Fire Boat- Steam Ferry, Los Angeles Fire Department, 1917

Steam Ferry
1917 - 1919

Starting in 1917 Los Angeles used these Amoskeag and Nott steam fire engines. Horse-drawn from their station and loaded on the barge, they were towed to fires. Note the bags of coal stored aboard the barge.

One of these steam pumpers, an 1881 Amoskeag, is periodically on display at the old Plaza Fire station downtown Los Angeles.

The finance committee of the city council today hit upon a novel scheme to furnish fire protection for the water front at the harbor without incurring the expense of $125,000 for the purchase of a fire boat.

The committee will recommend to the council that a contract be entered into with the San Pedro Transportation Company for the use of the stream ferry between San Pedro and East San Pedro for use in transporting the fire apparatus to the scene of fires on the water front. The fire apparatus will stand on the deck of the barge and can pump water from the channel almost as effectively as an expensive fireboat.

Los Angeles Record September 18, 1916