The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-11-18
FIRE DEPART.
MENT ADVANCES
HISTORY SHOWSVALUABLE SERVICE
Volunteer Organization Perfected EIeyer
Years Ago-FeStivities Scheduled
for Thanksgiving

partment of which the town is proud.
Considering the size of the city and the
accommodations of the members of the
organization. its work has been very
successful, and fire loss in the capitol OF
the Apple Valley has been compare
lively small
The Hood River Volunteer fire de-
partment was organized on November
Ia, 1904, at the store rooms of White
head & Sheets. The charter members
of the fire fighting brigade were: Ar
thur Cole, Mel. Foley. l.. G. Morgan
NJ. ]. Wright. Clarence Shaw, W. c.
Kelsay, e. A. Henderson, Winfield
Olinger. Will Shipman. Will Morgan
Earl Clark, Earl X. Bartmess and D.
R. Norton. The first officers were
Walter Mcclure, pres. L. G. Morgan
vice 5pres.: Earl X. Bartmess, see.
Will Sheets, chief; Sherman j. Frank
assistant chief; W. |. Gadwa, chief en-
gineer; Clarence Shaw, first engineer
Will Morgan, second engineer Winfield
Olinger, third engineer; Percy Cross
treas.
Because of the progressive tendencies
of those who have been at the helm Of
the fire department, it has made steady
advancement. Today the organization
is recognized as a beneficial institution
and support is received from the mu
nicpal government. Formerly firemer
received no remuneration for their ser
vices, although clothing was often ru
ined in fighting flames. Today the city
p ays the sum of So to each member Of
the department present at fire, where
hoses are attached and water is thrown
Formerly the department had no reg
ular meeting place. Sometimes its ses
sions were held lin the city hall. Today
its regular meetings are held at the
quarters of the Commercial club.
The organization has always pridet
iself on success at contests with neigh
boring citiess. In 1905 at a Fourth Of
July celebration. the first prize of $lt
was won for the best fire drill. On July
d, 1912, the sum of $75 was won in hose
races with the fire department Of The
DalIes.
The fremen now enjoy social life.
| They have also organized athletic
teams, and on Thanksgiving day the
firemen's eleven will meet the high
school football team.
The first annual ball of the fire de.
partment was held January /, 1905
| The proceeds from the ball, over anC
above expenses, amounted to $l24.50.
The next annual dance of the depart.
fnent will be held next Thursday even
ing. Elaborate preparations are being
made for the event, and the firemen are
expecting to increase the funds of theil
treasury. The annual firemen's ball il
becoming social event. Hood River
citizens attend the dancing party, moi
only because of the good time afforded,
but because of the knowledge that the
money paid for ticket goes for gooG
cause.
The apparatus of the department to.
day is as follows: Three hose carts,
1900 feet of hose, hook and ladder
wagon, chemical engine and six rub
ber coats. The first hose cart was pur'
chased by subscription on Nov. Is, 1905.
At a cost of $3.50 the fire bell. now
hanging above the city hall, was pur.
chased during January, 1907.
| The fire department has always had
the active cooperation of residents OF
the Heights. Company No. 2, of the
Heights, was affiliated with the depart.
ment on June ID, 1909. Members o1
this company were: D. A. Cook, D. M.
McClancey. F. E. Harris, James Haw.
thorn, A. Morton, Fred Larwood, j. W,
Kulp, A. G. Stevens. N. T. Chapman,
D. j. Treiber. A.. L. Carmichael ano
R. E. Chapman. This company partic.
ipated in races at The Dalles in Sep.
tember, 1911.
The roster of the Volunteer fire de.
partment is at present as follows: W.
b. Mcclure, pres. Walter Shay, vice
pres. R. B. Perigo. treas. Walter
Ford, sec. W. B. Mcclure, chief; r.
B. Perigo, asst. chief. Hose Company
No. /: L. G. Morgan, foreman: D.
Waldie. assistant; William Bailey, Sci
Hickey. Joe Hayward. Geo. Ertle, Wal
ter Shay. R. H. Husbands, Sam King
er. A. d. Dabney. Hose Company No
2: A. L. Vincent, foreman; Walter
Ford, assistant; E. C. .Eborly, Will
lam Baker, B. Fl. Crump, Earl Franz
W. B. Coulter, Will NrGuire, F. b
Snyder. Hose Company No. 8: Hub
bard Taylor. foreman; E. M. Holman
assistant: Jay Burtrow, ]. F. Vol
storff, Chas. Carson and Harry Dob
son.
The first fire on the records of tht
department occurred on the Heights
September "a, 1905, when the confec
tionery store of II. F. Jochims0i
burned. Other fires of the city since
that date have been: May, 1909
Luckey's blacksmith shop,i in which RAJ
Utter lost his life; May, 1910, Cess
ling's Touring mill: June. 1910. Coun
try Club Inn; Ramona Hotel, June 16
1912, at a. m. old Armory building
at midnight of June 20. 1915.
All members of the fire department
are allowed 81 80 per daY in case of in