Museum (DUP) Wagons and Horses
Wagons and Horses
Prior to the use of horses, the fire pump or engine was pulled by the volunteer firefighters. Initially named “Elgin,” after the Governor-General Lord Elgin, the engine was renamed “Protection” in 1850.
Firemen with Horse team and Fire wagon outside Perry Street Fire Hall
When the fire alarm was heard, volunteers came from every direction to the fire hall and “Protection” would be pulled by the mob of men to the fire, where a source of water such as a well or pond, had to be found. Hoses would be laid from the water to the engine and then from the engine toward the fire, and the men would go to work pumping the apparatus at the count of the chief. The water would gush out with each pump, not in a steady stream.
Horse-drawn equipment was later added to the arsenal of the department. Several horses were owned by the brigade through the years but perhaps the most famous was Farmer, who made his first run to Dufferin House on a Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. in November 1886. Farmer was one of the horses used to pull the two-wheel fire-hose cart. Farmer served for 17 years on the force. Records show that in January 1903, a four-year-old horse named Dawn weighing 1090 lbs and a five-year old horse named Dusk weighing 1180 lbs were purchased to replace Farmer.
Farmer and two Firemen, 1890's
Training the Horses
Fireman Fred Beam drove the old horse-drawn reels just before the switch to motorized vehicles. He recalled how the horses knew what was happening as soon as the gong would sound. When the stable doors were opened, the horses moved right into place in front of the wagons. A lever was pulled, dropping the harness down from above so the men could snap the horses in place. Another lever was pulled to open the doors and the brigade was off. Fred Beam recalled that the horses really liked to move at night, more so than in the daylight. The horses were trained and exercised each day. The stable door would be opened and they would be led to their place in front of the wagon and given a bit of sugar. Sometimes they were just taken out to run with the reel wagon.
New Hose Wagon
In 1909, the city council decided that a new hose wagon not exceeding $500 needed to be purchased. The tender from the Abbott Company in London was accepted for a wagon at the cost of $495 with a one-year guarantee. The wagon measured 10' 6" long and 3' 5" wide. A practice run was made to Hounsfield and Norwich Avenue in 3 minutes 39 seconds. The hook and ladder wagon was later painted at Hannon and Kellett in Woodstock to match the hose wagon. The old wagon was repaired and used as a backup.
Bain Wagon Fire Dept. with Chief France, 1900 C
Fire Marshall Pontin from Toronto inspected the Woodstock department in January of 1919 and was quite satisfied with what he found, but once again noted the need for more hydrants in the business section of the city. He recommended that the cellars and architectural features of local buildings be checked so that no inflammable items were stored there. He also suggested that many fire departments were moving from horse drawn wagons to more efficient trucks, though the expense would be high at first.
In 1920, Woodstock bought two new fire trucks and retired the horse-drawn wagons and carts. The Fire Department’s last horse, Frank, died on April 14, 1922. The stable was scrubbed and the equipment was sold.
