Real innovation in history has occurred at the hands of people who, when faced with insurmountable circumstances, were forced to come up with a solution. The purchase of the Water Witch was not the solution to douse all flames, but it was the engine that drove the formation of what is today the Waldoboro Fire Department.
The Water Witch No. 2, according to extensive research by the late Waldoboro Fire Chief Robert Maxcy, was purchased second-hand in the late 1830s and was Waldoboro’s first engine.
“It proved very inadequate, however, as a large conflagration destroyed most of the village,” Maxcy wrote in a summarization of his research.
All the same, firefighters want to restore the apparatus. According to former Waldoboro Fire Chief Richard Glidden, the pump still works, but the main portion of the buggy needs repair.
“I don’t know how they did it,” Glidden said, referring to residents using the Water Witch to put out large fires. “They hoped for the best, I guess.”
He added the fire department brought the Water Witch to various parades in Ellsworth, Augusta, Kennebunk and several other surrounding towns. Glidden said he thinks it has received recognition for oldest piece of fire fighting apparatus.
It is currently on display at the Waldoborough Historical Society museum on upper Main St. The fire department hopes to once again bring the historical artifact to parades to share with residents a part of the town’s history.
Maxcy writes, “According to historians John J. Robrecht of Philadelphia and Edward R. Tufts from Marblehead, Mass., there were 13 of these little engines imported to the Colonies from 1749 to 1753 and another eight imported from 1760-1768. Most of these came in through the Port of Philadelphia.
“One was bought and donated to Friendship Fire Co. of Alexandria, VA. as a gift from its member George Washington in 1774. As far as I know there are nine still in existence.”
Responding to a Maxcy inquiry in 1976, Boston Public Library reference librarian Edwin Sanford referenced Arthur Brayley’s “A Complete History of the Boston Fire Department…from 1630-1888” and published selectmen and town meeting records when he wrote back to Maxcy with a sliver of information regarding the Water Witch Hand Pumper.
According to Sanford, “One or more engines were given to the then town of Boston by John Hancock in the 1770s, but there is no information on the builder’s name. One engine was imported from England.”
In June 1976, Tufts wrote to Maxcy, stating that the Water Witch is an English engine that was built in the 1770s, also called, “Cataract Eng. 14” and was stationed in Boston’s Old North Meeting House.
According to Tufts, the Water Witch came to Boston in the middle or late 1770s and was later sold in 1835. The older hand-crank apparatus was replaced by a Boston manufactured engine, called a Hunneman Engine.
“It was the usual thing to take the old engine in trade and sell it as is or fix it up and sell it to a town that could not afford a new engine,” Tufts wrote back to Maxcy. “As far as can be determined, there were only about 15 side-crank engines imported from England and most of those went to Philadelphia or New York. Boston did have one and the dates and information agree. Good luck. You have a classic piece of apparatus.”
Glidden said Waldoboro firefighters would likely take donations for the restoration of the Water Witch on Waldoboro Day. They will also participate in the Waldoboro Day parade, as well as other event activities.