U - Newton Free Library

198 PRESENT DEPARTMENT.
TRUCK No. 1.
WASHINGTON STREET,
NEWTONYILLE.
ORGANIZED MARCH, 1872.
The original ladder truck No. 1 was built by
Chapman and Strangman of Milton, and delivered
in March, 1872.
It was exhibited in
front of the town hall, town meeting day, March
4th, and went into service immediately after,
in the William Claflin Chemical No. 1 station,
Cabot Street, Newtonville, now the Veteran
Association headquarters building at West Newton.
It was named John L. Roberts, in honor of
one of Newtonville's most prominent citizens,
who during his long residence at Newton was
ever a friend, and frequently a benefactor, of its
fire department.
A company
was organized, consisting of
Samuel E. Wetherbee, foreman, J. H. Williams,
assistant foreman, John Murphy, clerk, F. B.
Sisson, G. B. Hay ward, J. H. Gilman, D. Osmore
Dow, Alexander Hill, K. F. Cranitch, Alfred
Pitt, John Powell, and John Kelley.
Its first fire of importance was Whipple's
mills, May 3, 1872.
The truck built with shafts for one horse was
first drawn to fires by F. B. Sisson, who received