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Shortly after the dedication of the new firehouse, the company
experienced one of their biggest fires. On Saturday afternoon, November 5,
1910, a fire was reported at the Magerson Mill (which later became Infanta
Mills, also the scene of one of the largest fires in the Borough in later years.
The McKinley Fire Company and two companies from the City of Philadelphia assisted
the Rockledge Fire Company. The blaze took several hours to control and endangered
several homes before it was brought under control. Poor water pressure and
the crowd hampered the fire companies, as most of the community witnessed the
event. At the company meeting following the fire, the company officers were
authorized to spend up the $500.00 for the replacement of damaged and lost
equipment and to further equip the company with needed tools. Mr. Margerson
showed his appreciation to the company by sending them $50.00 and 100 cigars
(a courtesy that would truly be appreciated by some of the current members
of the force).
During the decade following the occupation of the new firehouse,
the company progressed in many areas. One of these dealt with the protection
of the firemen in case of an injury or death while in service to the Fire Company.
In July of 1908, the members organized a relief association that established
a fund to pay the insurance and sick benefits to its members. Also, this association
became entitled to funds from the state, paid yearly and based on the insurance
premiums paid by the community.
The Fire Company also entered into mutual aid agreements with
several of the surrounding communities - an arrangement that continues to this
day. These agreements called for the dispatch of men and equipment to any of
the communities in the time of a fire that the town could not handle with its
own equipment and manpower. This is an important concept in fire protection,
as few towns can afford to maintain all the equipment necessary to battle large
fires. In the 1915 rating of the borough's fire protection, the Philadelphia
. Engine Co. #56 was listed as an auxiliary fire company upon request.
For some time, the need for larger quarters had become increasingly
apparent, and in 1953, ground was broken for a new fire station at 505 Huntingdon
Pike. Members of the Fire Company, working at little or no cost to the organization,
largely handled the construction of the building. The company also realized
the need to replace its 1928 Seagrave pumper, which had served the company
well but was showing its age. So, in 1953, the company purchased an American
la France 750 GPM pumper for a total cost of approximately $16,000.00. The
new truck arrived before the completion of the new station, and since it was
too large to be housed in the old station, the Huntingdon Valley Fire Company
allowed it to be kept in their fire station at night. During the day it was
left in the uncompleted new station.
Completion of the new station did not come without incident. One
day a concrete truck, fully loaded with cement was parked in the station while
unloading cement into the basement. Apparently the floor had not fully cured,
because all of a sudden the floor caved in, depositing the truck into the basement.
The truck had to be cut apart in order to be removed and to this day a piece
of the barrel remains imbedded in the floor.
1953 also marked the 50th anniversary of the Fire Company. To
celebrate, the Borough and the Fire Company hosted a Firemen's Parade on September
5, 1953. Thirty-five companies participated along with various bands and floats.
The fire equipment was judged for its cleanliness and appearance, and the Horsham
Fire Company emerged as the Best.
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