The Rise of Manchester's Fire Department and the heroism of the Torrent​

 

In nineteenth century Manchester, fire was greatly feared. In 1808, in order to quell fears and ensure safety, the town passed a by-law which forbade outdoor burning, day and night, with a steep 300 dollar fine for violators, which is equivalent to 7,500 dollars in 2024. The fear citizens held towards fires was warranted as there was no organized network to put them out once they started. In 1828, as a first step towards fire extinguishing, the town voted to purchase its first engine, the “Eagle”, which volunteers would pull to fires with ropes. This was the beginning of the Manchester Fire Department.

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A local inventor, colonel, and furniture manufacturer, Eben Tappan, created a more efficient fire engine, which he loaned to the town in 1832. The “Torrent” was pulled by hand to a fire, where water was sprayed on the blaze through a hose. This was more effective compared to the “Eagle”, which relied on a bucket brigade. In 1836, the town found the “Torrent” so useful that it bought the machine from Mr. Tappan. From then on, the Manchester Fire Department continued to grow, and more sophisticated technology was used to keep the town safe from fire.

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Being a firefighter was tough work during this time, especially due to the manual labor involved. A self-professed veteran firefighter wrote to the cricket in 1925 telling of his time working with the Torrent when he was 17 years old, describing how it took 45 men to control the brakes of the 1,000 pound machine. The engine had to be filled manually with buckets at first, but in 1871 a suction hose was used in order to fill it up more efficiently.

 

The largest fire the Torrent ever fought, the veteran detailed, was the Rust & Marshall fire, known as “The Great Fire of 1836.” The veteran recounted that he was on duty from midnight to eight in the morning, working tirelessly to save the furniture mill with the fire engine. From the firefighters’ hard work and the Torrent’s persistence, the fire was contained, and the town was saved.

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In 1885, the building known as Seaside No. 1 was built on 10 Union Street to store the town’s new horse-drawn fire engine of that same name. Interestingly, the building was on the site of the Rust & Marshall fire of 1836. The building later became the town police station in 1891 and remained at the center of the town’s public safety until 1970, when the police moved into town hall. Seaside No. 1 was then preserved as a museum, and it was restored for the 350th anniversary of Manchester in 1995. The building today shares the evolution of the town’s firefighting and police forces through the display of historical artifacts, including the handtub “Torrent” and the “Seaside No. 2” horse-drawn steamer.

 

By Em Cicala, a third-year college history student who loves telling stories.

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