W.B. Neilson Hose Company #4
Anxious to participate as regular firemen in the muster parade scheduled for Labor Day of 1899, the W.B. Neilson pioneers set something of a local speed record by building and equipping their original fire house in less than "seven" days, according to authentic department records. Starting July 6, 1899, the Neilsons formed their organization, and before July 13 had a fire house built to hold their meetings in. Within a month the company was complete with a roster of thirty-five enthusiastic members. They were also drilled, uniformed, and possessed a new piece of fire apparatus obtained from the city. Rookies of the department, the Neilsons took a prominent part in the 1899 festivities, making up in enthusiasm what they lacked in firemanic experience. The Neilsons proved to be very ambitious. The W. B. Neilson No. 4 Company Fair of April 12-19, 1902, showed net proceeds to the company of $2,200.00. A daily paper called "The Nozzle" was issued every day of the fair. It was described as "a corker" and had a daily circulation of over 5000 copies, a truly amazing record of that time. The only fire company on the north side of the city, the Neilson Company was a vital factor in keeping fire losses low in a section which was characterized by those banes of firemanic worry — wooden buildings and narrow, hilly streets. One of the major obstcales to the response of the Neilson company was a steep bridge, one block west of the firehouse, which crossed the Old Champlain Canal. This bridge proved many problems for the volunteers who had to draw the heavy hose cart in the winter cold, rain and snow and ice filled roads. But many times, others who lived in the area along the East Side of Saratoga Avenue helped. Men, their wives and children, of all nationalities, rushed out to help the firemen push the hose cart up over the bridge. There were also times when the crossing was blocked by a freight train and they had to wait. A new Brockway Fire Truck was purchased in 1918 with hose and a forty gallon chemical tank. A Chevy was purchased in 1933 and the next big fire truck was a "Mack" in 1951. The Mack was considered, by many, as a classic breed of fire engine. This was replaced after 25 years of service with a new "Mack", in 1977, and was considered one of Mechanicville's finest trucks with a 1250 g.p.m. pumping capacity and eight 2 1/2 inch discharges. Many years ago, the original Neilson wooden fire house gave way to a modern brick structure on the corner of Saratoga and Penrose Ave. This old fire station, No. 4, is perhaps the last and only reminder of how well fire stations were built. They were the pride of every company who had their own building then. In 1977, the new Central Fire Station on Main Street replaced the Neilson's Station, the Hook and Ladder Station and the D. E. La Dow's quarters. Many residents of the area of the Neilson Building wanted it removed but others gathered at a City Council Meeting to have it saved. It has since become a Child Care Center and is well preserved; an example of the excellent architecture of that era. Today the Neilson's still reside in the Central Station where there pioneer horse-drawn hose cart has long since been replaced by more modern, motorized equipment.
|
Click
Here to Enter the W.B. Neilson Archive
 |
 |
