Many people remember the days of the old fire department before the water works were introduced and when the staem fire engines were used to pump water from the tanks which were placed at convenient distances on various streets. One, which was opposite the site of the Salvation Army barracks on King Street was only completely filled when the debris from the old barracks was cleared up and put in the old tank to save the expense of carting it away. One that is still planked over is on Charlotte Street, near Regent. The old 'Alexandria' used to be the favorite engine and many a tough fire did she help to fight. She was manned by a crew from 15 to 20 men, sometimes more. In those days the firemen received five dollars per year and were fined fifty cents whenever absent from a fire. The crew of the 'Alexandria' in 1871 was composed of the following: Geo. HATT, jr., Henry POLLOCK, Andrew LIPSETT, Murray TODD, Fred TODD, T. SMITH, David HATT, A.S. THOMPSON, Sam COOK, Sam COLWELL, Robert HARVEY, Robert DONALDSON, James ANDERSON, Thomas SUTHERLAND, Charles MacKAY, Alex. ANDERSON, Wm THOMPSON, James PERKINS, John WITHROW, Dick PINDER, Dow VANDINE, Jas. WRIGHT and Harry WILLIAMSON. The next year there were some changes in the membership of the company, the names being: Geo. HATT, jr., H. POLLOCK, A. LIPSET, M. TODD, F. TODD, T. SMITH, D. HATT, Sam COOK, R. DONALDSON, James ANDERSON, Chas. MacKAY, James PERKINS, Jas. WRIGHT, Harry WILLIAMSON, H. DAVIS, Herbert G. WINTER, Wm DUNLAP, John EDMUNDS, McGAHEY, A.S. THOMPSON, Alfred RUSSELL and William MARTIN. (see original)