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1904 Holloway Combination Chemical Engine & Hose Wagon
During September 1904, the Company took delivery of this Holloway Combination Chemical Engine and Hose Wagon. The apparatus, which cost $ 1,790.00, was equipped with a 30-gallon chemical tank (visible above the front wheels), 200 feet of booster hose, lanterns, extinguishers, playpipes (nozzles), tools, and a ladder. The hose bed had a capacity of several hundred feet of 2½” hose. We suspect that this wagon was horse-drawn since it must have been very heavy. The tank was filled with water and, upon arrival at a fire, sodium bicarbonate and acid were added to the water. The chemical reaction created the necessary pressure in the tank to produce an effective fire stream through the 1” red rubber hose, known as the “redline.” The benefit of the chemical tank was that a small fire could be extinguished immediately upon arrival, rather than taking several minutes to lay hose to a hydrant and allowing the fire more time to grow larger.
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