Page 18 - History of the Colton Fire Department

Training in the streets with the Hook & Ladder and Hose Cart. They where comparing the water pressure by the height of their streams.
1893 Chief Bagley seemed to be very concerned about fire pre-
On May 21st The Colton Fire Department held vention and asked the City Trustees to take up the matter
their 3rd Annual Firemen’s Ball. and pass an ordinance concerning the combustible waste
For personal reasons, Chief Walin decided to turn around town. Chief Bagley would survey the critical ar-
in his resignation. Mr. Walin was asked by the city if he eas around town and make numerous notes of the debris
would remain as acting Chief for 60 days to give the de- in the area. The Chief was promised an ordinance to give
partment time to find and secure a man to fill the position him more leverage with the community and have them
of chief. August 14, 1893 M.A. Bagley was elected the clean their own home or place of work without fines.
fourth Volunteer Fire Chief of Colton.
To encourage attendance at the monthly meeting,
Training was always a priority and it would show members would receive 50 cents for attendance. Drills
in the presence of a true emergency. In late 1893 a fire had also become a part of their meetings to make the
alarm was turned in at the Chronicle building. It was most out of the time while attendance was good. The
reported that the fire department responded and had two fire calls would also be increased to one dollar per hour
streams of water on the fire within five minutes after the or fraction thereof. Because fireman where getting paid
sound of the fire bell. for their job and to protect the citizens from harm, Chief
Bagley passed a new resolution that stated “No outsid-
In June M.A. Bagley was reelected as Chief and ers should assist in making or breaking couplings”. Mr.
W.L. Bullis as Assistant Chief. Malon A. Bagley was Bullis watched for equipment needs and put in a request
born in Pennsylvania in 1852. He was a Constable for for a spray nozzle and 2 Bulls Eye lanterns for entering a
Colton. Assistant Chief Bullis maintained the high level building.
of training and procedures for the Colton Fire Depart-
ment watching other large departments such as Los An-
gles. He would bring new ideas from other cities like a
sprinkling stand that hooks to the fire hydrant. The July
4th celebrations around the country have always been a
dangerous time for communities. Members of the depart-
ment organized the cleaning of alleys, homes and yards to
lessen the danger of fire during this time. Members were
assigned to clean approximately five blocks.
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