U - Newton Free Library

176 PRESENT DEPARTMENT.
tailed to drive the engine.
The horses were kept
in an old stable across the street, and used on the
highways during the day.
Its first working fire was November 1st, at
10:45 p. M., at Langdon Coffin's unfinished house
on Mount Ida.
The new station erected for it was occupied in
June, and dedicated July 2, 1873.
It was enlarged
to its present size in 1895.
In June, 1874, the company unanimously voted
to name the engine Henry L. Bixby, in honor of
the then assistant engineer of that ward.
The
fire committee had previously decided to discontinue
the naming of fire apparatus, and to remove
the old names, and would not allow the
name to be used.
Accompanied by assistant engineers H. L.
Bixby and John Exley, and City Clerk E. 0.
Childs, the company, with Newton City Band,
went to New Bedford October 15, 1875, where
they were the guests of Z. Hillman Engine Co.
No. 4.
They remained there two days, and were
received by Hose Co. No. 4 and Truck Co. No. 1
on their return home.
-
October 3, 1876, they were the guests of Natick
Engine Co. No. 2 of South Natick, as were
delegations from the company at numerous other
times.
The original Amoskeag hose-carriage was replaced
by an Abbott-Downing carriage in 1883,