By Jorge Batlle
Skaneateles Village Historian
Village Law, Section 89 provides that the village have a “public inspection and parade of the fire department.” It was up to the chief to declare a specific day as the “inspection day.”
This day varied from late August into October. For example, in 1888 the Inspection Day was Sept. 12. The inspection was done by the village trustees who were deemed fire commissioners. A small parade followed. This was not a fund raising event.
As far back as 1876, the fire department had a parade. For the one of Oct. 10, the department hired the Skaneateles Band for $6. On Sept. 10,1889 there was a parade, racing, and a dance at Legg Hall hosted by Skaneateles Torrent Engine Company #.1 In December of that year they held a New Year’s Eve masquerade ball fund raiser at Legg Hall.
In 1892 Inspection Day was Sept. 12, with a parade and a supper. In 1893, Inspection Day was Sept. 19, with a public reception at the new fire station on the corner of Jordan Street and Railroad Street (Fennell Street). This open house featured a parade, music by the Borodino Band, and photos with various politicians.
Between 1887 and 1894 about 30 states adopted Labor Day as a state holiday. It was created in the late 19th century by the labor movement to celebrate workers and their achievements. President Grover Cleveland made it a Federal holiday June 28, 1894. That year the parade and inspection was cancelled due to rain.
In 1895 the department held Inspection Day on Aug. 23. In 1896 the Inspection Day and parade actually fell on the new Federal holiday, Sept. 11. There was a dinner at The Packwood House (Sherwood Inn).
n 1898 The Skaneateles Free Press announced that the Village Labor Day Committee will offer baseball games, bicycle races, a southern cake walk, decorated boat parade, band concert and a grand ball at Legg Hall. This was under the direction of local retailer Levi Brounstein.
In August, Fire Chief Bray designated Labor Day, Sept. 6, as Inspection Day for the department. There was a department parade at 10:30 a.m. that morning. The following year, the fire chief designated Sept. 12 as Inspection Day.
Inspection Day and parades were not seen as fund raisers for the fire department. One fund raising event was a week-long bazaar in December of 1894 at the Odd Fellows Hall. It netted $721.04 which was used to buy uniforms. Another event was less successful. This was a minstrel show in February of 1896. Income was $150.55 and expenses were $149.30 with a net of $1.25.
Finally in 1900 the department stabilized Inspection Day to be Labor Day, and that has carried forward. In 1904 the department set a fine of $1 for a member missing Inspection Day.
In 1906, after the annual inspection, the department invited the Waterloo Fire Department to an outing at Ten Mile Point.
Aug. 8, 1910 a motion was made to have $10 worth of fireworks on Inspection Day. The Motion was defeated. A new motion was made to use part of the $100 annual stipend from the village for the fireworks. That motion passed. At a later meeting in August they voted to have no fireworks and have a dance. But, at the Sept. 12 meeting the minutes state that a draft be drawn on the treasury for $125 to pay for fireworks. The Skaneateles Free Press states that the fireworks were shot off the steamboat dock. There was a concert at the band pavilion in the park and a dance at the Odd Fellows Temple.
Aug. 27, 1915 the department held “Old Home Week” with a parade, sports events, pie eating contest, tug of war, with cash prizes and ending with fireworks. In 1916 the village was under quarantine from the polio epidemic. Because of that, Inspection Day was moved to November.
In 1943 the fire department voted to discontinue the annual Labor Day celebration for the duration of the War. In August of 1945 the department sent out letters soliciting funds. The Labor Day event was resumed in 1946.
Most of these events were held in Clift Park on the shore of the lake. Fireworks were shot off the end of the municipal pier or from a barge on the lake. In 1954 the city repaired the jetty (pier) to accommodate the fireworks. In 1956, according to the department’s minutes book, they voted to have “Labor Day as usual in the park on Genesee Street.”
The minutes of the June 15, 1959 meeting of the fire department, Department President Carl Fisher said that he and Fire Chief George Spearing attended a village board meeting on June 8, and the village would allow the use of Austin Park for the Labor Day activities. John Williams and George Scriven made the motion that the department hold its field day in Austin Park. The motion was carried.
1964 brought up the discussion about rides. Insurance costs were a factor that needed further investigation. Kiddie rides were discussed in 1965. The rides location was suggested between the Sims Building and the tennis courts. It was in 1970 “The Wonderful World of Rides” brought in six rides, a popcorn stand and six other concessions. Profit from the event was $5,468. This money went to purchase future fire trucks for the department. This tradition continues today. The new trucks are turned over to the village for $1.
In 1974 The fire department’s Labor Day Committee suggested that all the events be held in the ice rink (Allyn Pavilion) and do away with the use of tents. Alcohol was approved for Austin Park. Sink the boat competition was held at Sandy Beach. In 1975, the Labor Day event went to two days, Sunday and Monday. This, with the sale of alcohol, the profits increased to $21,240. The money went into an account reserved for the purchase of fire trucks.
In 1979 the rink’s rest rooms were out of service due to a new addition to the building. This prompted the use of porta-johns.
In 1998 Labor Day was canceled due to a major storm that hit the area. The New York State Fair was also canceled. The 1998 Labor Day event was completed by moving it to Oct. 10, and holding it in an airplane hangar off Kane Avenue.
In 2009 the event was changed to Saturday and Sunday, giving the department’s volunteers the actual holiday off to spend with their families.
Today the fire chief still does the traditional Inspection Day duties, reviewing the fire trucks and the uniformed volunteer members, as was done 146 years ago.
