Most Americans are quite familiar with fire trucks. The chances are pretty good that you have witnessed one of these vehicles as it responds to an incident in your town. We, at Eagle Hose Company 6, have two such pieces of apparatus assigned to us. They are:

Engine 6

1992 Pierce Engine

...and...

Truck 7

2006 Pierce Tower Ladder

These mammoth vehicles can carry hundreds of gallons of water along with several hundred feet of hose in various sizes. They host dozens of tools and various pieces of equipment, which aid firemen in their duties. Our truck is equipped with an extensive array of ladders, which will allow firemen to perform various rescue and fire suppression activities, which might be required at the scene. The vehicles of today allow firefighters to respond to incidents in a much more rapid and efficient manner than ever before.

However, long before the advent of the motorized fire truck we are all familiar with today, firefighters used various means to extinguish a blaze. The earliest form of firefighting involved able-bodied citizens participating in ‘bucket brigades’, where people would form a double line and pass buckets of water to the scene of the fire. The contents of the bucket were tossed on the burning structure and then passed back down the line to be refilled. The bucket brigades were replaced in the early 1700’s by the invention of the hand-pumper.

In the 1800’s we graduated to steam pumpers, hose wagons, and chemical pumpers. These pumpers and wagons would be pulled to the fire scene via hand or horse, with some firemen running alongside the vehicle. The company pulling the pumper would connect to the water source in order to provide themselves with a supply of water. The company pulling the hose carriage would supply the suppression, or attack line. The pumpers and hose wagons worked together to extinguish the fire. While these methods were an improvement over the bucket brigades of the previous century, they still required a great deal of physical exertion on the part of the firemen.

The early 1900’s ushered in the era of the motorized fire truck, which allowed firefighters to ride on a motor driven vehicle to the fire scene. This vehicle has continuously been improved over the years, and remains as the premiere vehicle of choice today.

Eagle Hose Obtains Carriage in 1871

You will not see these vehicles of yesteryear in operation on your local streets today. In fact, these older wagons are so rare; you would be fortunate if you were able to view one in a museum. There are literally only a handful of these pre-Civil War era vehicles in existence today. We, at Eagle Hose, are proud to possess one of these unique pieces of equipment. It is the original piece of apparatus used by this Company when it was established in 1871, and it has remained a part of our history for over 135 years.

It was in 1871 when a group of prominent Ansonians, led by Franklin Farrel, William Wallace and Daniel F. Hoadley, were named to a committee tasked with finding suitable apparatus for the newly formed fire company, Ansonia Fire Company # 1. They located a four-wheel hose wagon with 50 feet of hose in Newark, N.J. Through research; we have been able to determine that William Williams manufactured this hose wagon in 1859. The wagon was originally built for the Eagle Hose Company No. 1, which was located at 3 Pike Street in New York, NY. The hose wagon was then sold to a New Jersey company when Eagle Hose Co. 1 disbanded in 1865. Several years later it arrived in Ansonia, CT.

When the carriage arrived here, it had ornate carvings and it bore the inscriptions "Eagle Hose Company No. 6" in several places. It was soon discovered it would be difficult to remove these inscriptions, and, if attempted, would destroy the beauty of the carriage. Therefore, the membership voted to leave the inscriptions in place, and instead, change the name of the new organization to ‘Eagle Hose Company No. 6’.

The carriage is synonymous with the history of Eagle Hose, and it has appeared in many parades since the late 1800’s. Eagle Hose, and the carriage, were well known in the New England area as they were awarded numerous trophies throughout the region for the Best Appearing and Best Drilling Company. The longest trip the carriage ever made was to Alexandria, VA. in 1936, where the Company took 2^nd place in a national competition.

As we reflect upon the history of firefighting, we see how it has evolved over time. The days of fighting fires with a hose wagon are long gone. Our firefighting forefathers would most likely be amazed at the contemporary equipment available today, such as: Radios, SCBA equipment, PASS Devices, modern ventilation tools, large diameter hose, and – of course – the fire truck. Technological advances have aided and allowed today’s firefighters to carry out their duties in a more efficient and safer manner. We’re certainly grateful for these advances, but we’re also quite proud to possess a piece of equipment, which is such an integral part of the history of Ansonia, as well as being such a unique symbol of the history of the fire service in America.

The Restoration of the Carriage

Recently, the Company decided to fully restore, and therefore preserve, this rare gem.  Through the use of an old photograph of the carriage, and some modern technology, we were able to determine the original colors of the carriage. Every detail of the carriage is being scrutinized in an attempt to restore this prized possession to its original condition. The restoration process has taken nearly two years to complete, and the cost is in excess of $50,000. While the cost to restore the carriage is substantial, it pales in comparison to the history this piece represents for Eagle Hose and for the City of Ansonia.

Photographs of the Carriage During the Restoration Process

Click on images to enlarge photos

Photographs of the Finished Product at the 2006 Wetdown

The Restoration Process Continues....

We ran into several problems with the parade carriage shortly after it was returned to us in September of 2006. The hose drum developed several cracks and fissures on both sides. In addition, each of the wheels developed fracture lines near the hubs. The varnish coat also showed inconsistency in its application. The Company attempted to have the original contractor repair these items, but we were unsuccessful in this endeavor.

So we set out to find a new contractor who would repair these defects for us, and at the end of 2007 the carriage was sent to Blackburn Restorations. The carriage was completely dismantled, defects were repaired and then re-assembled. The delicate task was completed in the Summer of 2008 and the carriage was returned to the Company in pristine condition.

Photographs from the Restoration Process at Blackburn

 

 

Future Plans

The Company will begin bringing this showpiece to parades in the local region. So we set out to find a means of transporting the carriage, and in 2008 we purchased a Pace American Trailer. The trailer was customized to hold all of the associated decorations.

 

More Photos of the Carriage