Found an Interesting Sign in the Woods...

[grasshopper]

Got out to a few foundation sites yesterday. Nothing notable, but I found this sign right behind one of them, in an area that was likely a bottle dump/trash pit (lots of broken glass and bottles). I thought it was just junk at first until I pulled out a piece with lettering. I decided to be a bit more gentle excavating the rest but it came out pretty mangled.

Seems to read : Mutual Fire (A Stock Corporation)..Chartered 1869... New York (you can see ".EW YO.." on the bottom). I'm missing a few pieces and I hope to get back and find them sometime soon. I have no hope of putting it back together but I think it's pretty neat!

Can't find any info online about the sign itself online, making me think it might be valuable if it were in decent condition. All I came up with were some google books results about the company itself.

 

[Jason in Enid]

This is most likely a sign which would have been posted on the front of the house. Before homeowner's insurance, you had to buy yearly fire insurance from your local fire company or they wouldn't try to save your house and belongings. Eventually those local companies started joining together into national companies, and this is probably one of those signs.

 

[Critical Recovery]

Before homeowner's insurance, you had to buy yearly fire insurance from your local fire company or they wouldn't try to save your house and belongings. Eventually those local companies started joining together into national companies, and this is probably one of those signs.

Whoa, that's crazy.
Almost like a form of extortion, but I can kind of see the concept.
Why risk your life and spend your time on someone that doesn't pay your salary or for equipment?

I do remember reading that at one time NYC had a few hundred private fire companies that would sometimes show up and end up fighting each other over the fire.
they were basically social clubs and some turned into or were actual gangs.

This is one of the FEW areas that I feel government control has been beneficial. (fire and emergency services)

 

[Jason in Enid]

Whoa, that's crazy.
Almost like a form of extortion, but I can kind of see the concept.
Why risk your life and spend your time on someone that doesn't pay your salary or for equipment?

I do remember reading that at one time NYC had a few hundred private fire companies that would sometimes show up and end up fighting each other over the fire.
they were basically social clubs and some turned into or were actual gangs.

This is one of the FEW areas that I feel government control has been beneficial. (fire and emergency services)

There are still private fire companies which require yearly subscriptions, but there are very few left. There was a news story last year here in OK where a house was allowed to burn down because they hadn't renewed their membership. They showed up to provide first aide life saving if anyone was injured, but they wouldn't put out the fire. Seems kinda harsh, but it's a rural area and all the residents knew the rules.

 

[Critical Recovery]

There are still private fire companies which require yearly subscriptions, but there are very few left. There was a news story last year here in OK where a house was allowed to burn down because they hadn't renewed their membership. They showed up to provide first aide life saving if anyone was injured, but they wouldn't put out the fire. Seems kinda harsh, but it's a rural area and all the residents knew the rules.

I can see where they are coming from.
Why risk your lives putting out a fire if you don't have to?
The lifesaving is a given, but if not...it is just a structure and not worth lives.

That's what a lot of these movies and TV shows fail to convey.
You will NEVER, EVER see firefighters risking lives or injury to put out a fire. (unless it spreading can put other people in danger.)
My neighbor is a firefighter and he used a phrase a while back. "If there ain't nobody in it, surround and drown."

 

[donb0078]

WOW!! shame greed creeped its way in (

 

[grasshopper]

This is most likely a sign which would have been posted on the front of the house. Before homeowner's insurance, you had to buy yearly fire insurance from your local fire company or they wouldn't try to save your house and belongings. Eventually those local companies started joining together into national companies, and this is probably one of those signs.

Interesting...thanks for the help!

 

[MT_Joe]

I do remember reading that at one time NYC had a few hundred private fire companies that would sometimes show up and end up fighting each other over the fire.
they were basically social clubs and some turned into or were actual gangs.

Gangs of New York. An excellent movie!

 

[Tnmountains]

Cool recovery and great history there. And it does not looked burned either. That is good.