Horse Stories...and more Grand Rapids Fire Department History #20
1921 - Grand Rapids Newspaper Article
With the arrival recently of the motor pumper at Engine House #7, Grand Rapids passed from the list of those cities classed as being partially motorized into the category of completely motorized firefighting apparatus. Whether elimination of the last horse-drawn fire engine will give Grand Rapids a better rating in the lists of the National Underwriters Association remains to be seen. Before the addition of the last (motorized) apparatus it was rated first class with only 120 demerits giving the department 87.4 percent perfect fire protection. That is an enviable reputation for a wooden roofed city as cold as Grand Rapids is for four months of the year.
The men of Engine House #7 are enthusiastic over the acquisition of the new apparatus, a 1921 American LaFrance, 750 gpm, triple combination pumper, chiefly because it adds to the efficiency of the company by enabling it to get to the scene of a fire more rapidly and by permitting six men to work the hose lines and ladders where only five were available before. "It is considerably faster getting on the road," said Captain William Spencer in discussing the advantages of the new engine. "Two or three minutes cut from our running time means we can get to the fire that much sooner. Those two or three minutes frequently tell the story. Give them to the fire department, especially in roof fires which are by far the most frequent and the loss will be small, give them to the fire and no one can tell how much damage will result. It is axiomatic among firemen that the first few minutes make the fire. Once at the fire it again is time that counts, the time that it takes the men to get at the fire and combat it effectively."
The new pumper carries a 24 foot extension ladder and a 12 foot roof ladder. It is equipped with a booster pump attached with a small stream hose to a 60 gallon water tank. "As soon as we get to a fire the water in this tank is available without waiting for connection to one of the city water mains. More often than not it proves sufficient to put out the fire without resorting to the big pump and city mains." The new pump, rated at a 750 gallon per minute capacity, threw 840 gallons per minute at its official acceptance test. This compares favorably with the 600 gpm capacity of the supplanted steam fire engine. It enables six of the seven men of the engine company to take part in the actual work of handling the hose and ladders as against five out of seven available when one man was required to hold the horses and one to keep the pump in action.
"It is cheaper, in that it takes the place of two apparatus - a steam fire engine and a combination chemical and hose wagon. Feed for the horses and the fuel required to keep the water in the steamer constantly at the boiling point more than balances the cost of upkeep of the new pumper," said Captain Spencer. "In spite of attempts to keep the steam gauge at a point where a working pressure could be reached during a run to a fire, steam power pumps could never be depended upon to work at maximum capacity as soon as they were connected to the mains. Gas driven pumps pick up their maximum load as soon as they are attached." Only one man at Engine House #7 feels a tinge of regret because of the change. That man is William C. Bremer, who drove the first horse drawn apparatus at Engine House #7 on December 19, 1891, when the company first came into existence. For 30 years he drove continuously without an accident and without a runaway. During the first 20 years of his service "Bill" was the driver of the hose wagon. Ten years ago when a motor driven hose wagon replaced the team of horses, Captain Spencer wanted Bremer to learn to drive it, but "Bill" refused. Instead he asked that he be shifted to the steam fire engine to drive those horses. His request was granted and he became the last regular driver of the last horse drawn Grand Rapids Fire Department apparatus.
Now there are no more horses left for "Bill" to drive. After 30 years his teams are gone never to return. He and his friends, Ned and Duke, are of the order that has passed. They did their utmost, and a thrilling, romantic utmost it was - Ned and Duke straining in mighty effort down sleet-covered or snow clad streets, "Bill" holding them in their course, urging here, restraining there, but ever with one idea in mind, to reach the fire as quickly as possible. But, the old order changes, and with every change isolated human beings find progress for the good of the many casts them aside without regard of the individual. Romantic though they were, pathetic as they now appear, other drivers in other cities have gone the way that "Bill" now goes. Other horses have preceded Ned and Duke to garbage wagon hauling. Meanwhile, "Bill", now a pipeman on Engine #7, gradually is recovering from the blow. For two days after his pets had left he spoke to none of his company mates. "Bill" having served faithfully for 30 years can now retire on a pension when he pleases.
A few steam fire engines were still in the fire department as late as 1923 but were used only in reserve. Horses were not needed as these steamers had been converted to (electric or gasoline tractor driven).
The following are examples of tractor driven and electric driven fire apparatus used in the Grand Rapids Fire Department as well as one of the last pictures of Steamer #7 (horse drawn) and the new Engine #7, triple combination, American LaFrance 750 gpm pumper.
Robert Imhoff, Retired Captain - Apparatus Division