The Charles Town Independent and Citizen's fire companies are proud to jointly celebrate their 100th year of fire prevention. Throughout 2 world wars, the invention of the automobile, an economic depression and a presidential assasination, brave citizens have devoted their time and money towards keeping the city and county safe. These men have battled fires, driven ambulances, given emergency first aid and even supplied gifts for needy children at Chirstmas. What follows is abreif synopsis of the history of these proud men.

    Charles Town was incorporated in 1786, but it was almost 100 years before a true fire department was organized. In the infancy of the town's development, fire prevention was limited by the lack of water. Originally the town relied upon Evitt's Run, but later a series of deep wells provided the town with water. These wells were often as much as 60 feet in depth. The most successfull of these was Holl's well, wich was situated near Holl's Tavern on Main Street.

    By 1805, almost 20 years after the town's incorporation, it was realized that the city needed and organized fire fighting unit. The Citizens planned to raise $400 through a lottery in order to secure a dependable water solved.

    Early reports are sketchy, but around 1830 local papers reported that the first local fire engine had been purchased. The machine was purchased from a company in Phiadelphia, and doubtlessly was brought to Charles Town over the Cheasepeake and Ohio Cannal. At a public demostration a "steady stream of water" was pumped opun de roofs of local houses.

    This occasiones the first recorded public meeting devoted entirely to the formation of a fire company. Andrew Hunter, later a prosecutor during the John Brown trial, recomended a tax for the purchase of a house. He also proposed a law requiring water buckets at each chousehold,from which the newly purchased engine pump water. The company was formed and firemen paraded around town several times. The inefficiency of this company was demonstrated several months later, when the first recorded mayor fire struck Charles Town.

    In December 1832 the brick Sadler bulding (the first building west of present post office) caught fire on the second floor. A fire from the heart burned trhough the floor and by the time Taylors on the first floor discovered it, it was a raging blaze.the firemen brought the engine to the fire, only to find no water avaliable.Although newspaper accounts are sketchy, it may be presumed that a citizen's bucket brigade eventually extinguished the blaze.

    This occasiones the editor of the Virginia Free Press to warn citizens that Charles Town was at the mercy of fire. He noted that the town had no water, no fire hose, and no efficient fire company. Realizeing that the fire could have easily destroyed downtown Charles Town, The city council passed an anemic fire law. A 2% fire tax was levied on all houses, exempting any house already supplied with a full water bucket. Despite these laws, the newly purchased fire engine, and the organized fire company, bucket brigades continued to be the most reliable of fire prevention.

    There are no more existing accounts of fires until 1838,when a rash of fires blazed through the town. According to newspaper accounts, these fires were the work of an arsonist. No arrests were ever made. During this rash of fires, both the sheriff's office and the jailor's stable were burned. If there was an arsonist, he failed to destroy this houses, but he did manage to reawaken the cry for a fire company. Presumably the old company had been disbanded by this time. Andrew Hunter assumed, once again, the role of chief over a group of volunteers. Mayor John Straith declared an ordinance requiring all property owners to retain a pair of leather water buckets for each dwelling. Renters were authorized to buy the bucket and deduct the cost from their rent if their landlords refused to comply with the law.

    Presummably Mayor Straith's law was fairly successful until the summer of 1845, when a disastrous drought afflicted the area. During that summer, even de deepest wells were pumping air and the ever present need for a reliabe water supply was again forced into the limelight.

.....[to be continued]