ca. 1910. Horses played an important role in early Tacoma firefighting as this turn-of-the-20th Century photograph illustrates. The firefighting team is in front of Engine House No. 5 which was built in 1890 at 1215 So. I Street. The horses were fed well on oats, bran and carrots; their medical needs were taken care of by a veterinarian and medicines. By the turn of the century, the department had 33 horses working side-by-side with firefighters. This team of horses pictured here in a 1910 sepia photograph may be pulling a 1910 Metropolitan 2nd Size 550 gpm double pump. Tacoma Fire Department Collection. (100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 33)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire stations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1910-1920; Horses--Tacoma;

ca. 1890. In this photograph from 1890 the crew of Fire Station No. 5 of the Tacoma Fire Department, 1215-17 So. I Street, demonstrate how they could quickly dress when awakened by a "midnight alarm". The unidentified fireman at the far right has his baggy pants draped around his boots to speed his response. Engine Co. No. 5 was placed in service October 13, 1890, with a third class Ahrens Piston steam fire engine weighing 5,800 pounds and California Fire Apparatus four wheeled hose wagon with 4,485 pounds weight carrying 1000 feet of hose. Jess Poyns was the Captain, age 25 in 1890; he later became Department Chief. This fire station was a very busy one in 1890, answering 45 alarms and performing duty at 15 fires. In 1935 the company moved to new quarters at 1453 So. 12th; the old quarters were subsequently demolished. (2nd Annual Report, Tacoma Paid Fire Department, p. 28-29; 100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma Washington, p. 21, p. 72)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire stations--Tacoma--1890-1900; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1890-1900;