Whenever there was a large fire the regular firemen would soon tire of working on the brakes and they would appeal to the spectators to relieve them for a short time. As a general thing the appeal would be readily responded to, but occasionally it would be necessary for the police to impress into service a force sufficient to keep the brakes working. Any person refusing to work on the brakes was liable to arrest and fine, and it was often amusing to see the crowds disperse whenever the police were in search of a relief force.
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Upon the breaking out of the war a large number of the firemen enlisted in the defense of the country and the ranks of the department were sadly decimated. It was during the early part of the war that the mayor of St. Paul made a speech to the firemen at the close of their annual parade in which he referred to them as being as brave if not braver than the boys at the front. The friends of the boys in blue took serious umbrage at this break of the mayor, and the press of the city and throughout the state were very indignant to think that the capital city possessed a mayor of doubtful loyalty. The excitement soon died away and the mayor was re-elected by a large majority.
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There was not much change in the condition of the department until the arrival of the first steamer, Aug. 11, 1866. The new steamer was lodged with Hope Engine company, and an engineer and fireman appointed at a salary of $1,600 per year for the two. The boys of Hope Engine company did not like the selection of the engineer of the new steamer and took the matter so seriously that their organization was disbanded and St. Paul Hose Company No. 1 was organized, and they took charge of the new steamer. The rapid growth of the city necessitated the frequent purchase of new fire apparatus, and at the present time the St. Paul fire department has 211 paid men, 15 steamers, 4 chemicals, 8 hook and ladder companies and 122 horses.
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The volunteer fire department had no better friend than the late Mrs. Bartlett Presley. She was the guardian angel of the fire department. No night so cold or storm so great that Mrs. Presley was not present and with her own hands provide coffee and sandwiches for the tired and hungry firemen who had been heroically battling with the flames. She was an honored guest at all entertainments with which the firemen were connected, and was always toasted and feasted by the boys at the brakes. She will ever be remembered, not only by the firemen, but by all old settlers, as one of the many noble women in St. Paul whose unostentatious deeds of charity have caused a ray of sunshine in many sad homes.
Mrs. Presley's death was deeply regretted, not only by the fire department, but by every resident of the city.
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Among the many brilliant members of the legal fraternity in St. Paul in early times no one possessed a more enviable reputation than the Hon. Michael E. Ames. He was the very personification of punctiliousness and always displayed sublime imperturbability in exigencies of great moment. One dreary winter night his sleeping apartment in uppertown was discovered to be on fire, and in a short time the fire laddies appeared in front of his quarters and commenced operations. As soon as Mr. Ames discovered the nature of the disturbance he arose from his bed, opened the window, and with outstretched arms and in a supplicating manner, as if addressing a jury in an important case, exclaimed: "Gentlemen, if you will be kind enough to desist from operations until I arrange my toilet, I will be down." The learned counsel escaped with his toilet properly adjusted, but his apartments were soon incinerated.