History of Linglestown Fire Company - Part 3

The following post is from The 25th Anniversary of Linglestown Fire Company commemorative book. The anniversary was celebrated in June 1959.

The older firemen often relate the incident of the fire at the Regal Farm, located at the intersection of Route 39 and the road to Piketown at Beaver Creek, when the chicken house and later the house caught fire.  This fire occurred sometime after the Model T Pumper had been purchased, and the Linglestown Fire Company was still an unrecognized fire company.  However, the location of the fire unknown to the people of Linglestown, fire companies from Harrisburg. Penbrook and Progress came through the town blowing sirens and heading to the fire. The local firemen could not understand why their company was not called and they waited hoping someone would put a call through for them to respond to the fire. After about one half hour the fellows agreed they would go and see if they could be of any help.

When the Linglestown Fire Company arrived at the fire, the chicken house was already burned down and the house had caught fire.  Having some experience of pumping from streams, the Linglestown boys pulled up on the bridge, dropped the suction hose in the creek, connected up the 2 1/2" hose and started towards the house. As our boys started spraying water on the house, one of the members of the Camp Curtin Fire Company of Harrisburg said " Here I  will take the hose" and our boys said, "This is Linglestown's line, your pumper is down at the creek trying to pump water and can't". It is unfortunate that the Linglestown Fire Company was not called earlier, since through the efforts of the Linglestown Fire Company the house was saved from total destruction. No water was put on the fire prior to the arrival of the Linglestown Fire Company. From this time on, the Linglestown Fire Company was respected among all the other nearby fire companies as well as the citizens of the community when they heard the good work the Linglestown men did when they got into action.

This was published in 1959 so it was 1940 - 1959

The fire company at no time ever lacked drivers and volunteers when a fire call was received except during World War II, year of 1945. Many of the men of the community were called up for service and the older men were employed in defense plants and at military installations. There was a discussion as to the merits of teaching some of the women of the community how to drive the truck and to respond to alarms, especially during daylight hours.   However, the war ended in August 1945 and this situation soon adjusted itself when the boys returned home from the war.

History of Linglestown Fire Company - Part 2

The following post is from The 25th Anniversary of Linglestown Fire Company commemorative book. The anniversary was celebrated in June 1959.

During the year of 1900, the people of the community again tried to start a new fire company. A festival was held in Zimmerman's Hall to raise money to purchase chemical fire extinguishers. A net profit of $60.00 was realized from the festival and 12 fire extinguishers were purchased and distributed in various stores and homes in the community. The purchase of the fire extinguishers was the last that was recorded of this effort to organize a fire company.

On November 28, 1922, the homes of Mrs Carrie Feeser and Austin Schaner burned down and again a fire company was organized but it never went any further than the organization stage.

In February, 1934, a barn of Charles Reimert located in Linglestown burned down with the loss of two horses, in addition to the barn.  From approximately 1890 until the founding of the Linglestown Fire Company No. 1 in February 1934 it was always necessary to call Harrisburg to receive help to fight the fires in Linglestown. Later, when Penbrook and Progress Fire Companies were organized, they were called when help was needed.  However, due to communication services, a lot of time was lost when equipment had to come from Harrisburg, Penbrook and Progress. It was the Charles Reimert fire that caused great excitement and showed the people of the community the need of an organized fire company. Through the efforts of the Rev. Elias H. Phillips, minister of the Reformed Church, a call went out to the men of the community for a meeting to be held at the American Legion Hall(presently the Chapel of the EUB Church) {Chapel is no longer standing-ed} for the purpose of organizing a fire company. This meeting was held at 7:30 P.M. on February 28, 1934.

Chapel that was later the American Legion Hall .
Located north of the square across from the EUB Church.

Like the old Paxton Fire Company, the new organization called the Linglestown Fire Company, was also received by the people of the community with approval and criticism. Some thought that the new organization would die like the other companies the community tried to organize throughout the years. However, this group of men were determined. The first equipment used, if necessary, was to be buckets, hand fire extinguishers and ladders, the type that could be found in any person's home.

Meetings of the new fire company were held each month in the American Legion Hall, with the men of the fire company determined that this new company would not die. Various activities were held by the fire company during the year to raise funds in order to purchase a motorized piece of equipment. In 1935, the happy day arrived when the Ford, Model T fire truck was purchased from the Elizabethville Fire Company. From that day on, the community began to support the fire company and the membership grew rapidly. The men of the fire company, periodically would take the fire truck  down to Beaver Creek and practice pumping from the creek. As the fire company became known, and twenty-four hour service for fire calls was furnished by Zimmerman's Home for Funerals, the company received many fire calls .

...to be continued...