Decision to Purchase New Hand-pumped Fire Engine – October 28, 1882

On October 28, 1882, a special meeting of the council was called for the purpose of taking into consideration the matter of purchasing a fire-engine.  J. W. Newkink, representing C. G. Carleton and Company, was present and offered to sell the village a first class crane-neck hand fire engine and a 1000 feet of hose, a cart, and a ladder truck, everything complete of $2,800 to be paid in three yearly installments with 6% interest.

Thirty-seven citizens signed a petition in favor of purchasing the hand fire engine with necessary equipment.  At the next council meeting, Mr. Simon moved that the engine etc., should be named Almont, and Mr. Moore moved to call it Cascade.  After much discussion, the name ‘Almont Hook and Ladder’ was decided on.

On Sept. 23, 1883, there was a special meeting at the Harrington Hall for the purpose of organizing a Fire Company.  A Barn was rented from Mrs. Saviguy at $2 a month to store the fire equipment.

Source: Almont – The Tale of Then and Now by Hildamae Waltz Bowman, 1985, page 42 –verbatim.

Note: In December, 1881, the Union School building burned and had to be replaced.  Reports about the fire indicate that the citizens initially tried to extinguish the fire by using a bucket brigade.  The village did own a hand-pump fire engine but it was not brought to the fire for more than an hour.  Many citizens did not feel the hand-pumped engine capable of supplying enough water to extinguish the fire and several suggested pushing the engine into the fire so the village could purchase a newer, larger engine.  When the engine was finally put into action, it supplied a considerable amount of water and may have saved the building if it had been brought to the fire when the fire was first discovered.

Source: Almont – The Tale of Then and Now by Hildamae Waltz Bowman, 1985, page 84 – rewritten by James Richard Wade Sr., October, 2017