City of Atchison

Description

The first fire apparatus were pulled by hand and by livery stable horses when available. Pumping was also mostly by hand and the water was pumped from cisterns located at Third and Commercial, Fifth and Commercial and on Sixth Street near the old fire station. The first steam pumper, a Silsby, was purchased about 1875 and the first team of horses owned by the department was purchased in 1880. A new Silsby steam pumper was purchased to replace the old one. At this time the City used the fire horses to do street work. This so incensed the citizens that a vigorous protest was sent to Mayor Kelsey and the practice was stopped. The Atchison Water Works company started business in 1880 and fire hydrants were installed so that it was no longer necessary to depend on the cisterns. In 1898 a new Babcock combination chemical and hose wagon and a 65 foot aerial truck were purchased. The steam pumper purchased in 1900 was a Metropolitan Steamer and was considered the last word in modern fire fighting apparatus. In 1903 the department owned two steamers, one hose and chemical wagon, one aerial truck, one hose reel and seven head of horses. In 1909, under Mayor G.W. Allaman, a horse and buggy was purchased for the chief and inspectors. The fire station at 13th and Commercial was built in 1912 under Mayor C.D. Walker's administration. The first gasoline motor equipment was purchased in 1911 and put in service in 1912. This consisted of a new hose and chemical truck and a Webb hose and...

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