Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-02-21
MEETS The
EMERGENCY
Wauseon Fire Department and Auto
Truck Save the Day In Crisis
3.54O,OOO Gallons of Water Pumped
in Eighteen Days.

Two or three years back there was
considerable criticism found express
sion about town In the extravaganza
ne vnlage buds" in purchasing
an Auto Fire Truck for the use OF the
FIRE Department and there was some
acridity in the comments regarding
the payment of $4,000. for a play
thing for the Firemen. Perhaps this
was all because not every one realized
as did the firemen themselves that
the town was actually without ade-
quate fire protection in case of a
really serious fire. Even at that time
the water-works could not DC ,rened
on to always give sufficient pressure
in time of need and none knew THIS
better than the firemen themselves.
Subsequent events demonstrated the
wisdom of the purchase and especial
ly the fire which occurred January 18th
1918, when even the most critical
were forced to admit that large Sec
tion of the business blocks of South
Fulton street would have been laid IN
ruins had it not been for the Fire
Truck It has been admitted by a
number of the former critics that the
results accomplished and the fire loss
averted by the iremen with their Eek
pensive plaything" fully justified the
purchase and the expenditures.
The latest service rendered by the
Fire Department and the truck beats
all previous records and puts the town
in debt to them both: On Jan. 26th
the deep wells at the water works
plant suddenly failed and Wtuseon's s
water supply was gone. In this
emergency the Fire Department and
the truck came to the rescue; with
out water the Van Camp Mix conden-
sorry could not continue to run; the
stopping of this industry would en-
hail a severe loss upon hundreds If
dtirymen in this and adjacent COM
munities besides throwing the factory
force and haulers out of employment
There were other industries in Wau-
seon depending on the city water
works for a constant supply of wa
ter. not to mention the homes Of the
village and the ever present necessity
of maintaining a sufficient supply OF
water for use in case of fire
1t was real cricis and the Water
Works Board and City officials were
at their "wits end" 1t will go down
in the history of Wauseon that the
auto truck Saved the day."
The truck was brought out and the
intake Of the pump placed in a stream
Of water flowing just beyond the
northeast boundaries of the town; the
water from this ditch was clear anc
comparatively free from unsanitlry
conditions. People of the town were
notified to boil the water before using
and the Fire Truck began to pumI
Three hours on that first day anC
$4,000 gallons of water were forceC
into the water mains, the truck using
just " gallons Of gasoline to do th'
business.
From that time ON to and including
February 18th a period of eighteel
days, the truck kept pumping, eigh
cen hours on January 9th, pumpin,
100000 gallons of water; on each o
the following days, up to Februar.
11th the pump was kept going four
teen hours each day, pumping 210,00t
gallons Of water per day: Februar,
11th the pump worked but eigh
hours pumping 10000 gallons an
February 18th. the last day, twelv
hours, pumping los 900 gallons.
In the 18 days the pump worke
236 hours, pumping 3,54O,0O0 gallon
of water and used to perform thi
service 354 gallons of gasoline; on
gallon of gasoline for every 1000
gallons of water, and ID gallons o
lubricating oil The gasoline at 25
per gallon cost $3.50 and oil at 81 0
per gallon, $14 90 a total of $102.5(
Three firemen acted as drivers, alter
mating with each other during tn
eighteen dhys: George Geer, G.
Stratton and Thomas Fhshbaugh.
No stops for repairs or engin
trouble Of any kind were made; theI
were three stops made. two for fire
which were extinguished with sligE
loss and one when it was found ne'
essary to move the truck.
The truck is in perfect conditio
and shows no signs of wear from i
heavy service.
Last week pump was placed in p
sition, tractor engine secured
run it and the Fire truck was returl
ed to it's quarters in the city buildin
The present pumping arrangemn