Fire has plagued communities for centuries. As cities grew, the number of fires increased due to the increased population and number of industries. Devastating fires in Chicago (1871) and Boston (1872) destroyed large parts of the cities, leading to reconstruction and the development of new building codes. Buildings were typically constructed with wood, making them much more likely to catch fire. In addition, as cities grew larger, buildings were packed closely together, making it easier for fire to spread. Finally, most fire companies were ill-equipped to fight large fires. Due to these disasters, cities made improvements in urban planning, began using fire-resistant construction materials, and organized fire departments.
Unfortunately, Ogdensburg was not immune to the threat of destruction. The city was plagued by numerous fires throughout its history. In 1839, a fire ravaged much of the downtown area, leaving behind a trail of destruction. The village was struck again in 1846 and 1852, as other fires swept through and caused significant damage. The year 1926 saw the Opera House and Town Hall consumed by flames, while 1947 brought the destruction of the New Ogdensburg Hotel and St. Mary's Cathedral. This is just a brief overview of the fires that have plagued the city. One of the most devastating fires occurred in 1880, leaving a lasting impact on the community.
On Christmas evening in 1880, a fire was discovered by police at the Granite Block, located at the intersection of Isabella Street and Ford Street in Ogdensburg. This block was a bustling hub, housing five different stores. The fire was initially noticed in the section that housed the Advance newspaper printing office on the eastern side of the block.As the fire raged on in the bustling Granite Block, the city of Ogdensburg relied on its advanced fire alarm system to quickly alert and direct firefighters to the scene.
In the 19th century, Ogdensburg had fire alarm boxes throughout the city. These boxes used a telegraph system to send coded signals from street corners to a central fire station. A person activated the alarm by pulling a handle, which caused a unique signal to be sent to an operator. An alarm was sent to the correct firehouse, which improved response times. Residents in Ogdensburg were directed to open the box, pull down the latch, let go, and wait for firefighters to arrive.
The efficient fire alarm system in Ogdensburg was important in minimizing the damage caused by fires, such as the one that ravaged the Granite Block and its neighboring businesses. However the fire on the Granite Block did cause significant damage to the C.B. Herriman Grocery store on the ground floor and basement, as well as the second-floor office of G.F. Darrow, publisher of The Advance. The third floor, where J.H. Nicholson worked as a printer, was also affected.
The fire spread in a westerly direction, damaging the ground floor occupied by Charles Paris Clothing Store and Joseph Pincus Clothing. N. Wells attorney and town clerk, occupied the second floor, with Eli Spooner renting three floors for his furniture business. Over the Paris store, the Jewish synagogue and the Kesher Shel Barzel Lodge, a Jewish fraternal organization, were damaged. The westerly section suffered water damage, occupied by S.P. Gallagher and W.H. Wright. J.G. Averell and W.J. Averell, N.F. Giffin, Mrs. Smithers, and Chester Waterman owned the building. Because of fire and water damage, tenants lost their homes and businesses.
The conflagration affected other residents as well. Francis Corry, who lived on the third floor of the next building to the east, was awakened by heavy smoke in his dwelling. Fearing the fire would spread to his building, he attempted to leave using the stairs, but the smoke was so heavy that he could not escape. He retreated to the rear of the building and then used the pulley system that hoisted goods to the upper stories to escape.
At 3:30 am, the fire department swiftly responded to the scene and battled the flames until 8:00 am, with three companies of firefighters on duty. However, their efforts were hampered when a hydrant cap was found to be twisted in the wrong direction. Superintendent Lord was promptly summoned, and he successfully located a replacement cap from a similar hydrant. This allowed the firefighters to resume efforts in fighting the fire. It should be noted that during this time, the City had two types of hydrants: Holly Hydrants, which required the cap to be turned to the left, and Philadelphia Hydrants, which opened in the opposite direction. To address this confusion, the Philadelphia Company took the initiative to mark its hydrants with arrows. Ogdensburg had one of these new hydrants in 1880.
The Granite Block Fire could have been worse, but a new Lang Pump installed at the waterworks was credited with increasing water pressure. Although it caused a main to burst near the planing mill three-quarters of a mile away from the waterworks. After the fire was extinguished, Fire Company number one was left to monitor the scene. At 9:00 am, the fire reignited at the Waterman section, and firefighters had to resume dousing it. The total loss was $25,000; in today’s money $794,000.
Most communities had volunteer fire departments, but after disastrous fires in cities such as Boston and Chicago, cities organized professional fire departments. Ogdensburg had professional firefighters by 1880. The first engine house was built in 1847 on a lot near the old Ogdensburg Academy on Washington Street. Early fires were fought using buckets, but soon hand-pumped engines were introduced. These engines were pulled by horses, but bucket brigades were still needed to keep the tank full.
By the mid-19th century, horse-drawn steam-powered fire engines replaced hand-pumped engines. Water was pumped using greater pressure than before, making it easier to fight fires. In addition, 19th-century firefighters used other tools to combat fires, such as speaking trumpets, axes, hooks, and chains. Firefighters generally wore wool or cotton uniforms and rudimentary helmets. However, even as firefighting technology advanced, fires continued to pose a threat to buildings and their inhabitants.
The Granite Block buildings were severely damaged by the Christmas night fire. The roof had to be removed from the buildings, except for the Waterman section, and soon, residents were complaining that the buildings were unsafe, and a fence needed to be constructed. The Herriman section was especially a concern. A large safe fell from the third floor and was resting precariously on the second floor, and it was feared that pieces of stone would fall on residents’ heads. One person had already slipped on the sidewalk and been injured.
By mid-January 1881, Carlos Slocum had been hired to reconstruct the Averell section of the Granite Block. The City had given permission for construction materials to be deposited on Ford Street. However, Mr. Slocum hadn’t gotten far before a portion of the partition wall in the Averell sections collapsed, crashing through the floor into C. B. Herriman’s cellar.
By February, stone mason James Maguire was busy replacing the cut stone on the front of the Averell portion of the Granite Block with brick. Due to catastrophic urban fires, building codes required the use of brick in new construction because of its availability, durability, and fire resistance. Most likely, the bricks were made at Paige’s Brickyard, where the Seaway Shopping Center is located today.
The original stone was sold to Felt & Bell Marbleworks to be used as bases for monuments. However, another fire was discovered by Policeman Goodno on February 8th in the Joseph Pincus Clothing Store, which was located in one of the three stores left standing in the Granite Block. Goodno was alerted to the fire after the front windows fell out. The fire spread from the cellar to the roof. Pincus, his wife, and another staff member left the store at 9 pm, and fire was discovered 2 hours later. His entire $6,000 inventory ($190,000 today) was lost. A law office was also severely damaged, and the E. Spooner Furniture Store suffered slight water damage.
By spring, the iron arches were installed at the Averell section, and bricklayers had rebuilt partition walls and the fronts of the buildings. Plate glass windows were also installed. Luckily, no more fires had damaged the buildings, but the threat of damaging fires continued. However, some positive results did occur statewide. Large-scale fires forced major changes, leading to new laws for fireproof building materials and reforms in urban planning, sanitation, and fire safety to make cities safer places to live.
The Granite Block fire was a turning point for Ogdensburg, leading to the use of fire-resistant materials. It was a reminder that fire can strike at any time, but with proper precautions, we can minimize its devastating effects. As we continue to learn from the past, we can build safer communities.
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