The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-08
PLANNED BY Chief
Geo. o. Wilmarth Practically
Builds Fire Apparatus.
Designs and Orders Followed
Out by Manufacturers.
HIS EXCELLENT IDEAS
Chief Wilmarth's Opinions Ac-
cepted All Over Country.
Topeka's Equipment Taken as
Models by Other Cities.

There are very few people in To-
peka who know that the fire appar-
atus used by the fire department in
this city is designed and manufac
tured after the particular ideas and
the improvements made and suggest
ed by George o. Wilmarth, fire mar
shall and chief of the department
In fact, the f1remen and officials
working under Chief Wilmarth have
very little idea of the work and study
that this well known fire fighter places
in his orders and in his plans before
the purchase of some piece of appar-
are a few exceptions in the makeup
of the equipment, but the wagons,
both chemical and hose, the trucks
and all, are made by the manufacture
ers under the orders and plans of the
Topeka fire chief.
When George c. Hale, former chief
of the Kansas City fire department
and a man of International fame on
account of his reputation as a fire
fighter and his marvellous exhibitions
at the Paris exposition, was in Topeka
not long ago he paid a great compli-
ment to Chief Wi1marth when he said:
81 can truthfully say that Chief
Wilmarth is one of the most widely
known fire chiefs in the United States.
His ideas along the lines of fire fight
his many years of active experience
have made him one of the most valu-
able men in the fire fighting world to-
day.
Where Topeka Led.
Then ex-Chief Hale went on to ex-
plain that the first trained horse for
fire service had been trained under
Chief Wilmarth and that the first
brass sliding poles he had ever heard
of were nlaced in the Topeka. fire
headquarters under the management
of the veteran chief.
All these Lnings are generally known
in regard to the reputation and the
efficiency of the. Topeka fire chief. But
the fact that the hose. chemical and
truck wagons sent to Topeka from the
the supervision and, the directions of
Chief Wilmarth is a thing that Is
known only by a few who have had
occasion to come in contact with the
work and watch the results.
The com bination hose-chemical
wagon recently purchased by Chief
Wilmarth for the new fire station on
the East side is good example of
the results of the ideas carried out
by the manufacturers of the pretty
piece of apparatus
When this wagon was finished and
delivered the manufacturer wrote to
Chief Wilmarth that it was by far the
prettiest piece of fire fighting appar-
AUS Ln0y naQ ever MADE and OF It's
kind it was undoubtedly the best in the
United States. To prove their belief
in their statements they have now is
sued a catalogue to the different de-
partments over the. country and as
their big feature they picture and de-
scribe this new wagon built for the
city of Topeka.
The wagon is pictured in this issue
of the State Journal. and represents
the wagon as it stands in the head
quarters in service today. 1t is a
beautiful piece of equipment. solid
steel, highly polished, brilliantly paint
ed presenting a most staunch and
durable appearance.
This combination hose chemical has
been on the streets number of times
the last few days since its delivery to
the department and it has attracted
much attention and admiration. There
are number of features on this COM
bination wagon that were made
through the orders of Chief Wilmarth.
These features will undoubtedly be
patterned extensively throughout the
country especially since the manufac-
turers have featured them in their
advertising catalogues.
One of the requisites in the APP
paratus which Chief Wilmarth order
ed carried out in the manufacture was
the slope of the floor of the bed of
the wagon. The front end of the
main body is higher than the rear end
thus reducing the friction in the un-s