a wall which Campbell considered unsafe. He ordered them back out of the danger zone. He himself then fearlessly entered the flaming inferno in search of possibly entrapped persons and to ascertain at first hand the condition of the fire and the means best calculated to extinguish it. An explosion of vapor-filled gas tanks razed the building, burning and burying Chief Campbell. The cities of the entire Pacific coast mourned the tragic passing of the colorful and heroic figure. At a recent memorial program, attended by Chief Grenfell and representative from every company in the fire bureau, City Commissioner Riley paid this high tribute at Campbell’s grave in Riverview Cemetery:

“The greatest hero, the most outstanding fireman and the most beloved character who ever word the badge of the Portland Fire Department.”

In 1903, a single step was taken in the direction of greater efficiency of municipal bureaus. That year marked the inauguration of civil service in Portland. Civil service divorced municipal employees from the evils of political control – weeded out the unfit and put an end to nepotism, favoritism, party cliques and alliances, and other unethical practices, which in the past had held real progress in check.

The fire department was quick to benefit from the salutary effect of this innovation. Under civil service, each individual experiences a feeling of security and a sense of permanency not possible formerly when a change of administration might easily mean the termination of his job. An attitude of security made for better morale throughout the department and lent impetus to greater cooperation and achievement.

It must not be inferred, however, that Portland’s fire department had made no advancement prior to this point. At the turn of the century, and despite the obvious disadvantages which accompanied political control, Portland’s fire department suffered little in comparison with fire departments elsewhere in towns of like size. In fact, on occasion, Portland had frequently given proud voice to laudatory comments concerning her fire department and its record. Equipment was considered adequate to the needs of the city and was as advanced in design as could be found anywhere.

The decade 1900 to 1920 saw great population gains in Portland. Rising from a town of 90,000 in 1900, Portland boasted a population of 215,000 ten years later. This tremendous increase in so short a period was due in part to the Alaska gold rush, which brought many settlers to the Northwest; and in part to the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, celebrated in Portland in 1905, and which brought much favorable publicity and many new residents to Portland. During these boom years the fire bureau was hard put to keep up with the growth extension of the city. Hydrants were insufficient in number to adequately protect the new buildings which were springing up in all quarters. Equipment had to be augmented continuously and new fire stations established and outfitted. The ponderous machinery of municipal government, however, moved more slowly in the purchase of new equipment than the rapid growth of the city warranted, which for a time rendered the city vulnerable to the visitation of a serious conflagration. Fortunately, no fire of outstanding significance occurred during this period of inadequate preparedness.

The efficiency of the fire department – over a period of years – may be measured in dollars and cents. An unerring check upon the efficiency of the department may be found in the figures released annually by the fire bureau relative to total and per capita fire losses. In 1883, the first year of the paid Fire Department, Portland’s fire losses aggregated $319,000, in round figures. By 1910, fire losses had increased to $905,000. The year 1914 saw the city’s fire loss reach the staggering total of $1,762,493.46, with an accompanying per capita loss of $6.89. These appalling figures were a matter of serious public concern. Portland’s citizens demanded more adequate fire protection, though how it was to be accomplished, few were able readily to explain.

Jay Stevens, appointed fire marshal in November 1914, had a plan. Most fires were caused by carelessness, neglect, or ignorance. He believed that people could be educated to become more careful with fire. He believed that periodic inspections should be made to locate and abate fire hazards. He coined the slogan “The time to fight a fire is before it starts.” Commissioner Bigelow and Mayor Albee concurred with Stevens in the belief that the plan was a good one and worthy of trial. The year 1915 saw the establishment of Portland’s Fire Prevention Bureau, which bureau has been functioning successfully ever since.

The success of the innovation became apparent upon the publication of National Fire Underwriters figures for 1915, which disclosed the Portland’s fire losses had been reduced nearly a half-million dollars in comparison with the year previous. This seemed ample evidence that the fire prevention ideas had merit and was worthy of continuance.

Since the inauguration of the fire prevention bureau, Portland’s annual fire losses have crept steadily downward, amounting in 1936 to $433,040.28, with a corresponding per capita loss of $1.35. Incidentally, the latter figure is substantially below the national per capita loss average, which was $2.05 for 1936.

No history of the Portland fire department would be complete without mention of the fire horse and the important part it played in the speeding up of the fire department of earlier times. With the coming of the paid fire department the volunteer firemen unhooked the handpoles and ropes and relinquished their weary job of hauling the swaying hose-carts and ladder trucks to the speedier and better-able horse. During the two score years that horses figured in the department – until they, in turn, were replaced by still speedier, motorized units – many of these intelligent animals became better known and recognized by the majority of Portland’s citizens than were many of the rank and file department members. There was, for example, old Jerry who entered the service in the 80’s and remained active in the department for nearly two decades. Jerry was lead horse on Truck 2, Fourth and Montgomery. In his early days he threw every ounce of his strength against his collar as he and his straining partners pulled their brilliant red truck at break-neck speed over the mud, cobblestone, plank, or wood block streets of Portland. Later, when progress brought the smooth asphalt pavement, the eager Jerry tempered his speed somewhat, particularly during the rainy season, following numerous bad falls on this slippery new surface. Jerry with his teeth could pull the rope which opened the fire house doors when an alarm sounded; and also had been trained to grasp his master’s cap by its visor and to tip it politely when a lady passed. He died in harness after making a long run to a fire.

Mack, Dad, Bill, Eagle, Hank, Prince, Bismark – were among the pioneer horses of the department. Colonel – who entered the department in the 80’s, was reported to have been the fastest fire horse on the Pacific Coast. Colonel died in 1915 at the ripe old age of 33. This famous horse, the late Joseph Buchtel, fire chief in 1893-94, asserted – understood the fire alarms and knew where a fire was as well as the men themselves. He used to haul a single hose reel, following the engine without a driver. So thoroughly ingrained was his sense of duty that once when confined to his stall because of a lame leg, he kicked the side out of his stall and followed the apparatus to a fire. All of the fire horses were highly trained animals and apparently enjoyed the roles they played in fighting fires. A great deal of the glamour surrounding the firefighting business disappeared with the passing of the fire horse.

The first department automobile made its appearance in 1909 – an impressive new Pierce Arrow with high wheels, ponderous wind-shield, right hand drive, coal oil lams, and rubber-bulb horn – purchased for Chief Campbell’s use. It was kept readiness for instant use, and in case of an alarm, the chief dashed away at top speed before the battalion chiefs could get their old-fashioned buggies into line. The chief was able to arrive at any downtown fire before the apparatus was at hand and had time to size up the situation and decide what method of action was best to take. So well did this initial piece of motor equipment serve, that it sealed the doom of the fire horse, as agitation immediately thereafter was begun toward motorizing all equipment and apparatus.

The first piece of motor propelled fire apparatus was put into service in 1911. At the close of the year 1913, the department had 17 pieces of motor equipment in service and by June, 1915, the department’s motor apparatus had increased to 26 pieces. In April, 1920, the department became completely motorized, the last horse-drawn vehicles being retired from service. Firemen were no longer quartered in stables and it had now become more essential that a fireman understand the function of a spark-plug than to know the correct procedure to follow in treating a spavin.

Portland’s present-day fire department is a close-knit highly organized structure. It operates with efficiency and a minimum of waste effort. Each member has been carefully selected by competitive examination from a host of applicants. Nothing is left to luck – nothing, to chance. Intelligent supervision and constant striving for high objectives have placed Portland’s fire department high among the best rated firefighting organizations in America. The young men who enters the service today is to participate in the perpetuation of an institution rich in worthwhile tradition – replete with accounts of outstanding individual and group achievement – and great because of the cumulative result of the labors of those already serving or who have gone before.

FIRE CHIEFS - 1851 to 1937
Thomas J. Dwyer

1851

H. W. Davis

1854

S. J. McCormack

1857

W. Hutchins

1858

J. N. Vansycle

1858-59

Joseph Webber

1860-63

Joseph Buchtel

1864

Tom Young

1865-66

W. H. Weed

1867-68

Robert Holman

1869-70

A. A. Williams

1871-72

William O. Bruen

1873-74

A. B. Hallock

1875

J. H. Lyon

1876-77

Harry Morgan

1878-79

Thomas A. Jordan

1880-81

Wm. A. Hart

1882

Thomas A. Jordan

1883

H. Morgan

1884-92

Robert Holman

1892

Joseph Buchtel

1893

David Campbell

1895

F. De Boest

1896-98

B. F. Dowell

1911-20

J. E. Young

1920-23 (retired)

Leo G. Holden

1925-27 (retired)

Edward Grenfell

1928-