Tiger Engine Company No. 2

(Salem Fire Department)

Salem’s second engine company was originally called Eureka Engine Company No. 2. Four months later, the membership changed the name to Tiger Engine Company No. 2. The name Tiger would remain until Salem’s 220 man volunteer force was replaced by 14 paid firefighters and a few volunteer “call men.”

Tiger Engine Company No. 1 officers elected during the charter meeting were recorded in the station log book on April 29, 1869:

Foreman…………………………….A. J. Brown

First Assistant Foreman…………Jno. F. Hamilton

Second Assistant Foreman…….J. L. Holbert

President…………………………….J. N. Matheny

Recording Secretary……………..Leo E. Strong

Financial Secretary……………….Vacant

Treasurer……………………………W. F. Ryan

Tiger Engine Company No. 2’s station log indicates that they requested a Hunneman fire engine. Mr. Hunneman, the maker of the human powered fire engine used by Capital Engine Company No. 1, is noted for having apprenticed under Paul Revere before becoming the maker of fire engines.

With the addition of Tiger Engine Company No. 2, Salem now had one ladder company and two engine companies. Tiger Company, in a bid to make a name for themselves, challenged Capital Engine Company No. 1. to a water duel. At stake was $50 hard cash and the chance for Tigers to earn their stripes!

The exact nature of the water dual was not specified, but it appears that each company would race to establish a water source and the first fire engine to produce a stream and “wash” their opponent would claim the prize. The September 23, 1870 Tiger station log entry reads “On motion it was resolved to stake a wager of fifty dollars ($50) against a like amount from Capitol E. Co. No 1 upon the proposition that they cannot wash us.” There is no subsequent log entry to tell if the dual ever occurred or, if so, who won the contest.

Salem’s volunteer firefighters were a close-knit brotherhood. When a fellow firefighter was seriously injured at a fire, his comrades would pool their money to ease the burden of the family. When a fellow firefighter died, even due to illness, the fire hall would be draped in mourning, and firefighters would wear the badge of mourning for 30 days. In October 1875 Tiger Engine Company No. 1 lost two firefighters in a single week, and a third the following January.

Tiger Engine Company No. 2 was the first of the Salem engine companies to switch to a steam powered fire engine in 1883. There is no record of how the Silsby steam engine was moved from Tiger’s fire station to the scene of the fire, but on June 13, 1888 the following log entry was the beginning of the end for men pulling fire equipment to fires in Salem: “On motion the Foreman was authorized to pay for hauling the Engine to fires at the time and the Company reimburses him at it’s next meeting.”

The first mention of a fire hydrant in Salem is contained in the Tiger Engine Company No. 1 station log on November 12, 1888 “Moved and carried that the Secretary be instructed to put a petition in the Council to have a Hydrant placed in front of the Engine House.”

Salem Fire Department officially entered the horse drawn era in 1899 when Tiger Engine Company acquired the department’s first team of horses. Soon Salem Fire Department’s standing force of 220 firefighters would find themselves with little to do. With horses pulling apparatus to the fire and steam engines driving the fire pumps, the grand days of 4th of July parades with hundreds of firefighters proudly marching through down town with their apparatus would disappear before the end of the 19th century.

Listed below are names of firefighters that appear in the Tiger Engine Company No. 2 log between 1869 and 1971. As time permits this list will be expanded to incorporated additional years.

  • Adams
    Member……………………………..8/12/1869
  • Wales Averls
    Member……………………………..8/10/1871
  • George S. Allen
    Member……………………………..5/11/1871
    Hoseman…………………………….6/8/1871
  • Allphin
    Member……………………………..4/29/1869
  • Anderson
    Member……………………………..6/10/1869
  • Barslew
    Assistant Hoseman……………….7/14/1870
  • W. Beckner
    Member……………………………12/10/1870
  • Bengiman Beers
    Member……………………………..9/14/1871
  • W. R. Boon
    Member……………………………..9/14/1871
  • John Brigman
    Hoseman…………………………….7/8/1871
  • A. J. Brown
    Foreman……………………………..4/29/1869 to 8/12/1869
    Treasurer…………………………….9/9/1869
  • B. F. Brown
    President……………………………..5/20/1869
  • T. J. Buford
    Treasurer…………………………….6/1/1870
    Assistant Hoseman………………..7/14/1870
    Resigned – resignation refused….9/23/1870
    Hoseman……………………………..7/8/1871
    Treasurer……………………………..7/25/1871
  • John Bushnell
    Member………………………………4/13/1871
    Hoseman……………………………..6/8/1871
  • L. Byrnes
    Member………………………………6/10/1869
  • Cambell
    Member………………………………4/13/1871
  • Thomas N. Cann
    Member……………………………..9/14/1871
  • Churchill
    Member………………………………6/10/1869
  • James Coffey
    Member………………………………6/6/1871
    Financial Secretary………………..6/6/1871
  • Cole
    Member………………………………4/29/1869
  • Collins
    Member………………………………6/10/1869
  • Crogs
    Member………………………………6/10/1869
  • Dalrymple
    Member………………………………6/10/1869
  • J. P. Dorsey
    Member………………………………7/15/1869
    Fined for not responding…………9/14/1871
  • Jack Dorcy
    2nd Assistant Foreman…………..7/25/1871
  • D. Dosset
    Member………………………………9/14/1871
  • T. C. Duffey
    Member………………………………6/10/1869
    Financial Secretary………………..6/1/1870 to 6/6/1871
  • R. P. Earhart
    Member……………………………..8/10/1871
  • John Force
    Stricken from the role……………11/10/1870
  • J. T. Ford
    Member…………………………….12/10/1870
    Hoseman……………………………7/8/1871
  • G. W. Foss
    Member……………………………..9/14/1871
  • David Fossett
    Member…………………………….2/9/1871
  • D. M C. Gault
    Member…………………………….5/13/1869
  • Garden
    Member……………………………..7/28/1869
  • Henry H. Gilfry
    Member……………………………..8/10/1871
  • Gilmore
    Member…………………………….6/10/1869
  • S. E. Gray
    Member…………………………….4/13/1871
  • Green
    Resigned…………………………….9/23/1870
  • J. Green
    Black Balled………………………..8/10/1871
  • B. Hamilton
    Member……………………………..9/14/1871
  • Jno. F. Hamilton
    First Assistant Foreman………..4/29/1869
  • J. L. Hamilton
    Foreman…………………………….7/25/1871
  • C. Hinkle
    Member…………………………….7/15/1869
  • J. G. Holbert
    Second Assistant Foreman……4/29/1869
  • John Holeman
    Member…………………………….7/29/1869
  • Dave How
    Member…………………………….9/14/1871
  • Hutchingon
    Member……………………………6/10/1869
  • J. C. Hutton
    Member……………………………11/9/1871
  • James J. Imbrie
    Member……………………………6/10/1869
    Recording Secretary……………7/1/1870 to 6/8.1871
    Hoseman……………………………6/8/1871
  • Thomas Kays
    Member…………………………….9/14/1871
  • W. A. Lawson
    Member…………………………….4/13/1871
  • Lingon
    Member……………………………7/15/1869
  • Linn
    Member……………………………6/10/1869
  • T. H. Lewalling
    Member……………………………7/14/1869
  • W. Lemons
    Member…………………………….8/10/1871
  • J. N. Matheny
    President…………………………..4/29/1869 to 1/12/1871
    President pro-tem……………….6/8/1871
    Fined for not responding………9/14/1871
  • Y. B. McClain
    Member……………………………6/10/1869 to 8/12/1869
  • J. H. McCormick
    Member……………………………6/10/1869
    Second Assistant Foreman……6/1/1870
    Resigned……………………………6/6/1871
    Restored to the roll………………6/8/1871
  • McNelly
    Member…………………………….6/10/1869
  • Joseph Meyers
    Member…………………………….4/29/1869
    Foreman…………………………….6/6/1871
    Fined for not responding…..9/14/1871
  • Joseph Meyer
    Secretary……………………………4/13/1871
  • Charles Miller
    Member……………………………..8/10/1971
  • J. W. Minto
    Assistant Hoseman………………7/14/1870
    Secretary……………………………2/9/1871 to 4/13/1871
    Second Assistant Foreman…….6/6/1871
  • Clinton Monroe
    Member…………………………….8/10/1871
  • C. B. Moores
    Member…………………………….6/10/1869
    Recording Secretary……………..6/6/1871
    Hoseman…………………………….6/8/1871
  • M. F. Moores
    Member……………………………..9/14/1871
  • Thomas Mozee
    Member……………………………..5/11/1871
  • Munkus
    Member…………………………….6/10/1869
  • Mikel Murphy
    Member……………………………11/10/1870
  • Nettleton
    Member…………………………….6/10/1869
  • G. P. Nettleton
    Hoseman…………………………..7/14/1869
  • E. Olinger
    Hoseman…………………………..7/14/1896
  • Dave Owens
    Member…………………………….9/14/1871
  • E. J. Philops
    Member…………………………….8/10/1871
  • Joseph Rector
    First Assistant Foreman………..6/1/1870
  • De E. Rice
    Member…………………………….6/10/1869
    Hoseman……………………………6/8/1871
  • W. F. Ryan
    Treasurer…………………………..4/29/1869
    Second Assistant Foreman……5/20/1869 to 6/6/1871
  • Thomas Scott
    Member…………………………….8/12/1868
  • G. E. Sriver
    Member……………………………..11/9/1871
  • F. M. Sharpe
    Member……………………………..5/11/1871
  • D. Simmons
    Member…………………………….7/15/1869
  • C. O. Snyder
    Member…………………………….7/15/1869
  • William Steel
    Member…………………………….12/10/1870
  • George E. Strong
    Recording Secretary…………….4/29/1869 to 7/1/1870
  • C. E. Stuart
    Member……………………………..914/1871
  • Thatcher
    Member…………………………….6/10/1869
  • Ed. Thurman
    Member…………………………….7/15/1869
  • M. Townsen
    Member…………………………….8/10/1871
  • Jacob Wahl
    Member……………………………..4/13/1871
  • Charles S. Walker
    Member……………………………..9/14/1871
  • William H. Watkinds
    Treasurer……………………………5/20/1869 to 9/9/1869
    Foreman……………………………..9/9/1869 to 6/6/1871
  • W. E. Wilson
    Member……………………………..6/10/1869
  • F. R. Wilson
    Recording Secretary………………7/25/1871
  • Samuel Wolf
    Member……………………………..11/10/1870

Researched and written by Larry Blumenstein

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Bibliography:

Tiger Engine Company No. 2 Station Log from the Salem Fire Department archive.

Salem Fire Department 1857-1904, Published in the interest of The Relief Fund, Statesman Job Office.

History of the Salem, Oregon Fire Department: the volunteer era 1857 to 1893, Wilkerson.

Photo Credit:

Tiger Engine Company No. 2 group photograph was copied from a print located at SFD Station 2. The photographer is unknown. The existence of a negative is unknown

This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.