198 17th Avenue
Chronological Listing of Events and Apparatus at 17th Avenue
November 25, 1908: Two lots on Seventeenth Avenue and East 26th Street purchased for Number 10 Engine
October 25, 1910.: The Firehouse at 198 17th Avenue (between East 27th and East 28th Streets) opened and housed Engine Company 10
Circa 1917 photographs
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1960s era photo
At one point, (exact date ?) each Paterson company was assigned its own unique color scheme: specific colored stripes would be on every piece of equipment. Engine 10 colors were red and white.
October 25, 1910: Howe Automobile Combination Fire Engine (built in Indianapolis, IN), 750 GPM (Model AP-N) which was the first motorized (gasoline powered) apparatus used by the Paterson Fire Department. It was six-cylinder engine with 75 horse power. Notice on the rack holding the ladders, in the front has letters: Paterson No. 10 at top and bottom (over grill). Also there were torches on the sides of the ladder rack, a throwback to earlier apparatus.
Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Photo likely taken in Eastside Park -- Dayspring Collection
October 29, 1910: Morning Call
Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Courtesy Dennis Morrison
In the photo below at the Firehouse: On rear step: ? and Jack Anderson. On side: Lieutenant Thomas Coyle, Driver Paul Wentick and Captain William Boyle. On other side John Bierne and ? at crank.
Outside of firehouse
Below L-R: Captain William Boyle, Lieutenant Thomas Coyle, John Brett, Paul Wentick, J Roach, unknown
Natoli Collection
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Lieutenant Thomas Coyle on left and Chief John Stagg at right testing hose pressure of new Howe apparatus |
Note that the ladders were moved from the "roof rack" to the sides of the hose bed.
Second floor sleeping quarters of 17th Avenue Firehouse
July 1, 1916: Two Platoon System begins: (Day and Night Shifts)
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Day Shift
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Night Shift
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Lieutenant William Bloom
John Breet James Smith Paul Schaub |
Captain Thomas Bush
Joseph Greer Peter Howden Fred Haycock |
December 19, 1917: Commercial Truck Company Electric Drive Combination Hose and Chemical Wagon (Serial #7100) enters service. The company also received a new Metropolitan Steam Fire Engine with a Commercial Truck Company Electric Drive (battery powered) tractor.
Courtesy Dennis Morrison
Emblem on front is Commercial Truck Company of Philadelphia"
1918 Ball Book Roster
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Captain Thomas Bush
Lieutenant William Bloom Lieutenant Joseph Greer William Milnes John Brett Peter Howden James Smith |
Frederick Haycock
Marinus Baker (Supreme Sacrifice) Paul Schaub John Millington (Killed in action US Armed Forces) Robert Simpson (in US Armed Forces) Joseph Rushton (in US Armed Forces) |
October 12, 1923: FF Peter Howden struck by auto during inspection at Market and East 25th
Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Peter Howden in a later pho as Captain of Engine 6
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1926 photo of the hose wagon and men of Engine 10
Late 1920s: 1917 Metropolitan Steam Fire Engine of Company 10 steamer working at a fire on Broadway and East 33rd Street. Battery (Electric) powered
1928 Parade -- Dayspring Collection
1930 Company Roster
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A Shift
Acting Captain Stuart Summers Walter Pitkethly William Walsh Ferdinand Miller John Brett John Whalen |
B Shift
Acting Captain Joseph Rushton Harold LaRue William Lynch Jr. William Evans Andrew Green John Brown |
January 7 1931: Engine 10 received a 1913 First Size Continental Steam Fire Engine formerly used by Engine Company 3 (which initially had a Christie Front Drive tractor and then reconverted to horse drawn after an accident in 1915). Ultimately it received a Commercial Truck Company Electric Tractor in 1917 (Serial #7091). Its use at Engine 10 was short lived due to an accident (see below) and by acquisition of a new Ahrens Fox pumper in July 1931. This is the last steam fire engine that saw service in Paterson.
January 7, 1931: As mentioned, just after being acquired Engine 10's Steamer crashed into a pole at 4:45 PM at Park Avenue and east 26th Street. The accident happened when E10 driver Edward Haycock swerved to avoid a collision with a taxicab. The front of the apparatus was smashed and fireman Andrew Green was hurled from the rear of the steamer.
Dayspring Collection
July 16, 1931: 1931 Ahrens Fox Model N-T-4 1000 GPM pumper (Serial #3401), shown below later in its career when it was assigned to Engine Company 3. For a thorough discussion of this apparatus see Ahrens Fox page.
1935: Men of Engine Company 10 A Shift: Acting Captain Stewart Summers, Walter Pitkethly, Wiliam Walsh, Ferdinand Miller, John Brett, John Whalen
1935: Men of Engine Company 10 B Shift: Captain Thomas Bush, Harold LaRue, Joseph Rushton, William Lynch Jr., William Evans, Andrew Green
1936 Ball Book Photo
1937: 1926 Ahrens Fox N-S-4 1000 GPM pumper (Serial #1668) formerly used by Engine Company 5 (note single front bumper).
E 10 Fox pparatus now with deluge gun.
1940 Paterson Evening News Golden Jubilee - Engine Company 10 Roster
Dayspring Collection
1944 Annual Report Roster
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A Shift
Captain Peter Howden Johm Brett Walter Pitkethly Ferdinand Miller |
B Shift
Captain James Chaplain John Brown Joseph Rushton Harold LaRue William Evans |
1949 Ball book photo of Engine Company 10 "A Shift" Captain Gerard Dugan, Eugene Mariani, Ferdinand Miller and Walter Pikethly
1949 Ball book photo of Engine Company 10 "B Shift" Captain Joseph Semas, Joe Leitner, William Evans and Harold LaRue
March 1953: A new 1953 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper (Serial G3795) Model 400B entered service. It had a 150 gallon booster tank. It was in received in Paterson (with 5 others) on February 5, 1953. The cost was $15,754 (1/2 of the cost paid by Civil defense). Had a 150 gallon booster tank.
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1954 Ballbook photo: Back row L-R: Ernest Wildermuth, Willbert Mariani, David Pickels, Captain Joseph Semas, Harold LaRue. Front row L-R: Ferd Miller, Jim Durkin, Eugene Mariani, Aldolph P Guzik and Captain Gerard Dugan. 1953 Seagrave in background.
1967: Men of Engine 10 with 1953 Seagrave: In front L-R: Captain Harry Asher, Captain Harry Davatellis, John J. Breeze, Herbert J. Stride. Middle row L-R: Edward Allen, Richard Warner, and Thomas E. Hughes. Up top Francis Bergen and Alfred A. Weiss. Note to the rear of the apparatus one can partially see the 1863 Jeffers Steam Fire Engine which was stored at 17th Avenue FH prior to its relocation at the Paterson Museum.
Courtesy J Behnke & Sellitto Family
1967: Men of Engine 10 with 1953 Seagrave: Front row L-R: Captain Walter F. McMahon, Captain Joseph R. Semas, George Maloney, Henry S. Kocian, Harold P. Tuohey Jr. Up top Jack Nargiso, Arthur Nardin, Hubert Donnellan.
Courtesy J Behnke & Sellitto Family
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January 7 1969: Engine Company 10 and Truck 1 sustained serious damage in a collision at Park Avenue and Summer Street. Engine 10 was responding west on Park Avenue to a two alarm fire at 178 Market Street while Truck 1 heading north on Summer Street was relocating to Headquarters after responding to a false alarm at Straight and Essex Streets.
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Dayspring Collection
Dayspring Collection
November 1969: 1957 FWD Special 1000 GPM pumper (Serial # D80291) formerly used by Engine Company 5
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June 25, 1971: 1969 Seagrave 1250 GPM (Serial # R4478) formerly used by Engine Company 5. See below with ambulance 93 in January 1972 photo
January 30, 1978: 1975 Hahn 1250 GPM pumper (Serial HCP528127621) painted yellow and formerly used by Engine Company 5. The dedication plaque on front of the cab was in memory of Assistant Chief Richard Walmsley.
October 1979: The 17th Avenue Firehouse closed and Engine Company 10 relocated to the new Fire Headquarters at 850 Madison Avenue.
