Acme Hose Company No 3-North Olean

ACME HOSE NO 3 OF NORTH OLEAN
A few “live” young men of the Sixth Ward (North Olean) met in Larry Connell’s hall in October of 1881, to discuss the forming of a hose company. The proposition was met with much favor and a special meeting was called, at which some thirty-six names were enrolled and from that time on the company made progress. At the next meeting it was decided to call the new organization the “Acme Hose Co. No 3.” After that subscription papers were circulated and the people contributed liberally to the project. The boys bought a hose cart, and everything was progressing in a satisfactory manner, until a fire in the Brook’s upstairs apartment broke out and completely destroyed the Connell building where they had made their headquarters. The boys not having any hose could do very little except to save their cart. They lost their furniture and equipment in the fire, which amounted to about $100. They were not to be discouraged and set about to retrieve their loss. They planned for and gave a masquerade ball in November of 1881, the proceeds of which they used to buy new uniforms and build a new hose house.

The construction of the new hose house began on December 1st, which was located on Union Street at the rear of the Railroad House. When the hose house was completed at the end of January 1882, their hats and belts were delivered. The hats were of the regular service style with a sea-horse crest, and when the boys wore them they presented a most credible appearance, giving the reputation that they were the “BonTon” of the city.

They were prepared in all ways except for that one very important project that remained to be taken into consideration. They didn’t have a source of water to fight any future fires with. They needed a system of water mains, with fireplugs located at convenient distances from each other along the principal streets. The plan was to run a three-inch main from the Acme Refinery’s large twelve hundred gallon capacity pump along Oak Street to Union, and along Union for 600 feet each way. The Acme Hose Company owned 400feet of hose, and with the various quantities owned by the chemical works, refinery and tannery, it was thought this would provide enough protection in case of another fire. After a meeting in which a committee was formed to raise pledges for the water system, the people being in favor of the plan, contributed generously to it. This plan never materialized until 1894.

The Hose Company was composed of 40 able bodied men. The officers were M. C. Sullivan, president; A. B. Scofield, vice president; D. H. Hale, asst. foreman’ F. M. Hills, secretary and W. H. Michler, treasurer.

In order to raise money for their treasury, the Acme Hose Co. held a costume ball on December 12, 1882 at Blakeslee’s Hall. There were only about 25 or 30 couples present that were masked. The East Randolph Band provided the music and Maurice Batemen furnished supper. Mr. Brennan, the floor manager, remarked that the dance made the company flush to the extent of at $100 over expenses.

In January of 1884, there was talk of the disbanding of the Acme Hose Co of North Olean. Various reasons for the action were given. It seems that the telephone situation along with the cost of making repairs to burnt fire hose out of their own packets became a source of contention. In February of that year, a committee was appointed to dispose of the Acme’s property. In March of 1885, the Acme Hose House burned down along with ten other buildings on Union Street in North Olean.

The Acme Hose Company No 3 was once again organized in December of 1893. The contractors had finished laying the North Olean water mains at noon on the 28th. The new fire company had received 600 feet of hose and the next day the mains were tested.
There were now 49 members, F. Collopy, George Besecker, L. P. Connell, Daniel Murphy, William Kane, Frank Brown, T. Sirdevan, Robert McMann, D. Linehan, Charles Martin, Henry Brown, J. W. Dunlavey, William Skilling, W. J. McCartan, Charles Keisel, James Duffy, William S. Kent, D. H. Sullivan, John Kane, J. F. Lee, F. J. Sirdevan,
P. Connelly, George Wilson, Peter Grundy, E. J. Lee, T. J. Convey, Thomas Wilson, Thomas Burns, James Sirdevan, Charles Mullin, D. E. Burrell, Henry Turner, E. J. Finuecane, John Connell, James Ryan, Tim Arundel, Otto Buse, D. Fitzpatrick, S. J. McMahon, Charles McLaughlin, John F. Donovan, John Normile, J. J. Cubarry, J. E. Clancy and Charles Phillips.

The officers of the new company were: Foreman, J. H. McMahon; 1st. Assistant, D. Fitzgerald; 2nd Assistant, D. H. Sullivan; Secretary, E. J. Lee; Treasurer, Charles Keisel.

The Acme Hose held their first annual ball, which was a huge success, on June 5, 1894 in Fitzsimmons new hall. The handsome new hall was very elaborately decorated. The weather was cool and made an ideal evening for dancing. Salisbury’s Orchestra furnished the dance music while the W. B. Fowler Band discoursed concert music at the beginning
of the evening.

After the new Village of North Olean hall was built, the Acme Hose boys held a dance there on the evening of December 13, 1894. The hall was arrayed with bright colored decorations and the Forty Third Orchestra provided the dance music. A committee of ladies arranged a bountiful and palatable supper that was served in the pleasant parlors of the company. The committee in charge was: President, D. W. Seeley; Aldermen, D. J. Murphy, Amos Latimer, and J. Shea, and Firemen, J. F. Lee, J. J. Kane, D. H. Sullivan, J. C. Henneman, C. Keisel and E. J. Clancy. The event netted the company about $100.

In 1895, Trustee Amos Latimer and D. H. Sullivan purchased a hose cart for $100 from the Whipple team in Salamanca, N.Y. The cart was made by the American Fire Engine Company of Seneca Falls, which was patented in 1887. They were now practicing every evening as to be in good shape for their first hose race coming up at Friendship on August 7th. On the day of the race a heavy rain fell during the forenoon but there were 3,000 people there to witness the event. The Acmes were unhappy with the decision tying them for second place. Someone had kicked the hose from E. J. Clancy thus causing him to fall forward. The crowd then pressed upon E. J. Clancy, kicking him in the side and pushed him to the ground causing him to complete the coupling with the greatest difficulty while lying on the ground.

Throughout the ensuing years, the Acmes hosted a successful fair at the Academy of Music, engaged in basketball with surrounding fire companies in Olean and out of town.

ACME HOSE RUNNING TEAM BROKE THE WORLD’S RECORD on August 3, 1897. They were the greatest people in the village on that day. They not only won the hose race with the Turners of the City of Olean at the Athletic grounds the previous day, but also smashed the world’s record of 28 seconds for a 200 year run, attaching a 150 feet of hose to a hydrant, breaking, coupling and attaching the nozzle.

The conditions were perfect for the race, bright and warm with no wind. At track had been specially prepared extending from the rear of the grounds directly across them to the grand stand, in front of which was the finish. The track was as hard and level as a floor, and was roped off on either side its entire length to keep the crowd back. There were nearly a thousand people on the ground to witness the race.

The Turners made the first run. They covered the course in 24 ½ seconds, but when they had the coupling made, the time was 30-1/5 seconds. The Acmes made the first run in 24 seconds flat and the coupling in 30-3/5 seconds, making their time 27-3/5. A big shout went up when it was announced that they had broken the worlds record.

The names and positions of the runners were as follows:
Acmes-E. J. Clancy, captain and coupler; A. Dunlavey, pipeman; George Besecker and Eugene Clancy, hydrant; C. Collopy and G. M. Hannifan, tiller; J. F. Lee, J. Hearons, F. Webber, J. White, Hugh Hannifan, J. F. Donovan, J. Toohey, D. Sullivan, W. Lee, M. White and Tracy Buck.

Turners-John McGilliger, captain; Joseph Brown, coupler; William Hickey, hydrant; john Liechti and Andrew Fitzpatrick, tiller; William McGilliger, John Steele, Charles Mott, Edward may, Thomas Ducey, Thomas Brown, George Steele, Frederick Achembach, Edward White, John Carrig, Ennis King and John Savage.

The Acme’s of North Olean, the Champions of the World, were victorious again, on September 10, 1897. The surprising part of the race was that the Acme’s were able to lower all previous records by a slight margin. They made the run in 24-1/4 seconds. The Turner Hose won second prize, making the run in 25 seconds and completed the coupling in 29 seconds.

At the close of the race, Dr. Allen in a fitting address presented in behalf of the members of the company a very handsome solid gold badge to their coupler, E. J. Clancy. On the center of the badge Mr. Clancy’s picture was engraved and about it the inscription “Presented to E. J. Clancy, World’s Champion Coupler, Acme Hose 3.” The recipient was greatly moved by the gift. The large crowd present applauded the Acmes and Mr. Clancy. In the evening the Acmes and their friends “owned the town.” They marched up and down the street singing songs of victory. The racing proclivities of the Acmes were indeed wonderful, and their record smashing attainments were worthy of a celebration.

This is a small description of the Acme Hose House No 3, of North Olean that was located on N. Union Street about where the Pulaski Club Dance Hall is located. They had a pleasant place as any organization of the kind, and with recent additions they brought about their untiring efforts to provide a meeting and recreation place that gave credit to the company and enjoyment to the members. The rooms were bright and attractive and the parlor was a cozy and comfortable room. A pool and billiard room, which was downstairs, was fitted up and equipped with first class tables and all the necessary articles for this popular amusement. The boys had made plans for the addition of a library and reading room to which all the members would have free access.

Through the following years they continued to play basketball, reorganized their running team, and even presented a play “David Garrick” at the Opera House.

On January 13, 1909, a fire gutted the Acme Hose House in North Olean. The Village of North Olean was now annexed by the City of Olean. The origin of the fire was not known. It was thought an overheated stovepipe caused the blaze that was already burning briskly when the firefighters of Chemical No 1 arrived on the scene. The cupola in front of the building was leaning, having been partly burned and it was feared that it would topple over and fall. The roof was burned off and the sidewalls of the building and the floor of the second story were badly damaged. The furniture and the billiard table located on the second floor were practically destroyed.

The building, which was the quarters of the Acme Hose Company, was also used as the village hall of the Village of North Olean. The records of the village were kept on the second floor where the village board had held their meetings. These records hadn’t been turned over to the city officials yet and it was for a time feared that they had been destroyed. City Clerk Andrews went to the village hall later that morning and the books of the late village, which had been kept in two wooden boxes, were recovered. The books were on edge with their backs up, and the water as it came down from the burning parts of the building trickled in between the covers and left the pages inside in good condition. The records were then taken to the city clerk’s office.

The remains of the building were removed and this remained an empty lot until the Pulaski Club built their clubhouse on what was the Acme lot. It was told that while building the Pulaski Club, the ground on the corner foundation of the rear right side kept sinking in. Could that have been the location of the old outhouse of the Acme Hose Company and Village Hall?

On April 2, 1909, Alderman Dempsey presented a resolution to the Common Council asking that the Acme Hose Co., which when the Village of North Olean was in existence be paid by the city treasurer the amount due them from the fire insurance tax which had been paid into the city treasury for that section of the present city, which in 1908, was the village.

The Acme Hose Co of North Olean held a farewell invitation ball on May 21, 1909, at the K of C new clubrooms. A large number of invitations were issued and it was one of the nicest social events of the month. The Keating Orchestra furnished the music and a supper was served. On June 17, 1909, the Acme Hose held a dancing party at Riverhurst Park with music furnished again by the Keating Orchestra.

The old Acme Hose House was to be sold by the fire committee of the Common Council to the highest bidder at a public auction, which was to be held on the premises on July 8th of 1909.
Fare Thee Well
to the Village of North Olean Fire and Village Hall.

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By: Eileen McCartan Smith, Olean, NY All rights reserved.

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