RESTORED 1880 PUMPER PROVIDES GLIMPSE OF THE PAST
When firemen fought fires more than a century ago, they pulled the truck pumper to the fire and hand-pumped the water that was carried to the wagon in a bucket brigade.
The
equipment included a hand pump operated by long long bars on the sides of the
wagon. Three men on each side of the wagon pushed the bars up and down to pump
the water out of the rubber hose. The pump could throw the water up to 40 feet
according to former fireman, Bob Cummings.
This pumper is on display at the Madison County Historical Society in
Madison, NE, along with other memorabilia from the Madison Volunteer Fire
Department.