Members of Salida Hose Co. No. 1 display their new rubber coats and recently purchased hose cart February 27, 1883. The fire house was on East First St. and included a tower for drying hose – which always seemed to be in short supply. The bell is believed to be the one purchased by women of Ascension Church. Although firemen couldn’t know it yet, they would be faced with using this equipment to fight four major conflagrations in the future. The December 31, 1886 blaze took out two blocks in the area bounded by F and G streets and from First Street to the Arkansas River. In 1888, a larger fire destroyed about two blocks on either side of F Street, north of First Street. Fire destroyed the D&RG Hospital in 1899. All were rebuilt. Firemen who turned out for the photo are Thomas Dansbury, Samuel King, Charlie Shirk, William Haight, Harley North, Frank Churcher (foreman), Call Smith, Fred Bateman, Samuel Mogan, Harry Whitehead, Charles Hawkins, Richard Griffith, Thomas Doubbie, Morgan Smith, M. W. Hicks, J. P. Smith and George McLain. The roster read like a “Who’s Who” of Salida businessmen.
Frank Thomson Collection.
