In April 1885, the town voted to abolish C. Wakefield Co. No. 2 in Montrose and to relocate Chemical Engine Co. No. 1 to the Montrose Fire Station. On May 5, 1885, Chemical Engine Co. No. 1 was renamed C. Wakefield Chemical Engine Co. No. 2, with George W. Oliver as Foreman.
On June 8, J. H. Carter Hose No. 1 was organized with W. C. Allen as Foreman, with a crew of ten men. They were assigned an 1871 Hunneman two-wheel hand-drawn hose reel used by the former Yale No. 1 with temporary quarters in the blacksmith shop at Main and Chestnut Streets.
J.H. Carter Hose No. 1
At the request of the citizens after several recent fires in the area, Greenwood Hose Co. No. 3 was organized on Monday, September 6, 1886 by the Board of Fire Engineers The Fire Department gave this independent volunteer company an 1859 two-wheel hand-drawn hose reel with 1000 feet of leather hose. The hose reel was stored in a private shed on Oak Street, near Francis Avenue. Joseph M. Gilman was elected Foreman.
Greenwood Hose No. 3
The first extension of the town water system was completed in late summer of 1886, when the water mains were installed to the Junction area and to Greenwood Square at Main and Oak Streets.
Horace Dalrymple became Chief Engineer of the three-man board of Engineers in 1897, succeeding James H. Carter. Dalrymple remained in rank through 1888 and then in 1890 and 1891. Owen Corcoran was Chief Engineer in 1889.
The town’s first fire alarm system, designed by George M. Stevens, was installed in April 1887, at a cost of $1000. There were six fire alarm boxes located in various sections of the town on ten miles of wire. The coded fire alarm boxes were located as follows:
- Box 6 Nahant and Farm Streets
- Box 12 Main and Oak Streets
- Box 23 Albion and Foundry Streets
- Box 35 Main and Albion Streets
- Box 41 Cordis and Pleasant Streets
- Box 54 Salem and Lowell Streets
The fire alarm system was located in the second floor of the Church Street Fire Station. Mr. A. S. Cobb was the first fire alarm superintendent.
The first fire alarm box pulled for a fire was received from Box 12 at Main and Oak Streets, Greenwood Square, on Monday, May 2, 1887, for a brush fire. Also in 1887, a steam fire whistle was located and installed at the Rattan Factory complex on Water Street.
In 1888, the Paul Revere bell was removed from the former Town House building at Main and Salem Streets and relocated to the cupola of the High School at Common and Lafayette Streets. There it continued in use for fire alarm signals.
