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Given the precarious state of the city, and that over a third of the
450-man police force had lost their homes in the fire, the Common Council almost
immediately authorized the swearing-in of some five thousand citizens as special police.
Among them was F.A. Winchell, who was issued this badge on October 10 at the
temporary city hall and wore it on patrol. Allan Culver, then sixteen, printed a number of
these badges on a printing press in his father's barn.
"Tuesday morning after our prayer meeting (for we didn't forget God in our
excitement)...," William Gallagher wrote to his sister back in Boston, "we
organized ourselves, chose a captain, and marched to the 1st Cong. Church, where the City
Government and Police Commissioners had their offices. We were ranged in two rows,
took off our hats, raised our right hands and swore to do our duty 'as special police in this
emergency, and to obey the orders of the Police Commissioners, so help you God.' Our
names were registered, badges were furnished us, and we were told to wait for orders."
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Emergency Measures