Show American Forks Fork's Hose Cart Firemen Swap Yarns of Old Days at ReunionS Reunion M i- i i x 4 4 4 I 3 t y j q U I I I 4 S Lk S faa lM Las I fc fi i Members 1 of the American Fork fire department of 20 years ago shown when they met at a reunion recen recently ly Left to rig right t William Firmage Byron Crook Crookston ton Joseph Walton Walter Valter Slack S. S T. T Shelley E. E J. J Vern Walker Valker and Irving L L. L Pratt chief of the present department 4 AMERICAN FORK Thrills FORK Thrills of racing at the end of a hose cart rope were tales of ot fire fighters fight fight- ers more than 20 years ago were exchanged when members of the earliest American Fork fire tire department department department depart depart- ment got together recently The bucket brigade having become become become be be- come outmoded by 1910 American Fork adopted modern fire tire fighting methods method and purchased a hose cart William Firmage was named chief of oC the first fire department with Walt Walter r Slack assistant chief Wren Anderson captain Archibald Brom- Brom ley Icy sergeant sergeant arms arms at-arms and Byron Crookston s secretary creta y These officers officers cers except Mr Bromley and Mr Anderson were present at the get together When the old opera house burned the fire department had to combat one of its wo worst st fires tires nearly all members of the old hose company agree The alarm was turned in about midnight Mr Firmage e re recalls recalls re- re calls and by the time the hose cart and firemen had reached the scene the fire tire had gained such uch headway I I I that little could be done except protect protect protect pro pro- near by buildings One lOne of the most strenuous runs ever made by the hose company ended in anticlimax according to Irving I. I L. L Pratt chief of the present fire tire department After pulling the hose cart at top speed more thana a amile mile up a steep hill bill to the fireS fire the winded fire fighters found when they went to hook the hose to a hydrant that the nearest hydrant was was' blocks away and their run had been in vain aln I 1 6 J F t |