Norwich Fire Department Anecdotes

Fun Times with Town Fire Truck

We had fun times along with the hard times in the late 1920-1930s. One funny event I remember was our old black fire truck.

The fire truck driver had a shiny black peak on his cap. He also had under him a truck that seldom started. I will relate one of the funny occasions because I was there by chance.

I was near the fire hall north of the post office (seniors' club) when the big fire bell run, calling firemen from all parts of town. Before long the truck was loaded with firemen and the driver in his shiny black hat pressed the starter, but not a sound from the motor. Time and time he pressed the starter but not a sound, except a few words from the driver I should not have heard.

"Where's the fire?" I asked.

"The Evapourator," someone shouted.

Someone else shouted, "Let's push her. It's all down hill from Main Street."

So dumb like an ox and strong like a bull, we started to push the old relic of a truck to the annual fire at the Evapourator at the bottom of Church Street.

The Evapourator processed apples for pectin and hired mostly ladies (peelers) in the autumn.

It was a difficult job pushing that heavy old monster with wooden spokes in the wheels, which squawked every step of the way and we squawked too in a short time.

We kicked up a little dust pushing with all our hearts down Church Street. Trying to start her, but the driver got no response.

Finally, I don't know how long, we arrived on the lawn of the Evapourator and the ladies all dressed in white (and red) were standing outside not too concerned.

Where's the fire? Oh, the fire's out. One of the men doused a hot bearing and wood fire with a pail of water,but we had to wait for the firemen to make sure all was okay.

It was all down hill and we would have to push all the way to the fire hall up hill, so I watched my opportunity and skedaddled behind the houses to uptown. The year was about 1930.

If you have any anecdotes about the Norwich Fire Department, please e-mail Dan Tapley.