CHIEF SAM HUNTER

Samuel F. Hunter was appointed fire chief of Springfield in 1904 - an era during which cities wrested control of municipal government from political parties to professional managers.

``The fire department was a political football kicked around by the whims and fancies of the city council,'' Fire Capt. Cal Roberds wrote in his 1978 history book ``From Buckets to Diesels.''

An outsider and former member of the Columbus Fire Division, Hunter instituted a series of reforms - including a clear chain of command - and oversaw the mechanization of the city's fleet of engines.

On April 1, 1904, he assumed command of about 40 firefighters, who were on continuous duty, with the exception of mealtime, and received one day off in ten, according to Roberds. There were also 27 horses.

Four of the city's six fire companies were equipped with horse-drawn, steam-powered pumpers - state-of-art apparatus at the start of the 20th Century. The roster also included an aerial ladder and a city service ladder truck.

Hunter replaced the much-maligned George Follrath, who served from 1895-1904 and was criticized for mismanagement in the aftermath of fires at the East Street Shops in 1902 and Black's Opera House and "The Levee" riots in 1904.

Follrath also faced problems of internal dissent as well as drunkenness and fighting among the firemen.

Hunter enjoyed a longer tenure - and retired in 1928.

Springfield Fire Chief Samuel Hunter (standing, far right) was a member of the advance committee for the August 1922 meeting of International Association of Fire Engineers in San Francisco, photographed May 22, 1922. Top Row, L. to R.: Chief Wm. Bywater of Salt Lake City, Chief Peter D. Carter of Camden N.J. - Chief Thos. R. Murphy of San Francisco - Chief August Gerstrung of Elizabeth, N.J. - Chief Ed. T. Murphy of Buffalo, N.Y. - Chief Samuel Boyde of Knoxville, Tenn. - Hunter. Front Row: Chief Jas. Mulcahey, Sect. of Yonkers, N.Y. - Chief Frank G. Reynold, Pres. of Augusta, Georgia - and Chief Chas. Ringer of Minneapolis


From Fire Engineering
Feb. 8, 1922

Chief Samuel Hunter of the fire department of Springfield, Ohio, who is also chairman of the exhibit committee of the next convention of the International Association of Fire Engineers, will soon file his annual report with the city manager of Springfield. He will recommend purchase of two new pumpers, extensive repairs to the fire houses and the purchase of a triple combination hose and other equipment. The estimated cost of the improvements will be about $100,000, according to Chief Hunter.

A recommendation that he will embody in his report will be the purchase of a squad car and the addition of twelve men to the present force of the department. The squad car will be placed at one of the centrally located stations so that it can answer all alarms and insure an ample number of firemen to be present at each fire. The apparatus, in addition to the men, carries axes, hand chemicals and tarpaulins. Twelve additional men will be necessary to man the squad car under the two-platoon system. Chief Hunter said that he believed that the adoption of the squad system would meet the demands of the National Board for more men in the department without making an increase in each of the fire houses necessary.

According to Chief Hunter, more than fifty per cent, of the hose now in service has been in use for eight years and is liable to fail at any critical moment. The fire houses, according to the chief, have been in bad repair for years and he expresses the hope that the new city commission will provide enough money to place them in good condition. Fire hydrants should be placed in front of every school building and also in front of the city hospital.

 

Motor Driven Combinations in Fire Department Service
 

By Samuel F. Hunter, Chief of Fire Department, Springfield, Ohio.

Excerpt from Municipal Engineering
June 1913 

 

The city of Springfield, Ohio, not only enjoys the distinction of being the first municipality in this country to purchase a motor-driven pumping engine, but has reason to be proud of the fact that she was among the first cities in this section to realize the advantages and the savings of motor-driven combination chemical and hose wagons.

We have three of these motor-driven combinations in service and, while the financial saving over horse-drawn apparatus is considerable, the special advantage of being in a position of getting to a large number of fires in double-quick time and knocking them out before they gain headway, cannot be over estimated. The efficiency of our fire department has increased many fold since the installation of these machines, which are located in strategic positions, thus being enabled to make quick trips to the remotest parts of the city in four minutes' time.

These motor-driven combination chemical and hose wagons were furnished us by the Kelly-Springfield Motor Truck Company, Springfield, Ohio. Every part of these machines is very carefully and durably made and it is my belief that the motor has fewer parts than any other 4-cylinder, 4-cycle head motor built. This motor is not only completely enclosed, including the valves, but the only moving parts exposed are the two cross-shafts in front, which drive the magneto and water circulating pump.

 

The equipment of our combination chemical and hose wagon includes 1,200 to 1,500 feet of 2 1/2-Inch hose, one 40- gallon chemical tank, two 3-gallon acid and soda chemical extinguishers, hose basket, 200 feet of 3/4-inch hose, one nickel plated shut-off nozzle, one 20-foot extension ladder, one 12-foot roof ladder, together with the usual equipment of plaster hooks, pike poles, axes, storage battery, speedometer, lamps, lanterns, torches, nozzle plugs, etc.

 

Our motor-driven combinations respond to all alarms of fire in the city on first call and are always the first apparatus to arrive at the fire. Our combinations after reporting back at the engine house are ready for another alarm of fire 20 to 30 minutes sooner than our horse-drawn equipment, which responds to the same fire reports on duty with the horses sweating and blowing and tired and many times almost exhausted, and not in a condition to respond to another and immediate alarm of fire.