Philip Hurley
Colleges and universities confer their degrees, and after the names of many men are written initial letters which indicate what they have accomplished in educational lines. The work to which Philip Hurley gave his life confers no degree, but after his name should be written the word Hero. Tale of early chivalry and the stories of warfare present no stronger picture of heroism than is found in the lives of the men who constantly face danger and death in fighting fires. The dread messenger stalks side by side with them when they are on active duty and Philip Hurley at last gave his life as a sacrifice to the cause which he had so long valiantly served, his death resulting from an accident at a fire in December, 1910.
Mr. Hurley was born in Cincinnati in 1855. He was educated in the public schools, and up to the time he went into the fire department was connected with the rolling mills, of which this city had many in those days. Mr. Hurley first became identified with the fire department in 1880, passing away the day before the thirtieth anniversary of his connection therewith. Three years he was on duty as an ordinary fireman and then his ability won him promotion. In 1884 he was commissioned a lieutenant and five years later was promoted to a captaincy. Beginning in 1889, he was in charge of Fire Company No. 2 at Freeman avenue and Ninth street for twelve years, and in 1901 he came to his final promotion as district fire marshal, after which he continued to make that fire house his headquarters.
Throughout the years of his service Mr. Hurley was again and again engaged in active and arduous duty, being the veteran of numerous hard-fought fires in which he sustained many accidents. At different times he was badly hurt, and on other occasions his injuries were more slight, but never did he falter in the face of danger and death. He went where duty let, responding with promptness and alacrity that showed that his whole interest was in the preservation of property or life endangered by the fire. At length, in the week between Christmas and New Year of 1910, when holiday festivities were at their height, he was called to fight a fire on Sycamore Street. In this fire there was in use what is known as a deluge nozzle, and arrangement whereby water is thrown in three different directions, which requires an enormous pressure. The deluge had been placed in position but the water was not striking the fire exactly right and Marshal Hurley himself gave the order to change it. In lowering the affair the support was weakened and it collapsed, knocking Mr. Hurley from the building on which he was standing. He was immediately taken to the City Hospital, where at first it was thought that his injuries were comparatively slight, but after a few days he passed away. During the brief period of his stay in the hospital his pleasant manner and his cheery smile had endeared him to physicians and nurses and the same kindly, genial nature had gained him friends throughout his entire life.
In 1881 Philip Hurley had been united in marriage to Miss Mary Hussey, who survives him, as do their tow sons, Edward M. and Walter, aged respectively twenty-five and twenty-three years. He was most devoted to his family, was loyal in his friendships, faithful in his church relations and unfaltering in his devotion to the work to which he ultimately gave his life.
His chief said of him: "Philip Hurley, besides being a fireman of the highest possible quality, was a fire marshal in every capacity of that official position." The following tributes came from his assistants and the office force: "In the office of the fire department his advice never failed to be regarded by the chief and his associates as other than most valuable, and in consultation concerning changes of apparatus, transfers of members, etc, Hurley's counsel was always regarded as expedient." "As Marshal Ney was to Napoleon, so also was Hurley to Chief Archibald." "He was a powerful commander of his men as well as kind and most considerate. He was generous to a fault and his charitable and sympathetic disposition won for him the admiration of all who knew him." "He was especially well liked in the office of the department, where his jovial disposition will be missed for a long time to come." "He had keen sympathy for sadness, as well as a full appreciation for the droll and ludicrous; in all he was high keyed, both intellectually and physically. His loss will long be mourned."
Mr. Hurley belonged to the Congress Club and to the Catholic Knights. He long held membership in St. Edward's church, and it was there that the funeral services were held. While his remains lay in state in his home and afterward in the church, thousands of people passed by in review. His death was most deeply mourned outside of his family among his comrades in the service, where he had the love and esteem of all who knew him. As a mark of respect the west end business houses were closed when the funeral cortege was passing on it way to the cemetery.
In the funeral service Father Welch, a personal friend of the dead fire hero, said: "His life was filled with noble deeds, with acts of kindness, of charity and sweet tenderness. To know him was to admire and to love him. His home life was a beautiful song--it was an example of love and devotion. His life was devoted to those dear ones at home and he was ever ready to sacrifice for them; and then it was devoted to his fellow citizens and ever ready for a sacrifice for the protection of them and their property. Captain Hurley was a man of God. What nobler tribute can be paid a man than to say that he is a man of God? He was a man who was a true Catholic but who respected the rights and the conscience of others. He was as broad-minded as he was brave and as noble as he was broad-minded. He was a man not afraid to follow the dictates of his own conscience and he respected other men, no matter what their religion, their creed, their race or their color, who were not afraid to follow the dictates of their conscience. What more can be said of him than his chief said of him? 'He was a man!'"
There are many who bear testimony to the bravery of Philip Hurley, some claiming that they owe their lives to his heroism, others acknowledging their indebtedness for property saved through his devotion to duty. In other relations of life he displayed qualities of equally noble mold, and an indication of the esteem and love entertained for him was found in the hundreds of beautiful floral emblems which were laid upon his coffin and later rested around his burial place. His name will be forever inscribed upon the pages of Cincinnati's heroes--men whose personal bravery in the performance of duty o'ertopped every other consideration.
From Cincinnati, The Queen City, Volume III, by Rev. Charles Frederic Goss, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912