Ruby Tuesday and Rednesday --- Old # 17

Hi all, welcome to this week's Ruby Tuesday and Rednesday. Boy, do I have something special for you this week. And, it just sort of fell into my lap (so to speak). If you read my post yesterday you already know about all the excitement on my street on Sunday. If not, you can click here to check it out.

Today I want to feature one of the antique fire trucks at Sunday's show.

This beauty was the first fire truck purchased by the city where I live. It went in service in March of 1918. According to a newspaper article published at the time, our city's volunteer fire department was the first in the state of Missouri to have its own fire truck.

Notice the crank on the side of the truck. That crank turns a paddle inside the tank it is attached to and mixes up the chemicals inside. You see, this is a chemical truck and comes with two of those tanks and 150 feet of chemical hose. That was a simpler time and the two chemicals they used were a mild acid and Bicarbonate of Soda. The fireman released the acid into the main tank and then turned the crank which mixed the acid and soda and created about 300 pounds of pressure. This pressure allowed the resulting foam to travel down the hose and smother the fire. The portable extinguisher used the same acid and soda mix on a smaller scale. It also carries 600 feet of hydrant hose, a roof ladder and an extension ladder.

You still have to turn the crank to start this fire truck.

At the time the city could not afford to purchase a new fire truck so the firefighters decided to build their own. The truck cost $1200 and the city paid half and the firefighters and townspeople raised the rest. The truck started life as a 1914 Model T that was donated by the fire Captain Henry Otto. Captain Otto and his volunteers patterned their truck after the White Pumper that the city could not afford to buy.

They lengthened the frame and installed a Smith Form-A-Truck conversion kit along with the other firefighting apparatus. The truck served the city for several years until a more versatile used pumper could be purchased. The truck was then sold and went through several changes of ownership until it ended up in the junk yard where nature took its toll.

In 1984 Henry Otto III (now 73), a member of our volunteer fire department, spearheaded a movement to purchase and restore the old fire truck that started life as his grandfather's model T Ford. The group he founded is now known as the "Chain Gang" for all their hard work. This remarkable fire engine is now in perfect working order and ready to be called into service if needed. And, you can be assured if that happens Henry Otto III will be behind the wheel.

Following is some more shots of this old engine and I hope you enjoy them as much as the kids who got to put on a fire helmet, ring the bell, and pretend to be a fire fighter this last Sunday.

Mary at "Work of the Poet" hosts Ruby Tuesday. Rednesday is a Wednesday meme hosted by Sue at "It's a Very Cherry World." Both memes are dedicated to the color red. To join the fun or just check out what Red others are excited to share visit Mary and her friends at Ruby Tuesday and Sue and her friends from Rednesday