Engine Company No. 4
Engine Company No. 4
Embedded Files
A HISTORY
ORGANIZED: MARCH 24, 1837
DISBANDED: SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
COMPANY QUARTERS
COMPANY QUARTERS
1837-1854 71 Spring Street, northerly side, between Park and State streets
1854-1863 74 Brackett Street, westerly side, near Peach/Bradford Street
1863-1865 71 Spring Street, near State Street
1865-1866 154 Congress Street, northerly side, head Smith Street, near India 1866-1873 155-157 (formerly #71) Spring Street, near State Street
1873-1874 99 India Street (easterly side), near Congress Street
1874-1966 155-157 Spring Street (1915, District 1 Deputy Chief w/ E-4)
1966-2013 784 Congress Street, southerly side, near Bramhall Square
COMPANY NAMES
COMPANY NAMES
1837-1854 “Ocean” Hand Engine Co. No. 4
1854-1955 “Forest City” Hand Engine Co. No. 4
1855-1865 “Ocean” Hand Engine Co. No. 4
1865-1869 “Falmouth” Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 4
1869-1873 Out of service (no company)
1873-1889 “Falmouth” Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 4
1889-1920 Steam Fire Engine Company No. 4
1920-2013 Engine Co. No. 4 (motorized)
COMPANY MOTTOS:
“Never Dry.”
COMPANY HISTORY
COMPANY HISTORY
March 24, 1837 – Meeting held to form a company for the new Thayer hand engine for the West End, and the company named the engine “Ocean” Engine Co. No. 4. The Engine was housed temporarily in the Brackett Street schoolhouse, then moved to Spring Street (#71), in the new two & ½-story granite and brick building of the West female grammar school and Ward Room #6, dedicated on December 4th.
March 24, 1837 – Meeting held to form a company for the new Thayer hand engine for the West End, and the company named the engine “Ocean” Engine Co. No. 4. The Engine was housed temporarily in the Brackett Street schoolhouse, then moved to Spring Street (#71), in the new two & ½-story granite and brick building of the West female grammar school and Ward Room #6, dedicated on December 4th.
April of 1853 – New hand engine, delivered, built in Portland by Leonard Crockett.
January 16, 1854 – Ocean E-4 reorganized as “Forest City” E-4, relocating to the Brackett Street Engine House, formerly occupied by E-6. The Company re-organized again in 1855 as “Ocean” E-4.
1863 – Ocean 4 relocated back to 71 (157) Spring Street.
July 1, 1865 – Ocean Hand E-4 disbanded per/Board of Aldermen in consequence of steam engines in the department, and “Falmouth” Steam Engine No. 4 organized, with 20 men drawing ½ pay using Falmouth #2’s former 1861 steamer, kept in reserve at the Congress Street engine house, near India St.
May 1866 – Falmouth 4 went back to Spring Street. The reserve company was paid only when called.
March, 1868 – Falmouth #4 disbanded. The spare 1867 hose carriage was relocated to Spring St. and the fire department used the building for storage, as the building was no longer used as a schoolhouse.
1869 – Falmouth Engine Co. 4 was deactivated.
1873 – City ordered a new Amoskeag steam engine & hose carriage for “Falmouth” E-4.
October 13, 1873 – Falmouth Steam Engine Co. 4 reorganized, and first quartered in the 2½-story brick Ward and Hose house, at 99 India Street, built in 1869. Second-floor rooms were fitted up and a Permanent Engineer appointed. The company was notified December 1st they were relocating to the old 1837 Spring Street Engine House, former quarters of Ocean Hand Engine 4.
December 20, 1873 – New 1st-size steam fire engine and a 4-wheel hose carriage in service, and Street Department Drivers and horses were employed to haul the apparatus when needed.
March 9, 1874 – Company relocated back to the Spring Street Engine House. Rooms were fitted up for the Permanent Engineer. A large stable for horses was installed behind the engine and hose carriage.
1878 – Six separate stalls were constructed in the stable area, facing the apparatus room.
April 2, 1883 – Permanent Driver for Hose 4 appointed.
April, 1887 – New Portland built Talbot & Moulton 4-wheel hose wagon, replaced the hose carriage.
1889 – Permanent Engine Driver appointed and two PFD horses were purchased. Also, a “slide pole” was installed for the three Permanent Men. A second pole was installed in 1902.
March 15, 1902 – Engineer Thomas H. Williams died in the Engine House in his second floor room of a long illness. A funeral was held there, attended by many. He had been E-4’s Engineer since 1873.
1908 – Engine 4 received one of four new Amoskeag steam engines (#836), after two General Alarm fires at City Hall and on Middle Street (January 24th, 26th). A Permanent Captain was appointed.
February 3, 1910 – Captain Augustus H. Griffin was found dead on the engine house main floor by his crew after he had swept off the front sidewalk of some light snow earlier in the evening.
April 17, 1910 – A new hose wagon was purchased and a second horse was added to Hose 4.
1911 – A Permanent Lieutenant was appointed.
August 21, 1912 – A six-way Morse Gun w/Monitor was purchased, fitted to E-4’s hose wagon.
1915 – District One Deputy Chief relocated to Engine 4 with a Driver, horse and buggy. The Deputy received a Chandler motor car in 1917, formerly used by Chief Butler.
December 7, 1920 – Engine 4 motorized with a new Seagrave 750gpm double combination pumper.
October 15, 1925 – Engine 4 became a permanent company.
1929 – Engine 4 received a new Seagrave 1,000gpm triple combination pumper.
1947 – Engine 4 received a new Seagrave 1,250gpm pumper.
December 18, 1951 – A two-way radio was installed in Engine 4 by the fire alarm division.
July 11, 1960 – Engine 4’s Crew were injured and the truck destroyed in a collision with Ladder 3 at
Spring and Brackett Streets while responding to Orchard Street for smoke in the area. Firefighter Thomas O’Connor of L-3, died the following day as a result of injuries. A 1953 Maxim 750gpm pumper
Was temporarily assigned to E-4. A new American LaFrance 750gpm pumper put in service in October.
February 12, 1964 – Engine 4 received a new Ward LaFrance 1,000gpm pumper.
August 4, 1966 – Engine Co. 4 and District One Chiefs’ moved to the new Bramhall Square Station, along with Engine 6 and Ladder 6 from their Park Avenue firehouse.
February 15, 1974 – A new American LaFrance 1,000gpm pumper was assigned to Engine 4.
January 12, 1978 – E-4 received new Ward LaFrance 1,500gpm pumper.
March 19, 1990 – Engine 5’s 1978 Ward LaFrance (Engine 4’s twin) was reassigned to Engine 4.
March 9, 1992 – Engine 4 put in commission a new Pierce 1,500gpm pump with a 4-door cab.
December 22, 2013 – A new Seagrave 1,500gpm pumper went into service, replacing the Pierce.
September 9, 2013 – After 176 years protecting the west end, Engine Co. 4 was decommissioned.
Engine 4 - Assigned Apparatus
Engine 4 - Assigned Apparatus
1837 Thayer hand pump suction engine, built in Boston, MA, named “Ocean” Engine 4, $ 700
7-inch cylinders, 11-inch stroke, hauling new two-wheel hose carriage, with 250 feet of hose
In service 3/24/37
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1853 Leonard Crockett hand pump suction engine, built in Portland $1,200
Cylinders 6 ½-inches, Stroke 16-inches, hauling the 1837 hose carriage
In service 1953 (5/2-engine trial, 1855-new $125 two-wheel hose carriage)
Out of service 7/1/65 (Ocean Hand E-4 disbanded in consequence of steam engines)
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1865 1861 Portland Co. 1st-class steam engine (former “Falmouth #2”, reassigned as “Falmouth #4”)
Cylinders 13-inches, Stroke 10-inches
In service 1865 Out of service in 1869
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1873 Amoskeag double crank neck frame, 1st-size reciprocating vertical steam fire engine (800gpm),
Serial #449, 7 5/8-inch cylinders, 8-inch stroke, and 4 ¼-inch pump Weight 7800-lbs $4,200
And new four-wheel hose reel carriage, carrying 1,000 feet of hose $600
In service 12/20/73 (12/17-trial, 4/8/87-new $400 Talbot & Moulton four-wheel hose wagon)
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1908 Amoskeag 1st-size steam engine, serial #836, 8 ½-inch cylinders, 8-inch stroke, 5-inch pump
(750gpm, Weight 8000 lbs.) $5,900
In service 6/26/08 (4/17/1910-new hose wagon in service, w/2-horse hitch) $850
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1920 Seagrave 750gpm double combination motor pumper. $12,000
In service 12/7/20 (11/6-left Columbus, Ohio, 11/26-arrived at E-4, 12/4-pump test)
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1929 Seagrave 1,000gpm triple combination pumper with an 80-gallon booster tank $13,575
In service 4/17/29 (4/11-arrived, 4/13-pump test, 4/15-NBFU test, Maine State Pier)
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1947 Seagrave 1,250 pumper with an 100-gallon tank $13,475
In service 9/03/47 (August 8-unloaded from railroad car)
Out of service 7/11/60 (July 11-destroyed in collision w/L-3, L-3 FF. O’Connor killed)
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1960 American LaFrance 750gpm pumper with an 300-gallon tank (demonstrator truck) $18,225
In service 10/26/60 (10/25-pump test)
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1964 1963 Ward LaFrance w/cab-over roof, 1,000gpm pumper with a 500-gallon tank, and cross-laid-
Pre-connected hose lines $22,222
In service 2/12/64 (2/6-Engine delivered, 2/10-pump test at Long Creek, S.P.)
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1974 1973 American LaFrance w/cab-over roof 1,000gpm pumper, with a 500-gallon tank $43,000
In service 2/15/74 (1/5-arrived, 1/23-pump test, 1/24-second pump test)
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1978 1977 Ward LaFrance w/cab-over roof 1,500gpm pumper, with a 500-gallon tank $
In service 1/12/78 (January 3-Engine arrived, 1/5-pump test)
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1990 1977 Ward LaFrance w/cab-over roof 1,500gpm pumper (twin of E-4, former E-5, reserve E-2)
In service 3/19/90 (Shop #216) Out of service - 3/9/1992 (to E-12, Peaks Is.)
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1992 Pierce, Arrow, w/4-door closed cab, 1,500gpm pumper, with a 750-gallon tank $210,316
In service 3/9/92 (#243)
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2011 Seagrave, Marauder II, 1,500gpm pumper, w/750-gallon tank and 20-gallon Class-A foam tank.
$581,562
In service 12/22/11 (12/17-arrived, #242)
Out of service 9/9/13 * Engine Co. 4 decommissioned.
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