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Watsontown History by Major Fred H. Knight, 1915 |
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 26 April 2005 |
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Page 9 of 17
Watsontown now began to look toward civic betterment and improving her financial accommodations. Up to about 1872 or 1873 the citizens did their banking business in Milton, the merchants taking turns in carrying the deposits of their fellow merchants to the neighboring Borough, usually walking the return trip rather than wait the entire day for a return train.
Prior to this date pedestrians groped their ways in the dark or by moonlight after the hour of setting sun and it was no unusual sight to see men and women wending their way along the streets with hand lanterns. The water supply of the town consisted of a well in each backyard with an old fashioned pump or windlass. The fire apparatus was made up of twelve heavy ladders, twelve fire hooks and poles, a few buckets, and plenty of energetic men and boys.
To meet these requirements the Borough had a post erected at each street crossing upon which was mounted a kerosene lamp, all of which were lighted on evenings when the moon didn't shine, but for economy's sake and to give the tired lamplighter a monthly vacation, these lamps remained dark during full moon. This method of lighting was used until the present Borough plant was put in operation in 1898.
Civic improvement followed and in the fall of 1872 the old bucket fire brigade was supplanted by a hand engine and hose carriage, followed by the organization of the Hope Hose Fire Company No. 1 on June 11, 1873, with O.F. Benson as its first foreman, and the organization of the Eureka Fire Company with Austin Stull as its first foreman, the first Company taking charge of the hose cart and the second taking charge of the hand engine. The first temporary engine house was the stable of Mrs. Elizabeth Follmer on West Third Street. These purchases were subsequently followed by the purchase of the present Silsby Steam Fire Engine, the disbandment of the Eureka Fire Company, and the organization of the West Branch Fire Company. This fire fighting machinery and the men behind it performed much valuable service for this and neighboring towns and to the Watsontown Fire Department the Borough of Milton and the City of Williamsport owe no little debt.
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Watsontown History 
