|
The Lingohocken Fire Company was formed in 1913 to provide for the fire protection needs of Wrightstown and parts of Buckingham and Upper Makefield Townships. Originally located in the Firemen's Hall on what is now Histand's Supply, it moved to its present location in 1950 (see Building Their Own Firehouse below). In 1983, the Fire Company expanded its facilities to a larger building to meet the fire protection demands of the district.
Building Their Own Firehouse
Reprinted from The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine May 28, 1950.
Everyone in Wycombe Got In on the Act,
Their $8000 + Sweat =$25,000 Building
Lingohocken Fire Company volunteers in Wycombe, Bucks county, carry frame of rafters for roof of firehouse they are building themselves.
By Kay Mott
One day last winter, the volunteer Lingohocken Fire Company No. 1 at Wycombe, Bucks County, found itself in a situation more troublesome than a three-alarm blaze. Its 35 members and three pieces of firefighting apparatus had been evicted from their firehouse. Now, instead of saving a building, the company had to erect one.
But a new firehouse would cost $25,000, and the company had only $8,000. “Lingohocken”, J. Edward Samsel, president of the company, had said means ‘pleasant land’ in the language of the Lenni Lenape Indians, who used to live around here. It won’t be too pleasant if we have to fold up and have no fire protection. Something must be done – in a hurry.”
W. L. Fleming helped round up materials for new firehouse.
Since then, many things have been done – and swiftly. Wycombe’s new firehouse is in the final stages of construction. The 250 residents of the area are building it themselves.
They are building it of materials obtained at cost or less – and with their own equipment. Though the building represents an outlay of $8,000, its actual money value is thrice that.
“Thousands of Manhours”
“But we don’t think of it terms of cash value,” says Samsel. “We say it is worth thousands of manhours freely given by the residents.”
Each Saturday and Sunday since April 1, dozens of men and women have worked on the building – excavating, sawing, nailing, hammering, painting. During the week, masons have laid the cinder blocks that make up the walls, assisted by a different pair of volunteer workers every day. In some capacity, nearly everyone in the area has gotten into the act.
The end-product is a 73-by-42 foot structure, containing a 59-by-42 foot engine room, a 19-by-17 foot kitchen, and reception, storage and heater rooms. “The biggest little firehouse in Bucks County,” Wycombites say.
President J. E. Samsel takes a turn laying building blocks.
Company 35 Years Old
Since its inception 35 years ago, the Lingohocken company had made its headquarters in a building on the lumberyard property of Albert J. Thompson, a founder. From there it had fought fires within a seven-mile radius of Wycombe, going farther afield now and then to assist fire companies in nearby Doylestown and Newtown.
Thompson died a few years ago. When his estate was settled recently, the lumber yard was sold. That was when Lingohocken’s troubles began. The new owner of the yard declined to rent the old firehouse building to the company for a nominal fee. “There we were,” says Samsel, “with three fire trucks, 35 men – and no home.”
The firemen had $6,000 in their treasury. The women’s auxiliary had $2,000 – proceeds from chicken suppers, cake sales and parties. Then William L. Fleming, former president of the company went to work. The owner of a machine shop awarded the Navy “E” for production of aircraft rudder hinges during the war, he revised and simplified the building plans.
“If we can get the materials at cost, and do the construction work ourselves,” he said, “we can build a $25,000 firehouse for $8,000.” At first Fleming’s estimate seemed overly optimistic. Even without labor costs, the $8,000 wouldn’t pay for the project. Fleming was appointed building supervisor. Allan Thompson, who succeeded his father as treasurer of the company on his return from World War II, was named assistant. With April 1 set as the date for the beginning of construction, Fleming and Thompson approached manufacturers and distributors of materials.
Other Contributors
A planning mill in Doylestown agreed to supply the bulk of building materials at cost. An oil company, desiring to begin operations in the Wycombe area, volunteered through its Newtown distributor, to supply an oil heating plant and labor to install it.
A Lancaster door manufacturer authorized its Trenton agency to install overhead doors at cost as a practical advertisement. Harry Price, a Wycombe builder, agreed to put in the foundation footings. Other local firms supplied sand, stone and concrete. Still others provided trucks.
When construction began, practically the entire community turned out to help. It has been helping ever since. When the fire whistle blows on Saturday and Sunday mornings, everybody heads for the new building, where construction foreman Howard Reed, a Wycombe carpenter, sets up work schedules. Women in overalls paint window frames. Fire Chief Alfred Ervin and Linford Fleming, assistant chief, take charge of the roofing detail. Members of the auxiliary serve coffee, sandwiches and homemade pies.
During the weeks of wall building, Joey Bradfield and William Graham, Pineville masons, laid the blocks. Each section of the Wycombe “fire district” was charged with providing the masons with assistants – two a day. One week, Thomas Marshall, a Pineville farmer, set out to supply his district’s quota of 12 workers. He made only 14 phone calls to get his dozen.
Even the women of the community turn out in overalls to their bit to the new firehouse. Here they paint window frames.
One Gets Up at 3 A.M.
One of the volunteers, William E. Smith, had to get up at 3 A.M. to do his farm chores before reporting to the firehouse. “I’d be mighty unhappy if our place caught on fire at 3 A.M. and the firemen wouldn’t get up,” he remarked.
Some men who couldn’t work themselves supplied wages to hire substitutes. A landscaper, unable to get time off to work at the firehouse, told his boss about the project. So the firehouse plot will be landscaped free.
The cornerstone of the firehouse was laid April 15. The lone surviving founder of the company, 82-year-old Edward Kirk, helped begin a new era by adding a bit of mortar.
Wycombe is proud of its new firehouse. But it is proudest of the two signs erected in the front of the building. On them appear the names of firms which have contributed materials and individuals who have worked to create a monument to community spirit. “We figured one sign would be sufficient’” says George Trivellini, who letters in the names. “But it wasn’t. Everybody is doing something.”
Reprinted from The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine May 28, 1950.
|
