In the eighteenth century calamities visited Alexandria, and of these
nothing was more feared than fire. To prevent and control such
catastrophes the gentlemen of the town formed themselves into several
companies of fire fighters. How and with what means the raging
holocausts were controlled is revealed in an old, mutilated,
leather-bound minute book of the Sun Fire Company.[135] The first entry
in this treasure is part of the damaged record for the March meeting in
1775. The next page is numbered 9 and contains the minutes for the April
meeting. This is evidence that the Company was formed in 1774 between
August and December.

At this March 1775 meeting it was agreed to limit the number of the
Company to forty-five persons. The clerk for this meeting was John
Dalton; members served as clerks in rotation. Absent members were fined
one shilling three pence. Members were to be provided with two buckets,
a brown linen or oznaburg bag containing at least four yards of
material, and a wicker basket as soon as possible after admittance.
These were to be hung up in good order and always in place. There was a
forfeiture of money for any neglect. The Company took some several
months to acquire proper ladders and hooks. In April the "propriety of
purchasing an Engine" was discussed and at the June meeting it was
agreed to postpone the matter. Three ladders were then finished but most
of the buckets were at the painters being marked with owners' names and
numbers. By August the ladders had been completed by Thomas Flemming,
and John Dalton was ordered to procure locks with proper staples for
securing the ladders under the "piazza of the Court House."

As the Revolutionary War got under way many of the members were excused,
"being frequently abroad on the Servis of Their Country." Among these
were Captain Valentine Peirs, Captain John Allison, Colonel John
Fitzgerald and J. Windsor Brown.

Unfortunately the clerks took for granted that everybody knew when there
had been a fire and rarely are these important events mentioned in the
minutes. In January 1777, "William Wilson lost a bucket at the late
fire" and he was authorized to purchase another at the Company's
expense; Robert Adam, who was clerk, forgot to "warn the Company and was
fined Ten Shillings"; several members neglected to put up lights when
the late fire happened at Zael Cooper's and the fine was two shillings.
The next clerk was "desired to Enquire of the several m