For whom the bell tolled ... Early days of the fire department

The Argus, Jan. 26, 1865: "Our sincere thanks to the citizens at large ... soldiers and officers of the post for subduing the fire in the St. Charles Hotel."

Early efforts were made to establish a Cape Girardeau Fire Department in its early days. However, it was not until after the Civil War, 1866, the first formal fire department -- The Good Intent Fire Department -- was established under Mayor G.H. Cramer.

It consisted of 25 members divided into five detachments. Numbers 1, 2 and 3 were to receive two fire buckets to be kept at home. The fourth and fifth were in charge of managing the fire hooks and ladders. Fifteen members received an ax and a fire cap.

There was no compensation, although $5 per week was paid for an injury on the fire detail.

In September 1867, the city council voted a tax to purchase a fire hose and arrange for an engine house.

A fire in the city was a large happening. Everyone took notice when the clanging of the old Presbyterian Church bell alerted the gentry. The bell, located in a belfry sitting in the church yard, was hit by a man with a sledge hammer. The amount of clangs and pauses told in which of the four wards the blaze was located.

The heavy fire hose cart in each ward was difficult to pull over rough streets. Therefore, it took many volunteers to accomplish the task.

By 1909, the firemen received $3 per fire, $1 for false alarms and $1 for drills, amounting to about $10 per month.

Following the decay of the old 1852 market house behind the Common Pleas Courthouse where the equipment was kept, the fire/police headquarters relocated to a new two-story brick building on the corner of Frederick and Independence streets, the center of the city, Aug. 6, 1908.

In December of that year, the hose cart was replaced by a two-horse-drawn wagon with 300 feet of hose, hooks and ladders, shipped from St. Louis at the cost of $1,100. Two fine dapple gray horses, Alex and Joe, were bought at the East St. Louis, Illinois, stockyards for $400 and arrived on the steamboat Grey Eagle.

On June 7, the horses and wagon had their first test as they ran six blocks to Mrs. Ruehmann's home on North Street in 10 minutes, much improved speed over the pulled hose cart!

Most fire vehicles are seen with a Dalmatian dog sitting atop. However, Cape Girardeau's mascot happened to be Big Ben, a live-in barred rock rooster that accompanied the men on every run. Unfortunately, Ben met his demise as he was trampled by 1,325-pound Alex. The Southeast Missourian ran his obituary Sept. 19, 1913.

Following the biggest fire of the downtown area March 15, 1916, efforts were made by businessmen to upgrade the equipment.

A $75,000 bond issue was passed to purchase Cape's first motor fire engine which arrived in December 1916.