FIRE ENGINE OF ’49

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 194, 5 November 1927, Page 10

FIRE ENGINE OF ’49

WHEN MILLIONAIRE FOUGHT FLAMES SAN FRANCISCO RELIC A rare relic of the days of ’49, a hand-drawn fire engine that rumbled | over San Francisco’s streets when millionaires were volunteer firemen, was brought back to that city by Albert Dressier, whose hobby is scouring Dressier, local historian and collector, the State for old manuscripts and re- j j cords of the El Dorado days, discovi ered the apparatus at Carson City. I Nevada, where it had been abandoned by the fire department after many ; years’ service. He succeeded in purchasing it, and i two other pieces of early San Fran- : cisco equipment, from C. A. Ambrose, i of Carson City, and plans to turn his I find over either to a museum or historical society. History Told The history of the old engine is graphically told in this letter which Dressier received from Ambrose on acquiring the apparatus: “The old-time hand-power fire apparatus you purchased from me evidently was in New York in 1849. came around the Horn and was the original piece used by the Knickerbocker Fire Company at San Francisco in 1850, as is shown on the hand-power backend. “By 1860 San Francisco had evidently purchased better apparatus for fighting fires, as this little fire wagon was sold to Carson City, Nevada, at that time. It was hauled by oxen and mules up through Placerville to Lake Tahoe. Having no brake on it about fifty men went up to the lake from Carson and let it down to Carson by hand. Made in S.F. “The other piece you have, the i steamer lire engine, came to Carson j City about 1870. At that time it was j considered the latest thing in fire- I fighting apparatus. It is double-action, throwing out two streams of water at the same time. Old-time firemen tell me that it would throw two streams of water over the capitol dome at Carson. “The hand-drawn hose cart, the third relic you have, was made in San Francisco. I have no record that it was used there, but was bought by Carson City about 1870. It is a work of art.” Dressier also presented a letter from the State librarian in Sacramento corroborating the authenticity of the relics, and adding, “You have surely made a great find. The engine will undoubtedly create a sensation.” Not the least excited over the return of the ancient apparatus to its home city was Miss Stella Anderson, j known as the “Fire Belle” of San ’ Francisco. She donned a fireman’s helmet, and rode triumphantly the engine once drawn by the First Families j of San Francisco.