The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
AUTO CHEMICAL
COMING SOON
New Apparatus for MorriStown
Fire Department VIII Add
Greatly to It's Efficiency.
FOR INDEPENDENT HOSE co.

Within possibly three months the
Morristown fire department will have
added to it's already fine equipment an
auto chemical engine, replacing the
present horse drawn chemical engine
used by Independent hose company.
Some time ago the company appointed
Henry M. Smith, Q. Franklin Wilson
and John v Parker committee to
look into the practicability Of such a
machine. The committee Investigated
the machines now in use in many
cities and towns in the east and though
recommending no particular make re-
ported favorably on the matter and
advised the purchase Of such ma
The committee from the company
took the matter up with the fire com
mittee of the board of aldermen which
in connection with the chief engineer
reported favorably on the application
to the board of aldermen and that
body has made provision in the appro-
priations for the year to secure the
machine.
The committee is now looking over
the six or eight different makes of
these machines and will recommend
the purchase of some particular make
in week or two.
The auto chemical will have about
the same equipment as the present
chemical engine-twO thirty-6ye gall
Ion chemical tanks, ladders, axes, Ian
terms, etc, and will also be provided
with a Searchlight. The engine will
be of forty horse power capable Of
driving the car at a speed of sixty
miles an hour, which of course will not
be attained in MorriStown though a
speed of thirty miles can easily be
made on the streets and the machine
will be provided with siren horn
which will give ample warning of the
approach of the apparatus,
The tanks will be located. probably,
under the drivers seat while in the
rear of them will be side seats accom-
modating from six to twelve men, ac-
cording to the type of car chosen, the
seats being arranged like those in the
truck cOmpany's red wagon.
The town not liking the idea of
spending the five or six Thousand dol
lars the machine will cost in one
lump the company will pay for it
and the town will reimburse the
company to the amount of one thous-
and dollars yearly The present ma
chine, together with the horses, will
be sold and the amount realized put in
the fund for the purchase Of the auto.
There is no question that the ac-
QUESTION of this auto will be a
great improvement to the towns fire
fighting apparatus. With a speed of
thirty miles an hour the machine
could go to Sneeden's crossing in about
three minutes while it would take the
team of horses from ten to-twelve
minutes to get the present apparatus
there. With the large territory COW
cred by the local department the auto
will be great time saver.
The company will purchase at once
horse to take the place of 8 Duke :"
who died few days ago. 1t costs the
company one dollar day to rent a
horse and it will be cheaper, even for
the. short time until the arrival of the
auto, to buy horse for the service.
Five hundred dollars has been appro-
priated for the purchase of new hose,
two new extension ladders have been
ordered for Resolute hook and ladder
company, together with several other
appliances needed by the department.
The fire committee he's ordered a
fire hydrant to be placed at the corner
OF Evergreen and Jersey avenues.