Bill Thank you very much for posting the very interesting information from the newspaper article you have. My grandfather, Augustus H. Martin, was a volunteer with the Gazelle Engine Company and helped to extinguish the fire. He also owned a grocery store with his brother, James A. Martin, on the corner of Park Ave and West 2nd St. Plainfield. There were 28 firemen in the photo...8 are unknown in the photo. They were: 1. Joel D. HEDDEN 2. Edward VERMUEL 3. Reuben A. GIBBS 4. Albert FORCE 5. John J. McCUE 6. James DeCAMP 7. A. W. CHAPIN 8. Charles M. BOUGHTON 9. William L. FORCE 10. George RILLING 11. Henry VAIL 12. Daniel WEBSTER 13. Thadd O. DOANE 14. Marvin LEWIS 15. SAMUEL D. JOHNSON 16. William H. VOORHEES, Chief. 17. James VOORHEES 18. Josiah LAYTON 19. William E. JONES 20. Augustus A. MARTIN, my grandfather. Snip << The fire being referred to actually occurred about 1872 according to an article published in the Plainfield Courier News on Saturday, June 7, 1934 recalling some historic events. On page 20 it contains a picture of the ruins that destroyed Dr. Voorhee's Drug Store on Front Street. Men from the Gazelle Engine Company No. 1 were given credit for extinguishing the fire. There was always great rivalry between fire companies to see who could get to the fire first since apparatus was either towed by men and boys and later on horse(s) before the advent of mechanized fire wagons. The picture contains a lineup of firefighters in front of the ruins, but mentions no one by name. In the background can be seen Hogan's Blacksmith Shop on Somerset Street. The only date was given in the article was a generalization stating that the fire occurred about 1872.>>