1907 - Fire Engine Arrives Today
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Mon Sep 3 22:53:14 EDT 2007
Roanoke Times - September 4, 1907
FIRE ENGINE ARRIVES TODAY
The N. & W.'s Gift Will Be a Valuable Accession
The fire engine which several months ago was presented to the
Roanoke fire department by the Norfolk & Western, will arrive today
from Cincinnati, where it has been in course of construction for the
past three months. The circumstances of the donation will be well
remembered in connection with the cave-in on Little Otter creek which
occurred the last of May. It will be remembered that the thirty-foot
concrete arch, which spanned the creek along the line of the new
construction work between this city and Lynchburg, gave way to the
weight of the hundred-foot fill, thereby very effectively damming the
stream. President Johnson applied to Chief McFall of the Roanoke fire
department, for an engine, which was readily and willingly turned
over to the company. The engine did very effective work towards
moving the fallen debris.
When the situation at Little Otter had been relieved, Mr. Johnson
announced to Chief McFall that the road would present the city a fire
engine, and he made the donation with but one condition, that the
road have the right to use the engine on such occasions as required
one to be sent out on the road. The gift amounted in all to $8,000,
the engine costing $6,000 and a large supply of house costing $2,000.
The order was immediately placed and for the past three months the
machine has been in course of construction.
The acquisition of this fine new equipment will, indeed, be a very
valuable addition to the city's fire department. The department's
engine capacity will be doubled. The largest of the old engines
throws two streams of water, while the smaller throws only one. The
new engine throws three streams of water. It was announced last night
that the engine will be tested sometime tomorrow.
-----------------------------------
- Ron Davis, Roger Link
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