"This is probably the last picture of Green Bay's horse drawn fire-fighting equipment. Shown here in front of the number one Fire Dept. building in the 100 block of South Washington street. This building had housed the Fire Department as far back as 1880's, when the old "hand pumpers" were still the main fire-fighting machine. The horses you see here were remarably well trained. When the fire-bell sounded its test call each day at noon, these horses would gallop from their stall to their position at the head of the ladder wagon, or other equipment. The special harness used would then drop on them, the men would latch the harness buckles in a jiffy, and, in a matter of seconds the fire- fighting equipment was ready to roll. The equipment was not generally run out of the building in these tests, but the quick "hitch-up" was repeated each day and the horses maintained an uncanny speed in this operation. Something of a "living interest" represented by these fine animals went out of the picture when motors took their place. Although, as a fire-fighting medium, horse drawn equipment would probably be as inadequate as the hand-pumper was in its day."

Photo #6209.48