10 Hotel / Hamilton Street

This firehouse at 10 Hotel Street (in 1894 renamed Hamilton Street) was built in 1842 to house Neptune Engine Company 2 (originally organized in 1820) of the Volunteer Fire Department. The house was on the west side of Hotel Street very near Market Street.

In 1888 the Fire Department was reorganized by a special committee consisting of Aldermen Macdonald, Miller and Kearney, and a partially paid department or "Call System" succeeded the volunteer system on March 20th, 1890, with four permanent men in nine engine and three hook and ladder companies, and eight call men to each. The fulltime men consisted of Captains, Engineers, Drivers and Tillermen as well as the chief, and two assistants. ​
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​​Chronological Listing of Events at Hotel / Hamilton Street Firehouse

​March 20, 1890: The transition from a totally volunteer department to partially paid "Call System" occurred and Neptune Engine Company Two became Engine Company 2.

10 Hotel Street house was also the first fire headquarters used by the paid department and Chief Stagg operated out of this house. He is seen below in his gig stationed outside of the firehouse with his driver George Pfitzenmeier.​

​March 20, 1890: 1883 Second Size Jeffers Steam Fire Engine and a John Post Hose Wagon

Jeffers Steam Fire Engine (wgen it was Neptune Engine Co. 2 - : John Breen Driver

​Initial Roster:  Engine Company 2
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​Captain Floyd King
​Engineer George Dobson, Drivers Henry Nagle and George Sheldrake
​Callmen: Samuel Simonton, William Butterworth, William Davis, JohnMcGill, John Shaw, George V. Brower, Peter Dahlinger, William H. Ward
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September 14, 1890: Engine Company 2 was transiently put out of service and Chemical Engine Company One entered service using a Babcock Chemical Engine with double 60 gallon tanks and 400' of hose.
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​Initial Roster:  Chemical One

​Captain William Campbell
Extra Engineer Charles Wiley
​Drivers John Breen and Charles Moore

​December 1, 1890: Engine Company 2 (with apparatus) relocated to the newly built Firehouse at 77 Highland Street. Chemical 1 remains at quarters.
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April 1, 1895: Chief Engineer Annual Report
Manpower Assignment for Chief's Office

Badge       Name                               Rank
​​145         George Pfitzenmeyer        Chief Driver
​52           William Stannard              Assistant Chief Driver
​4             Samuel Miller                   Assistant Chief Driver

Circa 1894: Hotel Street was renamed as Hamilton Street. Firehouse remains as #10​

April 1, 1895: Chief Engineer Annual Report
Manpower Assignment for Chemical No. 1

Badge       Name                            Rank
​151         Peter Riley                    Captain
150         Michael Halnan             Engineer
​149         John Breen                    Driver
​148         James Thoms                Driver​​
146         George Slingerland       Driver

Apparatus: 1890 Babcock Engine, double 60 gallon with 400' hose in two lines in good condition

November 15, 1895: Department goes fully paid  - callmen eliminated
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November 15, 1895: the Fully Paid Department ​begins:
First Manpower Assignment for Chemical 1 (Badge #s)
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Captain Peter Riley #140
​Driver John Breen #141

 Hoseman John Specht #142
​Hoseman John Vescey #143

Captain Peter Riley

April 1897 Roster with badge #s listed in Annual Report:  (new name in italics)

Charles Simonton #142, John Vesey #143

April 1, 1898:  Roster in Annual Report:  (changes from 1897 in italics)

Thomas Hallwell #141

April 1, 1899:  Roster with badge #s listed in Annual Report:  (new name in italics)

Abraham Perrius #143

February 8, 1902: During the great conflagration when the entire downtown area was engulfed in flames, the entire eastern side of Hamilton street was lost but because of winds the firehouse was spared major damage.

October 30, 1906: Chemical engine was rebuilt and repainted and equipped with 500' of hose

Captain Charles Simonton seated to the right, next to driver

Photo showing new Bank Building on the corner of Market and Hotel (later called Hamilton) Street. Note as one looks up Hamilton Street the next (seemingly) tiny building is the 10 Hotel Street Firehouse (circa 1905)

1908 photo of the men of Chemical Company: Standing: George Muth, Robert Giebelhausen, Martin Gleason. Sitting: Captain Charles Simonton, Lieutenant John Gaynor.

1909: Captain Charles Simonton

1910- 1911: Below are the April 1910 to June 1911 Company Journal and its inside cover page listing the roster with badge numbers and age of firefighters. Compared to other companies Chemical 1's roster was small. Note the names of the horses "Kid and Buster" as well as their numbers!

Hancock Collection

Hancock Collection

May 6, 7, 8th and June 27, 1910 Journal entry - typical days with members taking meal leaves, chiefs visiting quarters as well as a fires where chemical extinguishers used

Hancock Collection

Hancock Collection

July 12, 1910 - Fire where company responded to Station 425 and reported Chief John Stagg and Assistant Chief Gilmore

Hancock Collection

August 23, 1910:  Van Kirk lumbar yard fire: as often was the case the Chemical Company just stood fast.

Hancock Collection

October 18, 1910:  List of supplies received   Note horse bibs, harness and 280 pounds of oats, 225 pounds of hay, "shewing" for 2 horses, barrel of carbonate of soda, package of matches, and a rubber mat for Chief Sweeney gig.

Hancock Collection

November 16, 1910:  Assisted companies 1 and 8 and used ladder at East Jersey Pipe Works

Hancock Collection

October 18, 1910:  The new firehouse for the newly organized Engine Company 10 was about to open. It was to house the first gasoline powered PFD apparatus,  1910 Howe Autocar Fire Engine. There was a major shifting of firemen to staff Engine 10. Note the journal entry below from Chief Stagg reassigning men (as soon as possible). Captain William Boyle of Engine 8 got the prestigious assignment to be the Captain of the new company and Chemical Captain Charles Simonton was reassigned to Engine 8. Lieutenant (and future Chief Engineer) Thomas Coyle was transferred from Engine 1 to 10.

Hancock Collection

June 16, 1911: Chemical Company was ordered "off duty" by Chief Stagg and the apparatus was shipped to James Boyd of Philadelphia, PA. Journal entry is below.

Hancock Collection

With the apparatus out of service the horses [#15 (Kid)  and #65 (Buster)] were transferred to Engine Company 7. One of Engine 7's horses went to Engine 8 and one went to Engine 3. The company's hose, hose mender and pipe was sent to Truck Company 3. The men were transferred by order of Chef Sweeney to other companies (listed in journal entry below) on June 16 and 17th. Finally bedding items went to the Hose House (on Bridge Street)

Hancock Collection

Hancock Collection

 The components were rebuilt and motorized: with old equipment mounted on a Boyd auto-body chassis. It was marked as Engine Company 11 in anticipation of a relocation to a new Firehouse being built on Grand Street. The apparatus is shown below at the factory and then after its return outside of the Hamilton Street Firehouse. Notice the crank below front grill.

March 19, 1912: The apparatus relocated to the new "Stony Road" firehouse at 97 Grand Street where it continued service as Engine Company 11.

Courtesy Jim Eifler

Courtesy Jim Eifler