California Engine Company No. 4

Date Organized:  October 10, 1850

Market Street, south side, opposite the Oriental Hotel, between Sansome and Battery Streets in Happy Valley.
A two story fireproof brick building, city property, in good condition, 1860.
1862 The firehouse is in bad order, requiring it to be entirely overhauled.
1863 Company moved to the north side of Market between Sansome and Battery Streets.

Foreman:
1850 George M. Garwood
1860 John Farrell
1862 Charles H. Ackerson
1864 James K. Coady
1865 H.W. Burckes
1866 James K. Coady

Apparatus:
1851 Engine: Hunneman No. 430, “California No. 4,” second class, at a cost of $3,750 with 6 inch cylinders, shipped August 30, 1851, company property - Hose carriage, two wheel, company property.
1864 Engine: Button & Co., Waterford, New York, second class steam engine.
Purchased from Mr. Lysander Button at of cost of $3,760, city property.

Members:
1855 - 60
1860 - 52
1863 - 55
1864 - 57
1866 - 51

* CALIFORNIA ENGINE COMPANY, NO. 4, was organized October 10th, 1850, principally by citizens residing in Happy Valley, prominent among whom were Messrs. Moses G. Leonard, George N. Shaw, W. Neely Thompson, George J. Oakes, George M. Garwood, Caleb Hyatt, R. S. Lamott, George Endicott, and, others, of whom Mr. Garwood was elected foreman. They were supplied with the 1850 Old President Van Buren engine, the early contemporary of the Empire and Protection, which was, however, lost in the 1906 Fire when the Exempt Company firehouse, located at 9 Brenham Place, was destroyed.  In June, 1851, the company ordered from Boston a new Hunneman-build engine, of the same class as the Howard, at a cost of $3,750, now in their possession and in active service, with a large company to run it.  It occupies a fine two-story building on Market square, opposite the Oriental Hotel; and possesses a belfry and bell, which latter has often replied to the summons given from the Monumental bell, in the days of the Vigilance Committee.
* Source: Frank Soulé, John H. Gihon, M.D., and James Nisbet. The Annals of San Francisco. 1855: San Francisco