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Saugatuck Fire Department men with firehose carts

Photograph
Photograph showing 14 men by two firehose carts in front of the Saugatuck Village Hall sometimes before 1908.
Saugatuck-fire-co-abt1905.jpg 3.2MB; digital image from James Faasen, Aug. 2023 Saugatuck Fire Brigade circa 1905 in back of village hall Fire hoses used to fight Koning Hardware/ DL Barber general store fire on north Butler in 1903 Top row Richard Rode-Fred Walz-Charles Redebauch-Chris Walz-Fred Metzger Middle Lee Leland, Jim Davis Front row Dr. Davis-Fred Davis-Ira Koning-Charles Bird-Jim Koning-Homer Adams-Herman Hirner
Origsize: 8 x 10; Origformat: Print-Photographic HoseCartDisplayPanel.pdf 7.8MB; This panel accompanied the cart when it was on display at the SDHC museum in 2011. The cart is the property of the Saugatuck Township Fire District. The main text block reads: On October 9, 1871, Fennville and Holland, Michigan burned to the ground, on the very same day as the great fire in Chicago. Saugatuck was spared but the citizenry were suddenly highly aware of the need for modern fire protection. Saugatuck’s first fire department had just been established in January of that same year. After the Fennville/Holland/Chicago fires, Saugatuck purchased 200 pails that were distributed around town. By 1881, the city’s engine company had 32 members with a hand pumper and hose cart. A photo, circa 1910, shows the Saugatuck fire department posing with two hose carts. Although horse-drawn hose carts existed, Saugatuck’s carts transported hose to a fire scene using only manpower. The carts were in use for 50 years, before being replaced by a Ford truck. To deploy, the ropes on the front of the cart would be unwound, and 10 or more men would run out in front to pull the hose cart to the fire scene. Two men would hold onto the tongue to steer and/or attempt to brake the cart. At the scene, the hose was unwound from the cart, laid out and connected to a hand pumper to move water from a cistern or pond to the source of the fire. Hose carts included various places for attaching fire-fighting equipment. A bell, mounted to the top harp, on a spring tab, or near the wheels so it was struck every time the wheel made a revolution, alerted people (and livestock) to clear the way. Hose carts had wood or metal wheels, narrow tired for primarily paved areas, wide tired for off road and gravel conditions. The copy for the hose cart advertisement, at left, reads: “Where conditions require a light weight, speedy hand-drawn hose cart the Wirt Style “L,” shown here, cannot be beaten. It is of tubular steel construction, which gives it great strength at minimum weight, and with the addition of roller bearings the Style “L” is the most mobile cart of its size. The regular equipment comprises of a fireman’s axe and crowbar, nozzle holders, rope reel and drag rope, tongue rest, tool box and friction roller at the rear. The handle bar, hub caps and other trimmings polished brass or nickel-plated. The wheels are of the Archibald type, and are the best wood wheels made. Catalog “C” describes our other apparatus, and we will be pleased to send you a copy.” aa89Firemen.jpg 2MB; From History by Camera by Jack Sheridan Saugatuck Fire Department men with firehose carts picture number 5 Firemen_by_Village_Hall_ca_1910.jpg 3.1KB Firemen_with_names_ca_1905.jpg 2.3MB

2011.32.06

Print, photograph

Saugatuck Township Fire DistrictWalz, Frederick J. “Fritz” 1880-1945Metzger, Frederick J. “Fritz” 1889-1937Walz, Christian "Chris" 1854-1921Davis, JimLeland, E.L. "Lee" 1878-1963Davis, Dr.Koning, Arie James "Ira" 1883-1975Bird, Charles Edmund “Carl” Jr. 1879-1968Adams, Homer Henry 1872-1941Hirner, Herman 1881-1966Davis, Frederick Arthur 1871-1912Redebaugh, Charles Nelson "Charlie" 1881-1947Koning, James 1882-1946Rode, Richard August 1875-1940102 Butler/Saugatuck Village Hall

Fires and fire departments

Voss, Mary

2011.32

Saugatuck Township Fire District

Donation

1900 - 1910

Saugatuck Township Fire Department

Files Accession Number

Good

Status: OK Status By: Mary Voss Status Date: 2011-09-19

This image was featured for History Mystery#1 with the solution: Saugatuck Volunteer Fire Department, ca. 1908, in front of Saugatuck Village Hall. Members were (L to R, front row: D. Davis, F. Davis, I. Koning, C. Bird, Koning, H. Adams, H. Hirner; back row: L. Leland, R. Ruda, K. Walz, C. Redabaugh, S. Walz, F. Metzger, J. Davis)

09/19/2011

11/30/2025