Samuel S. Buzine

Samuel S. Buzine was born in Delaware in September 1844. His family had moved to Camden, New Jersey by the time the Civil War began.

On December 7, 1869, the Camden City Council approved the formation of a paid fire department to replace the existing volunteer companies. The new department was organized with two engine companies, one hook and ladder company, and a total of thirty men. The first apparatus purchased for the new department consisted of two Amoskeag steam fire engines at $4,250 each, two Silsby hose carts at $550 each, and one hook and ladder truck at $900. Each engine company was assigned one steam engine and one hose cart.

Samuel S. Buzine was among the original thirty members hired to staff the new paid department. He was assigned to Engine Company 1 and issued Badge #9. The first engineer of Engine Company 1 was G. Rudolph Tenner.* William H. H. Clark served as Driver and Thomas McLaughlin as Stoker.

On June 2, 1873, Samuel Buzine was first named Assistant Chief Engineer. When the Democrats gained control of City Council in 1876, future mayor Claudius Bradshaw was elected Chief Engineer for the City of Camden. George Horneff, of Engine Company 1, was named as Assistant Engineer, and another Engine 1 member, Thomas McLaughlin, was named as Extra Engineer. Bradshaw and Horneff were both re-elected in 1877. Cornelius Brown was promoted to foreman of Engine Company 1. Samuel Buzine did not serve with the Fire Department during the years when Claudius Bradshaw was in charge of the Fire Department.

By 1879 Samuel Buzine and family had moved to 724 Spruce Street. With Republicans regaining control of the city in 1879, Samuel Buzine returned to service, this time as foreman of Engine Company 2. Cornelius Brown continued as Engine Company 1 foreman. Both men remained in these positions until March 27, 1882. G. Rudolph Tenner was then named Engine Company 1 foreman. In 1884 Samuel Buzine was named Foreman of Engine Company 1. He was promoted to Assistant Engineer the following year, his place being taken by John Stockton, who later became Chief of the department. The Assistant Engineer title was the equivalent of today's Deputy Chief. Samuel Buzine served in that capacity until his retirement in 1911, for all but three years under Samuel S. Elfreth.

The 1880 Census shows the family residing at 724 Spruce Street. Two more daughters had joined the Buzine family, Ella and Wilhelmina. Another daughter, Stella, was born in September of 1882. Samuel Buzine again left the Fire Department when Daniel A. Carter was elected Chief in 1882, but returned again three years later, this time to stay. Samuel S. Buzine worked at the Browning Brothers dye works at Cooper's Creek and Pine Street during his time away from the Fire Department.

The 1885 City Directory lists the Buzine family at 709 Spruce Street. City Directories from 1887 through 1893 show the Buzine family at 708 Spruce Street. The 1894 through 1899 Directories lists the family at 701 Cherry Street. Sarah Buzine was also running a confectionary out of the address at the time. The family moved to 757 Spruce Street late in 1899 or early in 1900.

On July 29, 1895 Camden fireman Wilson Bromley and Assistant Chief Samuel Buzine were injured on July 29, 1895 when Engine Company 1's hose cart overturned at South 6th and Royden Street. They had been responding to a test alarm sent by the Fire Committee of City Council. Sadly, Fire fighter Bromley was injured while responding to a fire at the Farr & Bailey oil cloth plant at South 7th Street and Kaighn Avenue on February 15, 1896. He died as a result of his injuries on February 28, 1896.

The 1900 Census shows Samuel & Sarah Buzine and daughter Stella living at 757 Spruce Street. Of the five Buzine children, only Stella was still living at home. The 1906 City Directory, and the 1910 Census list Samuel Buzine and his wife at 765 Spruce Street.

Of the many fires Samuel Buzine was involved with during his tenure with the Camden Fire Department comes this account of the Camden Storage Warehouse fire of May 1904, written by Lee Ryan for the Camden Fire Department's 125th Anniversary history book, published in 1994:

At 4:57 A.M. on May 6, 1904 a phone alarm and several pull boxes were received for a fire at the Camden Storage Warehouse at Delaware Avenue and Cooper Street. The massive five-story building contained 600 rooms with furniture storage. Smoke and fire could be seen coming from the fourth floor at the southeast corner of the warehouse. Upon arrival, Chief Samuel S. Elfreth transmitted a general alarm as the blaze spread through the entire fourth floor. Within minutes, engine companies had water on the fire as additional streams were directed from the roof of the adjoining E.G. Locke Paper Company. Hoselines were stretched down Penn and Cooper Streets and along Delaware Avenue to supplement water supplies.

Shortly after 5:00 A.M. part of the fourth floor collapsed, spreading the fire to the floor below. This collapse was quickly followed by the crashing of the fifth floor. By 5:30 A.M the front section of roof collapsed onto Cooper Street in a thundering roar, creating a shower of blazing embers that threatened numerous buildings along Amber Street. Within an hour of its discovery, the fire had engulfed the entire warehouse. Only through the gallant efforts of the firefighters was the huge blaze contained. While spectators described the fire scene as waves of withering heat, Camden's Bravest held their ground within forty feet of the walls. The City of Philadelphia offered assistance but Chief Elfreth declined and by 7:00 A.M. he declared the fire under control.

While battling the blaze, Foreman Amedee Middleton was struck on the head by falling bricks. Only his helmet, which cracked, saved his life. Losses were placed at $50,000. Chief Elfreth and Assistant Chief Buzine stated that the blaze was harder to fight than the Victor Talking Machine fire two weeks prior. Engine Company 1 assigned to the foreground detail remained on the scene until 7:00 P.M. and before leaving found two black kittens still alive in an office area adjoining the ruins of the burned warehouse.

The Camden Post-Telegram newspaper described the departing crew of Engine Company 1 as “water soaked and the color of coal stained breaker boys.” A crowd of onlookers cheered the weary firefighters as they left the scene after fourteen hours at the fire.

All the Buzine children had married by 1909. Son William K. Buzine had joined the Camden Fire Department, as had son-in-law Joseph F. Ernst. Another son-in-law, Edward Hyde, later became the Chief of police in Camden. Daughter Clara married James Roach, who served briefly as a fireman in the 1880s, as a policeman and constable in the 1890s and 1900s, and as tender of the State Street Bridge in the 1910s.

On July 1, 1911 Samuel Buzine retired from active service with the Camden Fire Department. He was still residing at 765 Spruce Street when the 1912–1913 City Directory was compiled.

On October 11, 1912 while responding to a false alarm at South 8th and Chestnut Street, Samuel Buzine's younger brother, Camden Fire Department firefighter Lewis Buzine, suffered a stroke while at the reins of Engine Company 3's apparatus. Strapped to his seat and clutching the reins in his paralyzed hand, his plight was not discovered until his team of horses arrived, of their own volition and at a full gallop, at the Engine Company 3 fire house at 1813 Broadway. Taken to his home, Lewis Buzine died on October 13, 1912.

Shortly thereafter, Samuel Buzine retired to Holly Beach, New Jersey, which in 1912 had become a part of Wildwood. Interestingly enough, another original member of the Camden Fire Department, Thomas Grapevine, had moved to Holly Beach several years earlier. Samuel Buzine is not listed in the 1914 Camden City Directory; his obituary, however, indicates that he kept his home in Camden and only spent summers in Holly Beach.

Samuel S. Buzine passed away at Holly Beach, New Jersey on August 5, 1917.

In 1956 Samuel S. Buzine's great-great-granddaughter, Henrietta Ernst, married Private William Latham Jr., who, after leaving the military, served with the Camden Police and Camden County Prosecutor's office for over forty-four years.

Engine Company 1

G. Rudolph Tenner,* Engineer; William H.H. Clark, Driver; Thomas McLaughlin, Stoker

* G. Rudolph Tenner is elsewhere listed as Reuben G. Tenner, Reuben Tenner, G. Reuben Tenner, and George R. Tenner

Engine Company 2

William J. Ross, Engineer; George Liebecke, Driver; William T.G. Young Sr., Stoker

Hook and Ladder Company

Edward J. Dodamead, Tillerman; Frank Jones, Driver

The Board of Fire Commissioners consisted of Rudolphus Bingham, Chairman and Samuel C. Harbert, Richard Perks, Jonathan Kirkbride and Jacob Daubman.

Annual salaries for the members of the paid force were: Chief Marshal, $800; Assistant Marshal, $200; Engineer, $600; Driver, $450; Stoker, $450; Tillerman, $450; Extra Men, $50. All but Extra Men were paid monthly.

Many members of the newly organized paid department were former volunteers and had distinguished themselves as leaders through their dedication and hard work.