Trying to ID manufacturer

[wagnerj3490]

I am trying to ID the manufacturer of the horse drawn tillered city service ladder truck in the attached pictures. It has several unique features that might help ID it.  First is the gooseneck in the frame just behind the 5th wheel to lower the center of gravity. Second is the support structure for the tiller steering wheel that one can see just above the bedded ladders and below the steering wheel.  The heavy fenders appear to have been home made, possibly when it was converted to be towed behind a motorized tractor.  This ladder was used by the Reno (NV) FD up until 1917. Thanks for looking.

[wagnerj3490]

Hello, I am replying to my own post to let everyone know I was finally able to find out the manufacturer of this rig.  The Univ. of Nev - Reno made a collection of Sanborn Fire Insurance maps of Nevada towns available on-line.  I located a reference to this rig in the 1908 Atlas on the Index page.  This rig was manufactured under the name of the International Fire Engine Co.  It is a 3rd size ladder truck and came with a 55' extension ladder.  The IFECo was formed in 1900 and was an attempt to form a monopoly of fire service manufacturers.  The company owned both the American FECo and the Fire Extinguisher Manufacturing Co (FEMCO) of Chicago.  I think this rig was manufactured in the FEMCO factory to the FEMCO design.  In 1904 the IFECo failed to get financing and a new company was formed by joining the IFECo brands and the LaFrance FECo with the new company being the American LaFrance FECo.

[SixbyFire]

Guess I missed this original post back in 2007, nice pics of the old ladder in the weeds there. Good job tracking it down! Those Sanborn maps sure do have some useful info on them. I found some info on the Brooklyn, Ohio FD on a Sanborn map, now if I can only find where I saved the file at...

Jeff

[safetydave]

Is the tiller still sitting in the weeds? If so is it for sale. I found one yesterday in the brush and is missing the steering mechanism and gooseneck. No ladders
The tractor is in a barn (1930? Dodge Brothers)
Thanks
Dave

[MplsBuffalo]

 1930 Dodge tractor, Pictures? GR

[safetydave]

The first picture is the front of the truck, second picture you can see the fifth wheel (should have removed the junk before I took the picture) and the last picture show the ladder wagon in the brush.

[Box 2565]

The first picture is the front of the truck, second picture you can see the fifth wheel (should have removed the junk before I took the picture) and the last picture show the ladder wagon in the brush.

Hi Dave!

Do you know which department(s) operated the Dodge?

Steve

[safetydave]

Hey Steve

Paint on the hood is G F D (looks Original). The owners son believe it was Gallipolis. I called the station and the guy I spoke with said he didn't think they ever had a Dodge ladder truck. After looking at the frame in the brush, I believe it was a horse drawn ladder updated to fit the Dodge.

[FAO25]

What state is this in?

[wagnerj3490]

Replying to Safetydave of March 6, 2010.  Sorry it took so long to reply.  Somehow I got unsubscribed to this thread.  I have the 1904 International FECo tiller and I am planning to restore it to its horse drawn configuration.