User:BakerSH

Being a year older than the state of Nevada, Warren Engine Company No. 1 was organized in Carson City, in what was then the Utah Territory on June 17, 1863. Only 20 members comprised the original congregation. The first officers of the company were: D.J. Gasherie (Foreman), A. Lewis (1st Assistant Chief), C.B. Slicer (2nd Assistant Chief), R. Logan (Secretary), P. Hopkins (Treasurer), J.D. Winters, E. Smith, and Mr. Kelly as trustees. Warren Engine Co. No. 1 of Carson City and Warren Engine Co. No. 4 of Marysville, California, both adopted their names from the Revolutionary War hero, General Warren, who fell at the Battle of Bunker Hill, while overrun by British forces. Shortly after Warren Engine's founding, two other Companies were created in an effort to fight fires in Carson City. Curry Engine Co. No. 2 was organized on May 24, 1864, named after Abraham Curry, one of the earliest settlers of the area. Abe Curry was responsible for laying out the city and the plaza now known as "Capital Square". He built one of the first fire houses and was known as the "Fire Boy's Friend". The Curry's motto was, "Our aim - the public good." The second Company was the S.T. Swift Company No. 3. It was named after S.T. Swift, another of Carson City's early pioneers. He was also the Sheriff of Ormbsy County for a number of years. This company caused much trouble for the other companies during it's existence. It was very prestigious to be a member of a fire company in those days, and the pride of being the first company to put water on a fire held the highest esteem. The fact that there were three volunteer fire companies in the city, only increased the competition. Being eager in their desire to give Carson City a real fire Department, the original members of Warren Engine met impassioned support from their fellow townsmen and raised $2,000 for equipment. Warren Engine Co. No. 4 of Marysville agreed to sell apparatus and equipment to the new company in Carson and a deal was completed. The equipment purchase consisted of an 1847 Hunneman hand pumper, two hose carts, and three hundred feet of fire hose, which came from San Francisco. When the Hunneman hand pumper arrived, it became the object of significant attention, both on its arrival as well as its entire existence. the little engine, Nevada's first firefighting equipment, has two 2 1/2" hose lines and one tow-wheeled hose cart with a capacity of five hundred feet. The "tub" as it was familiarly called, was manufactured in Boston, Massachusetts and was shipped around the Horn to California. The Hunneman hand pumper is currently on display in Warren Engine's fire museum. On the tool box of the hand pumper was a large brass "4". The Warrens cut off a portion of the "4" to make it into a "1". A two wheeled hose cart was purchased with 800 feet of 2 1/2" hose and a four-wheeled hose cart was also purchased around 1892. This four-wheeled cart came from the San Francisco Fire Apparatus Manufacturing Company. The first equipment of the Curry's was one hand engine known as Knickerbocker No. 5 in 1864, and a two-wheeled hose cart with a capacity of 800 feet of 2 1/2" hose. Later, in about 1884, a two-wheeled hose cart was built by W.D. Torreyson of Carson City for the Curry's. Not especially beautiful, this magnificent piece of wore was built for strength and sturdiness. It is presenty on display in the museum as well. The existence of Curry Engine Co. No. 2 and the S.T. Swift Co. No. 3 were short lived but through that short period of time, a lot of equipment traded hands between the companies. Hose carts, lengths of leather hose, and a Silsby Steam fire engine, known as "The Little Giant", were just some of the items traded. The Little Giant was originally purchased in September of 1873, for $4,500 and was shipped to Nevada from Seneca Falls, New York. Most of the money was raised by public subscription. On the arrival of "The Little Giant", a controversy arose over the management of the engine and the Appeal took a prominent part by advocating a city engineer to manage the fire department. This resulted in the formation of the S.T. Swift Co. No. 3, as mentioned before. Until this company was formed, "The Little Giant" or Silsby Steam fire engine, was housed in a shed just west of the Ormbsy House. Throughout the years, the men, and now women firefighters of Warren Engine Co. No. 1 have been striving to keep pace with the times in firefighting techniques, equipment and keeping the ever present threat of fire in check. The company is one of the oldest in the United States. Nation wide, Warren Engine Co. No. 1 is probably the oldest continuously operated fire company having provided uninterrupted service to the city of Carson since June 17, 1863. Warren Engine has never failed to answer a single call in well over a century of service. The very first alarm the company answered was on the evening of August 12, 1863, the Indian Queen Hotel fire. This fire was confined to two buildings, which in those days was considered a successful operation. To this day, Warren Engine Co. No. 1 still serve the people of Carson City with the same motto, "Where Duty Calls - There You'll Find Us".