Engine 20 was organized March 15, 1871 in the former quarters of the Diligent Fire Company on the southwest corner of 10th and Filbert Streets.
The original company roster was as follows:
Foreman David Mouat
Engineer A.C. Baker
Driver George Long
Fireman Warren B. McCarter
Hoseman J.H. Gray
Hoseman W.H. Myers
Hoseman J. Ege
Hoseman L.C. Lindsay
Hoseman W. Bringhurst
Hoseman Edward Bradley
Hoseman P.T. Cook
Hoseman William Tomlin
The company went into operation with a first size (900 gpm) Amoskeag Steamer built in 1862. The steamer was purchased from the Diligent Fire Company for $3000.00. Also assigned to Engine 20 upon organization was a hand-drawn hose carriage with 750 feet of gum rubber hose. The hand-drawn hose carriage was replaced later in the year with a new horse-drawn Gardner & Fleming hose carriage.
During 1876 Engine 20 moved to a new station at 911 Filbert Street. They remained here until 1888 when they moved to a new station at 20 N. 10th Street. On June 5, 1956 Engine 20 moved to a new station on the northeast corner of 10th and Cherry Streets. An era ended when Engine 20 moved from 20 N. 10th Street. That was the last station being rented. Moving in with Engine 20 at the new station at 10th & Cherry Streets was Ladder 23. The ladder was moved from Headquarters at 1328 Race Street. After becoming a light rescue, Rescue 1 moved to the new station from Headquarters on July 10, 1968.
At 4:43PM on October 30, 1938 Box 52 at 5th and Callowhill Streets was struck. Engine 20 responded north on 9th Street and the Rescue Squad, responding from Headquarters responded east on Race Street. At the intersection of 9th and Race Streets the Rescue Squad collided with Engine 20’s wagon. The impact threw four firemen from the apparatus, propelling one into a civilian standing on the sidewalk, fracturing the civilian’s pelvis. Hosemen William Freudenberg and John Linaka, both of the Rescue Squad were killed. Eleven other members of the Bureau were injured along with two civilians. The box they were responding to was pulled for an automobile fire.
Have an interesting story about Engine 20 that you would like to share? We would love to hear from you. Use the comment form below.
Looking for interesting Philadelphia Fire Department Merchandise? Visit our store for great patches and much more.
Shortly after Engine 20 moved to its new station on 6/5/56 at 10th & Cherry, the old station at 20 N. 10th St. (N.W. cor. of 10th & Commerce Sts.) became Flaherty’s (or a similar Irish name) Firehouse Tavern. The only change to the exterior of the station was a white brick facade with a single commercial glass door covering the 1st floor front of the building. The tavern lasted until around 1977 when it and the surrounding block was demolished to make way for the Gallery Shopping Mall which is now known as the Fashion District
On October 3, 1969 around 4am, while sleeping in my 2nd floor apt. on 11th St. S. of Chestnut, I was awakened by sirens and flashing lights. Hurriedly dressing, I went out to the street to see apparatus going into service on a working fire at the S. Swartz Furniture Store at 1108 Chestnut St.. The 5 story brick building ran all the way back to Sansom St, and that’s where the smoky blaze was in the rear of the store’s basement. After the fire was placed under control, I returned to my apt. to continue sleeping only to find the Captain of Engine 20, Hans Bolch, sitting on my steps taking a breather. I went upstairs and got him a glass of cold water before going back to bed. About 7:10am, I got up to go to my 8am to 4pm shift as a PFD dispatcher in the Fire Alarm Room on the 6th floor of City Hall. Again, I heard sirens outside my window. I turned on my fire radio hearing that the call was for Swartz Furniture. At 7:44am as I turned the corner onto Chestnut St. on my way to the Alarm Room, first-in Engine 20 was in front of the store, and there was thick brownish-gray smoke pouring out the front door. On Engine 20’s radio they were striking out the 2nd alarm for the fire, and the fire buff in me wanted to stay. But I knew I’d be missed at the Alarm Room, so I continued on to City Hall. There, I announced the 3rd and 4th alarms over the fire radio, and continued on the radio working the extra-alarm. The PFD managed to confine the fire to the basement and parts of the 1st floor, thus saving the buillding.
Recently, there has been a four-minute You Tube video, titled “Philadelphia Fire Department Training Video(1958), bouncing around the internet. However, it is not a PFD training video, but rather a segment from the 1958 “Windjammer” movie. This technologically advanced movie known as Cinemiracle(whose immediate predecessor was Cinerama) used special cameras and projectors to make the audience feel that they were in the movie. The film is a semi-documentary chronicling the cruise of a Norwegian naval training sailing vessel stopping in various ports around the North Atlantic Ocean.
In the segment, we see members of Engine 20 & Ladder 23 scrambling from their kitchen table in their 2-year old fire station at 10th & Cherry in response to hearing a run for the station. Next, we see the apparatus leave the station, and for some unknown reason, the engine is Engine 35’s. 1941 Autocar instead of Engine 20’s actual 2-piece engine company.. The 1950 American LaFrance ladder truck is the truck Ladder 23 had at the time. The movie camera is attached to the rear of Ladder 23’s tillerman as we see it maneuver through traffic south on 10th St. and then west on Sansom St. to 13th. Interspersed, scenes show a ladder going down other Center City streets where you can note going west on Filbert St. with the old bus station on your left at 13th St.. For about 30 seconds at the end of the segment, a training session at the 6-year old Fire Training College at the rear of Engine 39’s station in Roxborough is shown.
Fire Commissioner, Frank McNamee, who came from the business world, and was friends with the movie’s producer, convinced him to shoot his fire dept. scenes in Philly rather than New York City. Commissioner McNamee, and Chief of Dept., George Hink appear at the beginning of the video. Watch the video on YouTube here.