Mt. Carbon / North Manheim Twp. Fire Co.

Mt. Carbon / North Manheim Twp.
Fire Company No. 1

History

"Farewell 1899! Welcome 1900! Was the headline in the Pottsville Republican on January 1, 1900. The people of Pottsville ushered in the new century in the usual manner with noisy gatherings and crowded churches. Coal was king in Schuylkill County during the 19th century, but the demise of coal had already begun by 1900. At the beginning of the 20th century Pottsville had seven volunteer fire companies, the second-finest courthouse in the state, a first-class hospital, twenty three churches, a $100,000 YMCA building, a public Mission, a free kindergarten, twelve fine schoolhouses, two parochial schools, and a free public library."

-Leo L. Ward and Mark T. Major

In 1864, the Mt. Carbon Borough was formed from North Manheim Township. It was the end of the original Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and was a very active location along the Schuylkill Canal. In 1899 the Mt. Carbon Borough purchased a Hand Drawn Hose Cart from American Hose for $112.50. The Hose Cart was inherited by the Mt. Carbon Fire Co. in 1909 and is still in the hands of the Mt. Carbon Fire Company till this day.

On April 16, 1909 a group of Volunteer Fire Fighters met with the Borough Council for an Organizational Meeting to have permission to organize their own Fire Company within the Borough's Boundaries. The Fire Fighters present were; Joseph Moraco Sr., John J. Cowhey Sr., Charles Longo, Thomas Phillips, Charles Kehoe and Matthew Kehoe. Once the Borough Agreed to the Organization, The Members of the Mt. Carbon Fire Co, held their first meeting at the Mt. Carbon Mansion House located on the corner of Centre & Main St. (Present Day, Pottsville Pizzeria.) After three meetings at the Mansion House, the Fire Company held their meetings at the West Side Social Club located at 17 Main St. in Mt. Carbon (Present Day, Borough Residence).

The Fire Company Elected their Founding Officers in 1909; President - Ambrose E. B. Moose, Vice President - R. E. Cole, Secretary - Frank Phillips, Treasurer - M. E. Reiley, Chief - John Cowhey Jr., Assistants - M.J. Kehoe, John Brehony, J.P. Cole, H.B. Glassmire & Charles Cowhey, Trustees - S.L. O'Donnell, Harry Somers & Lambert Hess.

On February 12, 1912 Mt. Carbon's first president died, the following day the New York Times published an article on his death (click image to read.) R.E. Cole sat in as President while Ambrose Moose was ill and until a new president was sworn in. At April's meeting in 1912 Lambert Hess was voted in as Mt. Carbon Fire Company's Second President.

At the time when the newly established fire company was organized in 1909, they needed a place to house their apparatus. The Mt. Carbon Fire Company gained permission from the Mt. Carbon Brewery to house their Hose Cart in a spare dilapidated room at the Brew Masters House (Present Day, Restored Stone Apartments). The fire company applied for their charter through the court on February 5, 1910 and was granted under the Act of Assembly of April 29, 1874. On March 7, 1910 they received their Charter. On October 10, 1938 The Mt. Carbon Fire Company was granted their actual wax sealed Fireman's Relief Charter. It wasn't until January 26, 1940 that the company finally received their actual wax sealed Company Charter.

In January of 1911 the Mt Carbon Fire Company was on a mission to buy some property. Lambert Hess, a Trustee and Chairman of the Lot Committee, at the time, offered $200 to the PNRCNI Rail Road for the lot that the Mansion House occupied. At this time the Mansion House had already been torn down, but the Fire Company had no luck obtaining this property. Mr. Hess continued searching for property and found that a member of the fire company, Andrew Heisler, would sell his land on Centre St. for $200. In Return the Fire Company waived all of his dues for 1911.

By January of 1912, this newly purchased lot was surveyed and the deed was ready. By April of 1912 the members were applying for a loan. The foundation, concrete walls, excavating & drainage had already been completed in May. By June, the building was already roofed and wired. On July 24, 1912 the Mt. Carbon Fire Company was approved for a $1,500 loan for the building and lot. They had to pay $100/yr. for the first four years and 6% interest on the loan until it was paid off. On April 16, 1912 the members had occupied their first fire house and insured it for five years for a mere price of $22.50. They held a Grand Opening to invited guests on October 22, 1912 and included free refreshments, light lunch, cigars and wheel of fortune "Money Wheel". This building still stands till this day and is owned by a borough resident.

In June of 1924 the fire company headed a truck committee to obtain their first motorized engine to make the travel of further distances much easier. In July, John McGinley took a trip to Hamburg, PA to purchase a 1-ton used Model T Ford for $2,400. It came fully equipped with 450ft. of re-varnished hose, pneumatic tires, 250 GPM Rotary Uptake Pump, and 2 copper lined tanks. The company paid $1000 down with an agreement of paying 6% interest on the cost every year and was given a $50 discount. The engine was previously owned by Harlem Fire Co.

Soon after the purchase of the 1924 Model T the fire company upgraded to a more suitable 1929 Hahn Pumper Engine with a 500gpm pump. In 1942, Henry Larsen, a former teacher at the Pottsville High School, purchased the company's 1942' Mack Rescue Engine with a 500gallon booster tank and a 250 GPM pump. Through many trials and tribulations the members endured, they were finally able to celebrate the holding of the title of their 42' Mack in 1967.

It was announced Monday January 15, 1968 at the regular monthly Borough Meeting that the Mt. Carbon Fire Co purchased the Borough Hall on Main St. The Hall was formerly a one room school house. The newly purchased fire company was planned for renovations along with maintenance to its community playground, under the stipulation that the Borough could hold their meetings there every month. To date the Borough Council still holds their meetings in the same school house room every month at the Mt. Carbon / North Manheim Twp. Fire Co. It wasn't until around 1980 that the 42' Hahn was replace with a 1960 Model B Mack.

Members were flown out to Wisconsin courtesy of Mack Co., they paid in full for their brand new 1983 Mack/Pierce Pumper Tanker fully equipped with 2,000-Gallon water tank, a Waterous 1,500 GPM Dual Stage Pump, an 8,000 KW Onan Diesel Generator. It is also equipped with a 2,500-Gallon Portable Dam, 1,000 ft. 5" LDH, 500 ft. 3" Supply Line, 2-250 ft. 3" Attack Lines, 2-200 ft. 1-3/4" Cross-lays, a full array of ladders, 10 Accessible Scott Air-Packs with Digital Heads-Up Display and Voice Amplification, a Pre-Piped Portable Deluge Gun with Both a Smooth Bore and Fog Nozzle, 6-portable radios, and a Thermal Imaging Camera. It also features exhaust fans and all hand tools necessary for vehicle accidents,
structure fires and brush fires. In 2007 the Tanker was involved in a heavy damage accident in a parade and needed the entire cab replaced. The work was done by Lady and Taylor.

To date, this Pumper-Tanker gives its members much pride. At a recent Barn Fire in 2009 the Tanker-Pumper, laid and charged over 900ft. of 5" Hose to the Fire Scene and the truck pumped over a million gallons of water out of a portable dams. The Dams were filled from a Tanker Shuttle that was set up. This shuttle of over 20 Tanker's sucked nearly three large ponds dry in about 6hours.

Mt. Carbon Fire Co. Acquired their Brush Truck through DCNR in 1999. It is a 1973/1999 AMC 6x6 Brush Truck. It was converted from a military fuel truck to our fully equipped Brush Unit in house by our members in 1999. It features a 1,200-Gallon water tank, a 450 GPM Hale Single Stage Pump, 2-200 ft. 1-1/2" Pre-Connected Forestry Hose, 300 ft. of additional 1-1/2" of Forestry Hose, 4-Personal Forest Firefighting Packs featuring 300 ft. of 3/4" Forestry Hose complete with water thieves and hose clamps, 4 - 5-Gallon Collapsible Indian Tanks, a pre-piped Deluge Gun with a Fog Nozzle. It also features hand tools necessary for brush fires: including but not limited to rakes, shovels and chain-saws. This truck is required to respond to all mutual aid calls through the Department of Forestry.

In 2004, The Fire Company purchased a brand new 2004 Chevy 4x4 3/4 ton Utility Body. It was converted in house to a fully equipped Squad Truck, Primarily used for Traffic Control by the Fire Police, but also has support equipment for Brush Fires and Rehabilitation.

On October, 24 2006 the Mt. Carbon Fire Co. No.1 joined teams with the North Manheim Township and became the townships official Fire Company working with Southern Schuylkill Fire Companies (Schuylkill Haven, Orwigsburg, etc...). By January of 2006 a garage was paid in full to Pioneer Pole Buildings. The new Garage was built on the Township Property in the gravel parking lot directly across the street from the present day social hall and engine room. It was designed to house newly needed apparatus to cover the additional territory in the township.

In 2007 the Mt. Carbon / North Manheim Twp. Fire Co. purchased their first truck as an annexed fire company. It was a 1993/2004 Pierce 54' Tele-Squirt with 750-Gallon water tank, 100-Gallon Foam Tank a Waterous 2,000 GPM Dual Stage Pump, an 8,000 KW Onan Gas Generator, 1,000 ft. 5" LDH, 300 ft. 3" Supply Line, 3-200 ft. 1-3/4" Cross-lays, 400 ft. 1-3/4" Pre-Connect with Fog Nozzle 150 ft. 1-3/4" Trash Line in the front bumper, a full array of ladders with Hydraulic Ladder Rack, 6 Accessible Scott Air-Packs with Digital Heads-Up Display and Voice Amplification, a Pre-Piped Remote Control Deluge Gun with a Fog Nozzle, 2-portable radios, and a Thermal Imaging Camera. It also features exhaust fans and all hand tools necessary for vehicle accidents, structure fires and brush fires.

Please,

If you have any information on the History of the Mt. Carbon Fire Company especially from the years 1950-1977 when the Present Day fire company was purchased please contact me.

Also if you have any other history that you think could be useful, i.e. Old Building History, New Building History, Fire Apparatus History, Pictures, Important Events,... Please Contact Me as well.

Thank you for your time.
ENJOY!

Web Master ~ Kyle Strokelitus

Please contact me by submission of a post or by contacting me directly