The year is 1877. As Chambersburg continues to grow the citizens of the north end of town in the First Ward discuss the need for further fire protection.
The interested citizens placed an official notification in the local newspapers stating that all interested citizens of the First Ward wishing to organize a fire company were to meet at the North Point School House on Vine Street on Monday evening October 8, 1877, at 7 p.m.
It was obvious that another meeting would be needed for further discussion and to move forward in organizing a new fire company within the Borough of Chambersburg. It was at the second meeting held in the North Point School House on October 15, 1877, that it was officially decided to draw up the constitution and by-laws needed. The citizens also chose a name: Cumberland Valley Hose Company No. 5.
This picture was taken circa 1880 of the Cumberland Valley Hose Company members in their first uniforms and their first piece of apparatus, a four wheel hose reel.
This picture was taken at the corner of North Second Street and Grant Street.
This new fire company had 40 members sign the roll book in which many of them were employed by the Cumberland Valley Railroad. The next order of business was for the officers of the fire company and the railroad to meet for the purpose of securing a small piece of property near the intersection of North Second and Grant streets.
It was quickly agreed by both parties to build a small wood structure measuring 22 feet long and 16 feet wide which was large enough to house a new four-wheel hose reel that was purchased by Borough Council from Rodgers and Company at a cost of $225.00. The members of Borough Council on February 4, 1878, decided to give the fire company $25 for furnishings and 200 feet of fire hose.
The first parade attended by the Cumberland Valley Hose Company was on July 17, 1878, for the dedication of the Memorial Fountain on the square.
Over the years the fire company held fairs and competed in fire department contests, winning many cash prizes. After 23 years in 1900 the Cumberland Valley Company outgrew its small wood structure, so a committee was appointed by the company to search for a more suitable location. Without haste a piece of property was bought on Broad Street for $390.
The new firehouse was built at a cost of $3,600. The construction was supervised by George Nitterhouse who was employed by the Cumberland Valley Railroad as a master carpenter.
When the new firehouse was completed the furnishings and hose reel were relocated to the new quarters at 441 Broad Street. The purchase price of the property and the cost of construction of the firehouse had cost the membership a sizable amount of money for the time and only a small amount had been paid, so a loan had to be taken out for the balance.
The remainder of the debt proved to be a heavy burden as the fire company membership began to decline. The few members who remained were determined to stay the course so they went out and recruited approximately 60 new members, most of whom were employed by the Cumberland Valley Railroad.
The fire company continued to hold fairs to raise additional funds that were used to pay off their debt as well as to purchase some new furnishings for the meeting room on the second floor.
This picture was taken of the Cumberland Valley Hose Company’s fire apparatus circa 1970, left to right is the 1947 Mack pumper, the 1903 LaFrance steamer, and the
1925 American LaFrance pumper. These pieces of apparatus are on display the fireman’s museum on Broad Street.
Engine joins Cumberland Valley Hose Co.
The membership of the Cumberland Valley Hose Company was visited by Asa LaFrance, a representative from the LaFrance Fire Apparatus Company of Elmira, New York. When Asa visited in 1901, he brought along a horse drawn steam fire engine in hopes of making a sell to replace the CV’s old hand drawn four-wheel hose reel that was being used by the company. Now wasn’t the time for such a move. A committee from the Cumberland Valley Hose Company met with Borough Council asking them to purchase a steam fire engine for the company, however council was reluctant since the fire company owned their firehouse.
It was after some discussion between both parties that it was agreed that Borough Council would purchase the fire company’s property for $3,600 and purchase a new steam fire engine from the LaFrance Fire Apparatus Company on May 27, 1903, at a cost of $4,600. The new steamer would pump 600 gallons of water a minute.
The fire company’s name now would be known as the Cumberland Valley Steam Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 5.
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Horses were firefighters, too
The first two horses to pull the steam fire engine were named “Pat and Charlie.” They were bought from the local partnership of Greenawalt and Zullinger at a cost of $400. These two horses remained in service until 1921 at which time they were replaced by two black horses named “Cap” and “Tom,” who were once used by the Good Will Steam Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 3 of Chambersburg.
It was necessary in 1911 to purchase a horse drawn hose wagon to carry the fire hose needed for the CV’s steam fire engine and Borough Council had decided to purchase one from the U.S. Fire Apparatus Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at a cost of $975.
The two magnificent horses “Pat and Charlie” were trained by George Stake, who was also the first driver of the new steam fire engine until he resigned April 1, 1904. Fire Marshal Brown appointed Charles Martin as his successor.
When the hose wagon arrived a black horse by the name of “Sam” and was used until 1925 when the fire company became motorized.
When the hose wagon was retired, Sam was sold to a dairy in Baltimore, Maryland. One day when Sam was pulling the milkman’s wagon on deliveries, a horse drawn piece of fire apparatus passed by ringing its bell and Sam followed and spilled milk bottles on to the street. The milkman followed the bottles in the street and located Sam and the milk wagon at the fire scene, still faithful to his duty.
In this picture you can see the members of the Cumberland Valley Hose Company operating their 1903 LaFrance steam fire engine at Siloam just outside of Chambersburg.
The fire company retains ownership of this steamer, and it can be seen on display at the Chambersburg’s Volunteer Fireman’s Museum located at 441 Broad Street in
Chambersburg.
Fire company becomes motorized
In 1925 the Cumberland Valley Hose Company became motorized when Borough Council purchased a new American LaFrance 600 g.p.m. rotary pumper at a cost of $11,500. It was-nicknamed “Old Mike.”
The old hose wagon of the Cumberland Valley Hose Company was kept in the fire house on Broad Street after being placed out of service in 1925. It was in October 1928 that the hose wagon was taken from the firehouse to the borough’s storage building on West Loudon Street before its final disposition.
In 1947 Borough Council purchased a Mack 1000 g.p.m. Pumper that was nick-named the “Blue Goose.” All of the above mentioned apparatus answered many alarms over the years in our community. In 1975 the Cumberland Valley Hose Company No. 5 and the Junior Hose & Truck Company No. 2 were relocated to the new Headquarters Fire Station on North Second Street.
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The Cumberland Valley Hose Company retains ownership of the 1903 LaFrance steam fire engine, the 1925 American LaFrance pumper and the 1947 Mack pumper.
On October 15, 2026, the company will mark its 149th year. The former Cumberland Valley Hose Company’s firehouse located at 441 Broad Street is the home of the Chambersburg Volunteer Fireman’s Museum. You can step back in time and see the hand drawn, horse drawn, and the motorized apparatus of yesterday. On your tour the dedicated staff of knowledgeable volunteers will show you the extensive collection of the unique pictures, badges, ribbons, helmets, tools, and see an early Game Well Fire Alarm System. Chambersburg’s Fire Museum is open most Sunday’s from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and is always appreciative of monetary donations made to continue the operation of such a unique treasure.
M.L. “Mike” Marotte III is an Author, Historian, and Journalist who writes about the rich History of Franklin County. You can read more of him at www.vintagefranklincountypa.com.
This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: One of Chambersburg’s first fire companies lives on today as a museum
