Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-04-22
BRYAN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

organized May 16, 1871, nearly forty
two years ago, was the first fire com
pany in the city of Bryan, with the
following charter members: Frank
Leman, Albert Burk, Nat Wilson, w
G. Bunger and Charles A. Sterne.
In 1881 the steam fire engine was
bought, and the Hook and Ladder
Company and the Hand Engine Com
pany consolidated and reorganized as
Protection Steam Engine Company No
/. Messrs. T. P. Boyett, John R. Cole
and John B. Mike are the only ones
now living in Bryan who were in the
old company at this time.
In 1896 marked improvement was
made when the company moved up
from hand to horse-drawn apparatus,
and since which time improvements
have been gradually made until the
company has reached its present high
standard of efficiency.
Realizing that the growth of Bryan
demanded an increase in it's freight
ing equipment, two years ago, March
IA, 1911, Chemical Company No. 2
was organized, and the Bryan Fire De-
partment is now under the direction of
the following efficient officers:
G. e. jenkins, Chief.
Wade Cox, Assistant Chief.
Protection Fire Company No. /
Luther Johnson, Foreman; Willie
Ruchti, Assistant Foreman.
Chemical Fire Company No. 2
Charles Wetter, Foreman; H. A.
Saunders, Assistant Foreman.
In years of service John Whitman
is the oldest member of the Bryan
Fire Department, with thirty years
continuous service to his credit, while
Chief C. b. Jenkins comes second,
with twenty-seven years continuous
service.
The Bryan Fire Department has
steadily grown with the town and the
service of its members in responding
to the calls has been Of the best that
untiring energy and loyalty could
produce, and step by step added i'm
provements have been made until now
they have ordered a new auto COM
bination car which will put the Bryan
Fire Department on a par with the
other Improvements that have come
to pass within the past few years and
place the department in the front
rank with the leading fire departments
of the State.
Following is a general description
Of the new auto combination fire
truck:
1t is an American LaFrance type
1O-4 cylinders, with 51a-inch bore,
6-inch stroke and developes by test
7O-horse power. The fuel supply is %
gallons with pressure feed. Battery
equipment is two 6-volt storage.
Transmission - Sliding selective
type. Three speeds forward and one
reverse.
Drive-Double side chains from jack
shaft sprockets to rear wheel sprock-
cts.
Brakes-Foot brakes are internal
expanding, in drums attached to rear
wheels, and operated by foot pedal
The emergency brake is operated by
hand lever expanding rings against
inner surface of break drums on rear
wheels.
The wheel base is 14O ga inches
center to center Of hubs.
1t has a track of 62 inches center to
center of front tires and 70 ga inches
center to center of the outside dual
real tires. All tires are of the cushion
type.
The frame and axles are of imported
Krupp chrome nickel steel.
The wheels are artillery type, with
PA inch spoke, and are SO inches
in diameter.
The body will have a capacity of
1900 feet of IL inch fire hose. One
chemical tank of 40 gallons capacity
and 200 feet of ga inch chemical hose
an an automatic reel, and the neces-
sary nozzles, wrenches, etc.
There will be two 3-gallon hand ex-
tinguishers, two fire axes, one crow
bar, one Detroit door opener, two
shut-off nozzles and play pipes, four