From Historical Rutland: an illustrated history of Rutland, Vermont, from the granting of the charter in 1761 to 1911 by Rev. F. E. Davison, Rutland, Vt.: P.H. Brehmer, 1911, page 39:
The Fire Department
The beginning of the History of Rutland's Fire Department was the incorporation of the "Rutland Fire Society" by the Legislature in the year 1829. The incorporators of this company, which not only adopted measures for fire protection cut governed the village in other directions to a large extent, were representative men, whose names stand for character and influence in that early community. The incorrporators were James D. Butler, Robert Temple, William Fay, Moses Strong. Thomas Hooker, William Hall, John Ruggles, William Page, James Porter and Jonathan Dyke, Jr.
The first action taken towards supplying the village with water pipes from the aqueduct controlled by a private association was at a meeting or the inhabitants of the village. August 4, 1845. A [40] committee was appointed at that meeting to raise "an engine company by the enlistment of not more than 50 members," and another committee to report on "cisterns or reservoirs for water." The report of the latter directed the erection of a reservoir "back of the North church, to be connected with the aqueduct, with logs leading from it south through the length of the street (Main Street), with a branch running therefrom a sufficient distance down the west street, the bore of which to be three inches." Previous to this time a few small cisterns and buckets had been used with the engine, a mere tub that could do little more than sprinkle a section of the street. This insignificant hand engine, with a few ladders, etc., was located in a small wooden building on what was formerly called "the Common." January 6, 1846, the second meeting of the society was held and $100 was raised for repairs and the purchase of new materials. At this meeting the committee on reservoirs reported that they could "obtain land two rods square back of the meeting house for $15.00," and estimates were submitted on the cost of logs through the streets, the house over the reservoir ($60), and brick reservoir of 30,000 gallons ($174). But nothing came of it, and as in the following year steps were taken to incorporate the village, in 1848 the fire society relinquished its powers and rights to the village corporation.
January 7, 1852. at a corporation meeting, one of the subjects considered was to "see if nothing can be done to provide water" and "to insist upon some section (in the by-laws) to provide against fire." Again in August of that year a meeting was called to "authorize the trustees to make such contract by laying down iron pipes, or otherwise, to carry into effect the resolution of the Aqueduct Company to supply the village with water in such manner as they shall deem best." Various efforts were made from time to time to obtain a greater supply of water and for better fire-fighting facilities, until in 1858, the water supply was taken in hand by the village authorities and some five miles of pipe laid. At this time the village owned two hand engines.
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The Washington and Nickwackett Engine Co. had them in charge as volunteer fire companies.
The acqueduct and reservoir were completed at a cost of over $14,000. In 1860, the present Nickwackett engine house was erected. In the year 1872, the town hall was finished, and one of the new steamers and hose company were quartered there where they stilI remain, with a paid fire department with several men constantly on duty.
The most destructive fire in the history of Rutland was that which broke out Sunday morning, February 18, 1906. This conflagration, which was discovered in a room in the Ripley block on Merrchants Row about 4 o'clock Sunday morning, was not subdued until after noon of that day, when it had destroyed property to the amount of nearly $600,000, including the whole corner of Merchants Rowand Center Street, from the Ripley block on Merchants Row to and including the Tuttle block on Center Street, rendering 20 families homeless and consuming fortunes in its sweep. The new blocks covering the same ground are modern and superior to those destroyed.