Biltmore Fire Departments – A Short History Version 11.2 – March 1, 2015 Research notes by Mike Legeros Contents Introduction Part I – Biltmore Estate Fire Equipment Part II – Fires at the Estate Part III – Biltmore Village / Biltmore Fire Department Part IV – Biltmore Forest Fire Department Part V – Map Part IV ‐ Sources Introduction This document was originally conceived as a blog post. Please bear with the conversation style… Let’s take a trip to Asheville, for a historical perspective on the Biltmore fire departments of yore. The story starts with George Washington Vanderbilt III and his Châteauesque‐styled mansion that was completed in 1895. (Construction started in 1889.) With 178,926 square‐feet, it was and remains the largest privately owned house in the United States. We’re talking 250 rooms here, folks. Vanderbilt wanted to replicate the working estates of Europe, and designed the estate to include stables, farms, manufacturing facilities, and a village for its workers. He named it “Biltmore,” derived from "Bildt” (Vanderbilt's ancestors' place of origin in Holland) and "More" (Anglo‐Saxon word for open, rolling land). Post card of Biltmore Estate circa 1900. Courtesy North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Part I ‐ Biltmore Estate Fire Equipment The house and the estate were equipped with a variety of fire protection equipment, including fire buckets, fire extinguishers, hand‐pulled and later motorized fire apparatus, a fire hydrant system with hose, and a fire alarm system. Until the organization of the Biltmore Fire Department in 1903, which was based in the village, the estate relied upon staff for fire suppression as well as the “city” fire department. The Biltmore Fire Department ceased operation in 1929 and fire protection to the estate was assumed by the newly opened Asheville Fire Station 5 in Biltmore Village. Equipment and Apparatus Early fire equipment at the estate included: Fire hydrants, hoses, and valves from the NY Beling & Packing Co. and the Fabric Hose Co. in New York. Twelve fire extinguishers from Stempel F. E. Manufacturing Co., NY. Plus “bucket brass spray pumps and fire extinguisher[s]” from Montgomery Ward & Co. in Chicago. Later fire equipment included: Wheeled chemical extinguisher. 1957 International fire engine. Two pieces of hand‐drawn apparatus have survived, a hand hose reel and a hand hose cart. They are presently stored in the basement of the Biltmore House. In the event of fire, the hose reel or cart would be rolled to the location of the blaze. The hose was pulled out or unwound, and connected to the nearest fire hydrant. There were apparently no connections for hose inside the house, however, such as a standpipe system. Hook and Ladders and Sprinkler Wagons Mr. Vanderbildt received many proposals for other fire equipment. In a document dated June 20, 1900, a Rumsey & Company “light village hook & ladder truck“ was proposed for purchase. No other references to the apparatus have been found. Presume same wasn’t purchased.1 1 Rumsey and other companies manufactured hand‐ and horse‐pulled ladder wagons. They carried ladders mounted on parallel racks, and including space for storing or hanging buckets, helmets, hooks, and other equipment. These ladder trucks varied in size, with the smallest suitable for service in a village or small town. These were also called “village ladder trucks.” Larger versions carried more equipment and were suitable for service in a city. These were called “city service ladder trucks” or “city service trucks” or eventually just “service trucks.” The term became an industry label for ladder trucks of any size that carried ground ladders but were not equipped with a mechanically‐raised ladder. In her web‐based “A Technological Tour of the Biltmore Estate,” author Sue Clark McKendree also classifies four “sprinkling wagons” as firefighting equipment. These were 600‐gallon wagons built by Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company of South Bend, IN. These were probably (certainly?) used for street maintenance and not firefighting, with the application of water used to reduce the dust raised on dirt roads. Fire Alarms In the event of a fire, the notification methods included: The house had an internal fire alarm system, which could be activated in any one of the six sections of the house. The alarm sounded in the Butler’s Pantry. 2 There were also telephones and speaking tubes to communicate to the Butler’s Pantry. In the event of an emergency, it is believed the Butler would sound an alarm, which was believed to be the large bells that are located throughout the house. As early as 1890, the Estate Manager was advised by the Brick and Tile Works supervisor that the whistle at the brickworks could be used to sound the alarm, in the event of fire. Part II – Fires at the Estate Barn and House Destroyed On March 29, 1904, a mule barn and a house on the estate property were destroyed by fire. Reported the Asheville Citizen on May 30: “Mule Barn and Fine Residence on Biltmore Estate Destroyed “Fire did damage to the amount of $10,000 or $12,000 on Biltmore estate yesterday morning at four o’clock, burning the mule barns and the residence occupied by Bert Halyburton. It is not known how the blaze originated. “The fire started in the stables and was communicated to the residence, which was situated near the stables, by embers being carried by the wind, which, at the time of the fire, was blowing in the direction of the house. “A large number of horses and mules in the barn were in danger of being burned to death, but by hard effort employees of the estate managed to get all but two of them out of the burning structure. The two died in the flames, those who had been working to save them being forced to hear the piteous whinnying while they suffered the tortures which ended the lives. 2 At least one of the fire alarm boxes has survived. It’s located on the fourth floor and can be seen in some of the guided tours. The manufacturer of the alarm system may have been Gamewell. “Considerable of the feed stuffs in the barn and many farming implements were saved before the flames gained too much headway to admit of the rescue work and some of the furniture in the residence was saved. “The burned structures were built about two years ago and were modern in every way. The mule barn had a capacity for about sixty head of stock. “It is expected that the barn and residence will be rebuilt at an early date, although definite announcement to this effect was not made yesterday. “The reflection of the fire on the sky was plainly seen by early risers and late workers and for a time it was feared that Biltmore House was in flames or some of the more valuable property.” Another stable building burned in May 1906. Reported the Wilmington Morning Star on May 27: “Deputy Commissioner of Insurance F. M. Jordan is spending a few days at Biltmore investigating the fire there last week that burned down one of the stables of the Vanderbilt estate and caused the death of a number of horses. This is the second burning of a barn on this site within two years. It is believed that the fires were both of incendiary origin.” Fire at the Saw Mill On May 18, 1906, the Vanderbilt’s sawmill burned. Reported the Asheville Times on May 19: “Biltmore Saw Mill and Several Thousand Feet of Lumbered Burned “The saw mill which belong to George W. Vanderbilt, together with 100,000 feet of lumber, was destroyed by fire which was discovered yesterday afternoon about 1 o’clock. The flames started from a spark from the engine room, and rapidly spread over the lumber yard. A telephone message was sent to the fire department, and although the members made a quick response, they were unable to save the mill. “Twenty‐two hundred feet of hose was laid from a water plug to the burning buildings, but the water pressure was so weak that it was of but little assistance. By the time the water was turned on, the walls of the building had fallen. The firemen then began moving the lumber which had not been burned and they succeeded in saving several thousand feet. “There are several buildings within a few feet of where the flames were blowing madly, and it was only the heroic work of the firemen that saved them from being destroyed. At 4 o’clock, the firemen left, being satisfied that the flames were under control. “The loss will probably amount to $4,000, and is fully covered by insurance. “Mrs. Vanderbilt was at the Biltmore house when the telephone message, announcing the fire, was received, and she hurried to the scene, and took a great deal of interest in the work of the firemen.” The Gazette News of May 19, 1906, added these details about the fire. The wood and lumber yard was located near the lower entrance to the estate: “The Asheville fire department was called on for aid and Chief Bernard and eight of the firemen immediately left for the scene with the new hose reel and 2,000 feet of hose. After laying the hose it was found that several hundred more hose was necessary to reach the nearest hydrant and a telephone message was sent to headquarters for the old reel. Five hundred feet more of hose was sent from headquarters and at 2:30 [p.m.] one stream was playing on the burning wood and lumber. The Biltmore fire company was on the scene and gave aid.