The water with which Newburgh is supplied is drawn from Washington Lake, three and a third miles from the Hudson and 276 feet above it. The lake is fed by internal springs and an artificial channel with Silver stream. Chemical analysis has shown that this water is so pure that it needs no filtering, and it is agreeably palatable, without any mineral flavors. It has been healthy Newburgh's drinking water for more than fifty years. The lake's area is about 140 acres, and it has a storage capacity of 300,000,000 gallons. Newburgh is now so thoroughly piped that the water is universally accessible to its citizens, and is an invaluable protection against fire as well as promoter of cleanliness, health and happiness.
PROTECTION AND EDUCATION.
Newburgh has been remarkably free from crime, which is in part due to the character of its citizens and in part to its uniformly excellent police force, which now consists of one marshal, two sergeants, two roundsmen and fifteen patrolmen.
The Volunteer Fire Department of Newburgh is one of the oldest in the State, and also one of the most efficient. Therefore there have been few very damaging fires, and the insurance rates are low. From its organization, over a hundred years ago, until now, it has had on its records of membership some of the leading business and professional men in the community, and they have promptly responded to the call for service when their service was required.
The department was started, by authority of an act of Legislature, in the spring of 1797. This was three years before the village was incorporated, and the five trustees which the act required to be elected annually for controlling managers were the first form of government in the village. Their power was transferred to the village trustees by the incorporating act. There were at first a suction engine and a bucket brigade to keep it supplied with water. In 1805 a company of "bagmen" was formed, whose duty it was to take charge of goods. The first engine house was erected about the same time, and a record of the two engine companies of 1806 furnishes the following names:
No. 1—William I. Smith, Enoch E. Tilton, Walter Burling, Henry Tudor, Ward M. Gazlay, Gilbert N. Clement, Minard Harris, John Carskaden, Caleb Sutton, George E. Hulse, John Coleman, John Hoagland, William Adee, Andrew Preston, Nicholas Wright, John Forsyth, Walter Case.
No. 2—John Harris, Jonathan Fisk, John Anderson, Jr., Leonard Carpenter, Selah Reeve, James Hamilton, Samuel I. Gregory, William Gardiner, Nathaniel Burling, Solomon Sleight, Jonathan Carter, Hiram Weller, Samuel Wright, Hugh Spier, Thomas Powell, Cornelius De Witt, Joseph Hoffman. Cadwallader Roe, Daniel Niven, Jr., Benoni H. Howell, Sylvanus Jessup, Joseph Reeve, John Richardson.
The interesting history of the department from its interesting beginnings cannot be followed here. Coming down to the present time its heads consist of a chief engineer and two assistant engineers, the foreman and assistant foreman of the various companies, and the trustees of the Fire Department fund. The names of the companies are: Highland Steamer Co. No. 3, Washington Steamer Co. No. 4, Brewster Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, Ringgold Hose Co. No. 1, Columbian Hose Co. No. 2, C. M. Leonard Steamer Co. No. 2, Chapman Steamer Co. No. 1, Lawson Hose Co. No. 5, Washington Heights Chemical Engine Co. No. 3.
The city is divided into five fire districts, and thirty-two alarm boxes connect with the engine houses.