History

September 10, 1910 A charter for Bareville Fire Company was secured.

November 5, 1910 Two hand drawn chemical tanks were purchased at a cost of $535.

June 1921  Oldsmobile Chemical Fire Engine was purchased at a cost of $2,750.00.

Early 1922  Land was purchased and by Fall a building had been erected to house the equipment and for community activities at a cost of $12,000.00.

1927  A Boyer Special Pumper with 2,000 feet of hose was purchased at a cost of $9,500.00.

1940  A Fire Patrol Truck with 300 gallons water tank, booster reel and hose and a 200 gallons per minute pump was purchased at a cost of $2,960.00 to replace the Oldsmobile Chemical Engine.

1949  A new engine room was built to house the two engines.

1951  The pump on the Boyer Special was placed on a 1951 Ford Chassis.

1956  A John Bean High Pressure Fog Unit on a Ford Chassis replaced the Fire Patrol Truck at a cost of $6,300.00.

1957  Two way radios were installed on the trucks.

1968  John Bean H.P.V. Super Pumper Replaced the 1951 Ford Truck at a cost of $22,000.00.

1980  Dodge Mini Pumper was purchased for $40,000.00.

1989  Pierce Pumper was bought for $163,309.00 to replace 1968 John Bean. (This is current engine 3-1-1)

Spring 1992  Our current fire station was started in the  and also  completed in August of 1992.

1998  A Pierce Quantum Pumper was bought new. (This is current engine 3-1-2.)

2003  A 1985 GMC/Pierce Truck was bought from Fire Department of Mount Joy. (This is current Squad 3-1-1.)

June 2006  Construction was started on our new Banquet Hall. It was completed in March of 2007.

2008  A used 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pickup truck was purchased from John Sauder Chevrolet dealership and also some custom aluminum boxes made by Martin Fabrication were placed in the bed. (This is current Squad 3-1-2.)

This article was found in a golden anniversary album dated 1910-1960

It was a hot summer evening many years ago. William Taft was in the White House and the digging of the Panama Canal was much in the news. Automobiles were just coming into common use,possibly twenty-five in the entire township. Building of roads by the state was also a live subject. Here and there the first township high schools were being built. Airplanes were an impractical novelty and ” jet ” was shoe polish. Trolleys went barreling through town hourly , to and from Lancaster and there was much discussion on the building of more trolley lines.

But tonight none of these things of interest were being discussed by the group on the seats around Musser’s store at Bareville.

Our neighbor to the west had just applied for a charter for a new fire company. Dr. Leslie was speaking: ” I said before and say again, Bareville needs a fire company. What do you say Mart?” Martin Sheaffer stroked his beard thoughtfully, ” Well, if Leola

can do it,certainly Bareville can, but where will the money come from?”  “What do you think Jim?” James Moore replied, “The town can’t do it without the help of the farmers,” looking at Elias Hess.” “Well” said Elias “with fat steers at 7 1/2 cents and tobacco at 8-2, the farmer can’t do much either,”winking slyly at Frank Good and Ben Landis. Frank thought that 60 cents for potatoes scarcely paid for the Paris Green and phosphate, and didn’t leave much for a fire engine. Ben added that 18 cents for eggs and 24 cents for butter didn’t add up very fast.

So interested was every one that no one noticed a heavy thunderstorm approaching until a heavy clap of thunder sent every one scampering for home over the dusty and uneven pike.

Sidewalks were still a few years in the future and street lights were only a glimmer in the distant future. But the seed had been sown and a few nights later the crowd around the store was larger than usual, and the same question came up again.

William Becker moved that they form a fire company and that Dr. Leslie be president. “Not so fast,” said another with more logic than grammer. “We can’t elect a man who ain’t been nominated and we ain’t had no nomination.” “What does that matter?” ” I second the motion and I name James Moore as vice-president.” And so with more emphasis on speed than parliamentary rules, Charles Harple was made secretary and Elias Hess, treasurer. A Charter was secured September 10, 1910, with the following names added Samuel R. Myer, L. S. Groff, William Becker and Martin Sheaffer.

Men were appointed to solicit funds, arrange for demonstration and purchase of equipment, and by November 5 two hand-drawn chemical tanks and other necessary equipment had been bought at a total cost of $535.00. A total of $719.00 had been collected. Ellis Dunwoody was first fire chief and for the next ten years this equipment proved it’s worth many times.

In June of 1921, steps were taken to motorize the equipment and a one and a half ton Oldsmobile chassis was purchased. Three tanks were mounted on it. Along with ladders and several other needed articles. All this at a total cost of  $2,750.00 of which $1,550.00 was raised by popular subscription.

This new equipment raised the question of housing facilities and of course also the question of funds. A festival was held the summer of 1921 which yielded receipts of over $3,000.00. This made the dream of  a fire house possible. Land was purchased and construction started early in 1922 and by fall the 36×78 building was completed at a total cost of $12,000.00.

By 1927 plans were made to purchase a pumper. A 550 gallon Boyer Special, fully equipped with 2000 feet of hose, was purchased at a cost of approximately $9,500.00. About one-third was paid by subscricption in the community.

After nineteen years of faithful service, The Olds chemical was replaced by a squad wagon and booster tank at a cost of $2,960.00.

The shock of Pearl Harbor made an immense change in personnel as man after man was called to the colors. Older men who had been more or less inactive accepted the challenge to uphold the same degree of efficiency the company had always maintained. Little new equipment was added during the war years. As the men returned, thought was given to various activities, additional land was purchased, a baseball diamond was added, trees planted and a fine array of playground equipment installed.

The Ladies Auxiliary experienced a rebirth and much in the way of equipment was added to the completely refinished fire hall through their efforts.

November of 1949 saw the completion of a new building for housing the engines as the old room was to crowded with the larger engines. By 1951 plans were made to replace the big pumper, now 24 years old. A much larger and better equipped engine took it’s place.

Ever on the lookout for more and better equipment, five years later the fifth engine was purchased to replace the fire patrol or squad wagon. Today both new engines have the best equipment available, including two way radios and fog nozzles with high pressure. These two pieces of equipment cost approximately $15,000.00. Since 1921 the company has spent more than $48,000.00 for increased and improved facilities and today the two buildings and the two engines stand as a monument to the loyalty of the community and to the scores of devoted men and women whose efforts have made this possible.

Of the original signers of the charter, Elias R. Hess is the only surviving member.

Few names have been mentioned but in conclusion we wish to thank all past and present whose efforts have so nobly advanced this work. They are not forgotten or overlooked, simply omitted for lack of space.