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Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Troy Township & Troy Borough,
Bradford County PA
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Early Postcard of Fire Station
at Troy
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This older fires station on corner of Canton Street and Redington was
replaced in 1950s. That building has also been replaced. I will include
comparative photos at a later time.
See Also 1953 Photo below
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| Photo: Troy Fire House |
| Township: Troy Borough, Bradford County PA |
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| Year: ? |
| Postcard from Janet PETERS Ordway |
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Troy Gazette-Register newspaper article, circa 1980.
[Fire House and Fire Engine photo]
The Old Fire House and New Fire Engine
The above photo [See Bottom of This Page] was taken in
July 1953, just before the old fire house was torn down and the new fire
truck had arrived. Standing along beside the truck are left to right –
“Bucky Smith, “Vic” Warner and Paul Reynolds.
The history of the Troy Volunteer Fire Company is worth
reviewing. Troy had two destructive fires that destroyed sections in the
center of town. One was in 1848 and the other 1870. Fires were not eliminated,
but fire-fighting methods and equipment were improved.
On July 7, 1871 the Oscoluwa Engine and Hose Company was
created. W.H. Carnochan, a lawyer, was its president and chief. It began
with a meeting of the citizens to consider the purchase of a fire engine.
Some of the first equipment included a hogshead or two, holding some 150
gallons of water, mounted on a chassis that was drawn to the fire scene
where bucket brigades, manned by volunteers, went into action.
The new fire company purchased a new Clapp and Jones steamer
and two hose carts. A two-story brick construction building to house the
equipment and serve as a meeting place for the firemen was built in 1871
at the corner of Canton Street and Redington Avenue, where the present
firehall is today.
In 1874 a fire alarm bell was installed in a bell tower
of the fire house. It served its purpose until about 1929 when an electric
fire siren was installed over the former Troy Engine & Machine Company
building, across the street.
The old fire house was torn down in 1953 and replaced by
a new brick building which houses firefighting equipment on the ground
floor and an attractive meeting room on the second floor. The land was
acquired from the George G. Beardslee estate and the borough council released
title to some of the equipment to the firemen. The council also agreed
to pay the volunteer fire company an annual fee for protection.
An agreement with the supervisors of adjoining townships
was entered into in 1952, whereby fire protection service, on an annual
fee basis, was provided to Wells, South Creek, Columbia, Springfield, Armenia,
Troy and West Burlington and Sullivan Township of Tioga County. The boroughs
of Troy, Sylvania and Burlington entered a similar agreement.
The Ladies Auxiliary of the Oscoluwa Engine & Hose
Company was formed in 1948 by the wives of the volunteer firemen. They
assist in numerous fund raising affairs.
The Troy Volunteer Firemen’s Ambulance Association was
organized in 1950. It has moved to its new building in the Troy Motor alley
and serves Troy and surrounding communities by providing ambulance service.
A lot of volunteer hours and community spirit have gone
into the Troy Fire Company over the past 108 years, but isn’t it a great
security to know it is standing by in case you need help?
Oscoluwa Engine And
Hose Co., Host Of NY-Penn Fire Convention, Began In 1870 When Fire
Almost Destroyed Troy Borough
By Pat Barber Submitted to Tri-Counties Site by Don Stanton (Undated
scrapbook item - est. 1977) Published on Tri-Counties May 2006
| This is the original home of the Oscoluwa Engine & Hose Co. in
Troy, built in 1871. This photo was taken in 1901 when it was dressed for
a fireman's convention. The shed next to it was washed away during Hurricane
Agnes and the main building replaced, but in the same location in 1955.
The bell was added in 1874 |
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.Before 1871, Troy’s only means of combating fire was several hogsheads
holding 150 gallons of water each, mounted on a chassis, drawn by horses
or by hand to the scene of the fire where a bucket brigade went into action.
In the summer of 1870 the Oliver block of Main Street (a parking lot
today) was completely destroyed by fire. To save the Troy House next
door, the steamer from Elmira was called by telegraph and sent down by
special train to Troy. The hotel and the rest of the town was saved,
but residents knew they needed a better system of fire protection.
On July 6, 1871, by order if the Common Council of Troy Borough, a
volunteer fire company was formed and known as Oscoluwa No. 1. W.
H. Carnochan was first president, with R. F. Redington as vice-president;
O. T. Saltmarsh as secretary; and Horace Pomeroy, a director. Carnochan,
a lawyer, doubled as fire chief.
When the first piece of equipment arrived, a Clapp and Jones steamer
to be operated in conjunction with two hose carts, the town turned out
to see the steamer and the newly-uniformed company on parade. That
night, September 1, 1871, a Fireman’s Ball was held in the Troy Hotel and
both affairs became annual events.
A two-story brick building was erected at the corner of Canton Street
and Redington Avenue in Troy, the site of today’s firehouse. It not
only housed the fire fighting equipment on the first floor and a meeting
room on the second, it also had two cells which served as the Troy jail
until the building was torn down in 1954.
The fire alarm bell was purchased in 1874 and a tower built to house
it. When the new and present firehouse was built in 1955 the bell
was moved to its present location in front of the Van Dyne Civic Building.
A telephone and electric lights were installed about 1903, and in 1912
a 75-gallon hand-drawn soda and acid extinguisher was added to supplement
the existing equipment.
There was great excitement when the brand new American La France Pumper
arrived in front of the firehouse in 1917. It could pump 750 gallons
per minute. The volunteers still have that 1917 pumper, keep its
in running order, and show it off as often as possible. It will be
a shining part of Saturday’s parade.
One of the most devastating fires in the history of Troy occurred in
the winter of 1919 when, in spite of the valiant efforts of the volunteers,
the Farmers’ Union, (predecessor of Agway), with its enormous supply of
grain, was completely destroyed. The equipment had not been enough
and the company and the borough jointly financed the purchase of a one-ton
combination chemical and hose Ford truck from the LaFrance plant in Elmira
at a cost of $2250.
Other pierces of equipment were purchased over the years as needed,
including a Pierce Arrow pumper with 1000 feet of hose for out of town
fires and a portable lighting outfit for night fires. The wives of
the firemen formed the first ladies’ auxiliary in 1948, and the new firehouse
was built in 1955 at a cost of $7100 plus more than 10,000 hours of volunteer
labor.
Then as now, the motto of the Oscoluwa Engine and Hose Company is “Ever
ready when duty calls.” For 106 years it has served the people of
Troy and the surrounding areas, hosted conventions in 1901 and 1949, and
just purchased a new pumper at a cost of close to $50,000.
Current officers are: Chet Wills, president; Bob Williams, vice-president;
Bill Hamlin, treasurer; Barry Estep, secretary; and Dale Yale, fire chief.
See Also Article - The Great
Troy Fire of 1869
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This is the brand new American La France pumper in 1917 with unidentified
volunteer fireman of Troy. It will ride in Saturday's parade for the Firemen's
Convention |
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Published On Tri-Counties Site On 08/05/2001
By Joyce M. Tice
Email Joyce M. Tice
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