page_title: Alexander Bonner Latta
section_title: Uncle Joe Ross and Citizen's Gift steam fire engines
hierarchical_section_title: Alexander Bonner Latta / Uncle Joe Ross and Citizen's Gift steam fire engines
caption_attribution_description: English: A steam fire engine called "Citizens Gift" made by A.B. Latta
context_page_description: Alexander Bonner Latta was an American manufacturer and inventor. He produced the first practical steam fire engine that was successfully used as a routine part of a city's fire department equipment.
context_section_description: Latta's greatest inventions were those related to steam fire engines. He made his first one in 1852 and it was purchased by the City of Cincinnati to incorporate as part of its fire department equipment. His first manufactured steam fire engines could be drawn by both men and horses. In 1855 he was granted a patent on a self-propelled steam engine. It consisted of three steel wheels and designed like a tricycle. The front wheel was for steering and the back wheels not only propelled the machine down the streets, but powered the pumps to push the water through the hoses. The boiler was of two square chambers, one within the other. The space between them contained water that was heated to steam by the inner chamber firebox.
  Latta invented the first successful steam fire engine in the world that was practical and used by a city fire department as part of their equipment. The steam fire engine was named Uncle Joe Ross for Joseph Ross, after the councilman that promoted it. Latta designed his steam fire engine in 1852. The steam fire engine was put into full service at the Cincinnati fire department on January 1, 1853, and used as a regular part of their equipment for putting out fires. The Cincinnati volunteer fire department was reorganized in April 1853, because of Latta's practical steam fire engine that they were using successfully to put out fires. The Cincinnati fire department officially became the first paid company of firemen. The city ordered another of Latta's practical steam fire engines in 1854 and it was named Citizen's Gift, since the money to purchase it came from the citizens of Cincinnati. Boston was the next to adopt Latta's practical steam fire engine, followed by New York City, and then other cities.
  The steam fire engine Uncle Joe Ross was demonstrated in a test in 1855 when it exploded. This was the first steam fire engine explosion.  It injured several people and killed the operating engineer. The damaged fire engine was replaced by the Citizen's Gift and the A.B.Latta fire engines, that the citizens of Cincinnati purchased from Latta for $9,500 each and were delivered before the end of the year.
caption: Citizen's Gift
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