the building. It was the custom
for every citizen present to lend a helping hand when a fire was of any
dimensions. It was only doing for another what you might want yourself
next week. If the fire was in the business portion of the city the
stores on the opposite side of the street were thrown open to receive
goods from the burning building, which were carried by many willing
helpers. Oh, the good old days! As I have stated in a former
article, the bluejackets from the war vessels at Esquimalt were
telephoned for, and ran all the way up and worked like the
bluejackets always do--with all their heart and soul. I might go on
discoursing on these incidents of bygone days, but as Mr. H. E. Levy,
one of the pioneer firemen, has promised to add to this imperfect
account, I shall leave the fires and say something of the firemen. I
would draw the attention of my readers to the picture of a May Day
parade in 1862. It is the Union Hook and Ladder Company, drawn up on
Bastion Square with their truck.

The Pioneer Engines.

(By H. E. Levy.)

"First in order comes the Union Hook and Ladder Company, a very swell
affair, composed of the leading merchants of the city, sixty-five
strong. They were first located on the present site of the Board of
Trade building, then removing to Government Street to the spot on
which now stands the new Promis building. Next came the Deluge Engine
Company, No. 1, who ran a very cumbrous Hunneman tub, made in Boston,
afterwards securing a Merryweather steam engine from England. This
company also consisted of sixty-five men, and were first located
about where the Poodle Dog now stands, moving thence to that point on
Yates Street now occupied by the Maynard shoe store, again moving to
their own building on the north side of Yates Street east of Broad.
Next comes the Tiger Engine Company, No. 21, first located on Johnson
Street, next to where the Jubilee saloon now stands, and afterwards
moving to the north side of Johnson, just above Government. This
company commenced business with an old double-decker that was brought
up from San Francisco by the Hudson's Bay Company, and was there
known as Telegraph No. 1. This machine was very similar to the one
brought here last summer by the San Francisco veterans; it was
succeeded later by an up-to-date 'Button and Blake' hand engine,
and still later by a fine steamer from the same firm. These three
companies were very effective and presented a fine appearance in