FDNY
GREENPOINTS BRAVEST
LADDER 106 TIMELINE:
ORG. Ladder 6 at 124 Greenpoint Ave
(Sep. 15, 1869)
RELOC. ( 1880)
NQTRS. 124 Greenpoint Ave. ( 1880)
CHANGE To Ladder 6, FDNY (Jan. 28,
1898)
CHANGE To Ladder 56 (Oct. 1, 1899)
RELOC. ( 1908)
NQTRS. 124 Greenpoint Ave. ( 1909)
CHANGE To Ladder 106 (Jan. 1, 1913)
NQTRS. 205 Greenpoint Ave. (Sep. 5,
1972)
LADDER 106 HISTORY:
One of the first truck companies to be equipped when the Department went into active operation in 1869 was Hook and ladder Company No. 6, and the changes in officers and men since the first time the truck rolled out of the house have been many. The company's quarters are on Greenpoint Avenue near Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint, and the house which was rebuilt in the '80's is on the site of one occupied by "Valey Forge" Engine 11, of the Volunteer Department.
The company on a first-alarm respond to calls from 48 boxes and on a second-alarm to 45
additional. The territory covered by them on a first- alarm is bounded by Newtown Creek,
Kingsland Avenue and Wither Street, North Ninth Street and by the East River and Newtown
Creek.
Among the large manufacturing establishments in the district are the Kings County oil
works, Logwood Works, Smith's box factory, Ward's paper box factory, New York Stamping
Company, the Havemeyer sugar works, Orr & Company's lumber yard, Faber's pencil works,
Heckler iron works, Smith's American Porcelain Company, Jensen's porcelain works, Reeves
& Church's box factory and lumber yard, New York wire and nail factory, Chelsea jute
mills, Crosstown car stables, Kent Avenue car stables, Adler veneering and cane seat
factory, Leary's ship-yard, Storm's planing mill, two large sash and blind factories
belonging to Young & Gerard, Refrigerator Manufacturing Company foot of Guernsey
Street, the Rutherford soap works and MeCaifrey & Jacob's varnish works.
The company has done active service at all the big fires in Greenpoint and the Eastern
District since its organization, and the Herseman bakery fire will ever be fresh in their
minds, for it was there that Jonathan Tyack, then Acting Foreman, and George Haight,
temporarily detailed to the company, lost their lives beneath the falling walls. At
Pratt's oil works fire on Oct.11, 1888, where Foreman Joseph J. McCormick, James McElroy
and Henry Hellen of Engine Company No. 15, were severely burned, they worked for twenty
hours without intermission. They were present and did
active duty at the Reeves & Church's box factory fire, at Havemeyer's sugar refinery,
South Third Street and Kent Avenue, at Ckurch's soda works in 1891, at Heckler's iron
works in 1891, and at Palmer's bagging factory fire at the foot of North Seventh Street at
which fire Engine No.15 was
burned up, and several firemen had a narrow escape from being crushed by falling walls.
HISTORIC MEMBERS:
Foreman STEPHEN ALLEN was born in the city of New York, Aug. 13, 1853, and was appointed a
fireman on May 28, 1880. He rose from the ranks step by step, an4 on March 1, 1887, was
made Assistant Foreman. On July 1, 1889, he was promoted to the grade of Foreman. During
the period of service in the Department and prior to being put in command of Hook and
Ladder No. 5, he did active duty with Hook and Ladder Companies Nos. 4 and 8 and Engine
Company No.12. At the Herseman bakery fire, on June 22, 1883, he was so badly burned about
the face and body and bruised on the back and legs by falling walls, that he was laid up
for nearly six months Mr. Allen is a bachelor and lives at No.638 Leonard Street.
Assistant Foreman FRANCIS C. SPILLANE was born in New York City, on Sept. 9, 1861. He is a
bachelor and resides at No.308 Lorimer Street. When appointed to the force, Feb. 16, 1884,
he was assigned to duty with Truck No.6, where he has since remained. He was made an
Assistant Foreman on July 1, 1889.
CORNELIUS CUNNINGHAM was born at Lyons Falls, Lewis County NY, on September 15, (1856). He
was appointed to the Department on Oct. 15, 1886 among the life-savers. On Oct. 23, 1888,
a fire occurred at No. three-story and attic building. In the attic lived John
Gravesmuller, who had but one leg. Cunningham was sent up the ladder to search the attic
and while thus engaged, and being almost exhausted by the dense, smoke, he stumbled over
the cripple. Cunnningham seized the unconscious man and dragged him to the window, where a
rope was let down from the roof, by which Gravesmuller was lowered to the ground, but he
died five weeks later at the Long Island College Hospital. Mr. Cunningham is married and
lives at No.219 Twentieth Street.
PATRICK MURRAY is the driver of the truck. He was born 43 years ago in Ireland, and was
appointed a fireman on March 8, 1888. He served 3 years in the United States Navy, and in
the Volunteer Department days was attached to Ridgewood Hose No.7.
JOHN CLUNIE was born in Glasgow, Scotland, Oct. 3, 1865, and of the uniformed force, July
21, 1890. He served seven years in the navy, on board the " Minnesota," "
Portsmouth," " Constitution," "New Hampshire", "Essex",
"Powhattan" and "Wabash." He is a bachelor and lives at No.188 Kent
Street
MICHAEL REARDON was injured some time ago by the breaking down of the apparatus while on
the way to a fire, and he is now detailed to duty at the Bell tower. He was born in
Ireland, Dec. 12, 1859, and was appointed to the force Mr. Reardon is married and lives at
No.526 Lorimer Street.
THOMAS MCCAFFREY was born in 1832, in the city of New York a fireman since the date of the
organization of the Department, and resides with his family, at No. 156 North Fourth
Street. At present he is detailed the Sub-Office on South First Street. At the chalk
factory fire on South
thrd street in 1869, Mr. McCaffrey was standing on a ladder when the walls fell, with them
and received severe injuries to his back. In the old volunteer days he ran with the Engine
Company
NORMAN HUGHES was born in the Fourteenth Ward, Williamsburg, Oct 3, 1850 and became a
fireman May 8, 1874. While going to a fire he received a severe scalp wound and had his
collar-bone broken by the breaking down of the apparatus. He is now doing duty as a
operator at the Sub~Telephone Office.
JOHN CONNOLLY was born in Ireland, on March 10, 1845, and has been connected with the Fire
Department since its organization, in 1869. Prior to that time he ran with with Ridgewood
Hose No.7. He is married and lives at No.123 Greenpoint Avenue.
JOHN F. MAHER was born in the County Tipperrary, in 1867, and became a fireman on March
12, 1891. He lives at No.571 Driggs Avenue.
GEORGE F. MCGEARY was born in this city on July 26, 1860 and received his appointment Dec.
15, 1885. He was burned severely about the
face at a fire at the foot of Manhattan Avenue, a few years ago. He lives with his family,
at No. 382 Leonard Street.
EUGENE J. MCKENNA was born in New York City on Oct. 16, 1865, and was appointed to the
uniformed force on Nov. 15, 1891.
MICHAEL S. QUINN was born in this city, March 20, 1842. He served in the late with the
47th Brooklyn Regiment, and became a fireman Jan.31, 1882. He is a widower and lives at
No.199 Green Street.
MICHAEL O'KEEFE was born in New York City, July 14, 1855, and on Jan.31, 1882, became a
fireman. At the fire at Pratt's oil works, on Oct. 18, 1888, he was severely burned
about the face and hands. Mr. O'Keefe is married and lives at No.138 North Eighth Street.
CHARLES MCCONEGHY was born in this city, on Sept. 16, 1865. He is a bachelor and lives at
No.159 Meserole Avenue. His appointment is dated Oct.29, 1890.
The above information, courtesy: http://nyfd.com/brooklyn_ladders/ladder_106.html