By Susan Snyder
The Philadelphia Inquirer
PHILADELPHIA — It took longer than they anticipated to cut through the faded lead case, the size of a fishing tackle box. But to Philadelphia’s top former and current fire officials, what they found inside was nothing short of a treasure.
The time capsule, buried Sept. 23, 1925, in the cornerstone of the former city Fire Department headquarters at 1328 Race St., contained photos of dignitaries, business cards, newspaper clippings, a fire hat “frontice” from the 1800s, and other memorabilia.
It was uncovered about a year and a half ago during the building’s pre-demolition to make way for the Convention Center expansion, said Joe Resta, project executive for the expansion.
“The cornerstone itself was thought to be solid, but as we got into it, it was not. It was hollow,” Resta said.
Fire officials decided to open it yesterday afternoon as part of a fund-raiser for the Fireman’s Hall Museum at 147 N. Second St. - where the event was held - and in celebration of the 139th anniversary of the Philadelphia Fire Department, which started March 15, 1871.
“They really built things good back in the old days,” said firefighter and fire museum curator Harry Magee, as Rescue 1 members cut through the box and shielded it from the crowd with a red cloth. “We’ll be right with you.”
Once the box was opened, officials pulled items out one by one and displayed them. Magee, wearing rubber gloves, carried items to a display case.
The fire hat frontice was black with a red star with Good Will and Steam - the name of the volunteer fire department that preceded the paid department - and the number 20.
Photos of Freeland Kendrick, mayor at the time, and Ross B. Davis, fire chief at the time, were in the box, as was a card that said: “Robert Quaile and Harry Elliot sealed this box.” They were plumbers.
Cards with names of people who worked on the building and those present for burial appeared to be in the box. One card said “Lulu patrol, Herman L. Sendmeyer.”
A key to all the firehouses, a pension paper, a badge, and a blue booklet - the annual report of the Bureau of Fire - also were recovered.
The cornerstone in which the time capsule was found and a large photo of the Fire Department headquarters also were on display.
Among those attending the event were former Fire Commissioners William C. Richmond and Joseph Rizzo. Current Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, 46-year firefighter veteran Charles Lepre, and Kal Rudman, a longtime benefactor of the city’s public safety departments who sponsored the event, also were among those who attended.
“My First Communion papers were in there,” Lepre said, kidding Richmond before the ceremony.
“Just as long as my high school records aren’t in there, I don’t care,” Richmond kidded back.
Deputy Fire Commissioner John Devlin said firefighters had been speculating about what was in the box.
“It’s phenomenal,” Magee said, looking over the contents.
The opening of the capsule was followed by an auction that raised $10,000 for the museum.
Copyright 2010 Philadelphia Newspapers, LLC