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About The Coquille Valley sentinel. (Coquille, Coos County, Or.) 1921-2003 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 2002)
Around 1895, before Coquille had water mains to support fireplugs, men of Coquille were concerned about fire protection for the growing city. Several volunteer groups were organ ized and the city bought chemical carts as a first step. A chemical cart was a tank with about 40 gallons of water mixed with soda. Also inside the tank was a glass bottle of acid which, when broken, would react with the water-soda solu tion to create pressure to force the water out. The first cart was stationed near the courthouse, another was placed on Spurgeon Hill (W. 4th Street), and the third located in the north end of town. Small buildings were built at a cost of $37.50 each to house these carts. Shortly after the turn of the cen tury, Coquille began to acquire “mod em” fire equipment. In December 1901, bids for a steam fire engine brought an astounding price of $4,490 which was promptly rejected. On July 10, 1910, two chemical trucks were purchased for $573.50 apiece. An’other pressing need, a home for the fire apparatus, got off to an early start in 1904 when a bid of $270 was accepted by the city council to construct a building for the then-in- use hose cart and other assorted items. This building, which also housed the council chambers, was located on the riverbank where Church Pontiac’s was later situated. In May of 1904, for the sum of $75, a hose tower was built on the west side for the new building. The tower featured a fire alarm bell on top of the structure; the bell was also used to announce curfew. The bell was later housed in the Coquille Fire Department Building after falling from its perch on the current Coquille City Hall during a storm in January of 1976. On November 10, 1910, a 40- foot-high bell tower was erected behind the then Casey Jones pool hall, which was located on Main Street. This was a handy location for anyone to ring the alarm by day and conven ient to a fire marshal by night. For many years, Coquille had a red light in the middle of several downtown inter sections, which were turned on by a telephone operator when a fire mar shal was needed. By May of 1919, three large tele phone bells were installed around the city and they could be activated by the telephone operator in case of a fire. Someone, usually a person from Walker’S Standard Station, would then run to the City Hall and ring the fire bell at that location. By the 1920’s, dams on Dutch John Creek at the east end of First Street and holding tanks on Knowlton Heights fed from a dam on upper Rink Creek provided water through pipes to several fire plugs in the city. The present City Hall was the first real home for the Coquille Fire Department. Constructed in 1912 at a cost of $11,292, the City Hall housed the fire hall and, over it, the Coquille library. The library was moved around 1942 when the state law required sleepers at all fire halls. The present fire hall wasn’t built until 1963. An important addition‘to the fire department was the appointment on Dec. 6, 1905, of three fire inspectors to make sure people kept all moss off their roofs and maintained a ladder on their buildings for easy access to the roof. Coquille’s first fire chief, J. E. Perott, was named to that position in June, 1908. The first Coquille firemen to receive any pay for their services included this group of old-timers who were granted 50 cents per drill and one dollar per fire: Owen Knowlton, Paul Skeels, Perly Lund, J.P. Michaels, E. E. Cook, Ed Brenner, C. W. Gardner, O. M Nosier, W. H. Lyons, Ray Jeub, Harry Tozier and Fred True. W. C. Chase was fire chief at the time. Early Coquille fire fighters faced three major conflagrations. On March Dave and Kaarina Scolari founded M3k"E"Way Feed & Trucking in 1974 with a few trucks, a little hay and some grain. With a shift in demand in the late 1980's, todays Milk“E- Way is more tailored to fit your farming and family needs. From feed like Purina and Kropf Feeds, alfalfa and oats, to pet supplies such as vet erinary supplements, saddles, tack and toys. And don't for get the wonderful line of boots for the children and youth! You name it, Mflk-ErWay prob ably has it! Come See Us! 17,1918, many of the homes and busi nesses on Second Street were destroyed in a wind-swept blaze. Just four years later, on October 22, 1922, the Baxter Hotel suffered heavy dam age. And the original Community Building was completely destroyed by flames on June 1, 1952. The following advertisement ran in the Coquille City Herald on Dec. 29,1896. iaajffsi, "ftrllnoton" A $65.00 Machiné Threading Sewing placing For EW HOME Cash with Order and Coupon LATEST BEST CHEAPEST STYLE Shipped to anyone, anywhere, on 10 days’ free trial, in your own home, without asking one cent iu advance. 10 years* written warranty with each machine. $19.90 AND Coupon, if sent C. 0. D. or on trial STYLE No. 55. ” ARLINGTON.” A strictly high-grade Sew? ing Machine, finished throughout in tne best pos sible manner. It possesses all modern improvements, and its mechauical construction is such that in it are combined simplicity with great strength, thus insuring ease of running, durability, and making it im possible for the machine to be put out of order, it sews fast and makes a perfect stitch with all kinds of thread and all classes of material. Always ready for use and unrivalled for speed, durability and qual ity of work. ' Notice the fol lowing points of superiority: The Head of the “Arlington” swings on patent socket hinges, firmly held down by a thumb screw. Strong, substantial, neat and handsome in design, ana beautifully ornamented in gold. Bed plate has rounded corners and is inlaid or countersunk, making it flush with top of table. Highest Arm—Space under the arm is 5% inches high and 9 inches long. This will admit the largest skirts, and even quilts. It Is Self-Threading—Absolutely no holes to put thread through except eye of needle. Shuttle is cylinder, open on end, entirely self-threading, easy to put in or take out; bobbin holds a large amount of thread. Stitch Regulator is on the bed of the machine, beneath the bobbin winder, and has a scale showing the number of stitches to the inch, and can be changed fijom 8 to 32 ^Lftches to the inch. Feed is double and extends on both sides of needle; « never fails to take goods through; never stops-at* seams; movement is positive: no springs to break and get out of order; can be raised and lowered at will. Automatic Bobbin Winder—For filling the bobbin automatically and perfectly smooth without holding the thread. Machine does not run while winding bobbin. Light Running—Machine is easy to run, doos not fatigue tlieoper* ator, makes little noise and sews rapidly. Stitch is a double lock stitch, the same on both sides» will not ravel, and can be changed without stopping the machine. Tension is a flat spring ten sion, and will admit thread from 8 to 150 spool cotton without changing. Never gets out of order. The Needle is a straight, self-setting needle, flat on one side, and cannot be put in wroug. Needle Bar is round, made of case-hardened steel, with oil cup at the bottom to prevent oil from getting on the goods. Adjustable Bearings—All bearings are case-hardened steel and easily adjusted with a screw driver. All lost motion can be taken up, and. the machine, will last a lifetime. Attachments—Bach machine is furnished with necessary tools and accessories, and in addition we furnish an extra set of attachments in a velvet lined metal box, free of charge,, as follows: One rufiler and gatherer, one binder, one shirring plate, one set of four hemmers, different widths up to % of an nich, one tucker, one under braider, one short or attachment/foot, and one thread cutter. Woodwork of finest quality oak or,walnut, gothic cover and drawers, nickel-plated rings to drawers, dress guards to wheel, and device for replacing belt. nnM’T DAV high prices for piiy directly of manufacturers and . Uul’i I I Al SEWING MACHINES DU I SAVE AGENT’S AND DEALER’S PROFITS OUR GR E AT OFfER. $23.60 I? our Special Wholesale Price, but iu order to introduce this high-grade sewing machine, we make a special cou- X CftunAn A pon offer, giving every reader of this paper a chance to get a first-class ma- V vo w chine at the lowest price ever offered. On receipt of $18.50 cash and coupon. X No. 2D7O X we will ship the above-described machine anywhere securely packed and w * w crated, and guarantee safe delivery. A ten years’ written warranty sent with X good y K II 11 X each machined Money refunded if not as represented after thirty days’ test m for w U«UU w trial. We will ship C. O. D. for $19.50 with privilege of twenty days’ ttial 011 A If . . X receipt of $5.00 as a guarantee of good faith and charges. If you prefer thirty W v days* trial before paying, send for our large illustrated catalogue with test!- X »or Arlington x monials, explaining fully how we ship sewing machines anywhere to any- w SewingMachine w one at the lowest manufacturer’s prices without asking one cent in advance, X gg X The best plan is to send all cash with order, as you then save the $1.00 dis- V ’ _ Jr count. Remember the coupon must be sent with order. Or make your order direct through the Hi bald , as agent, without extra charge. MONTANA SILVER £ Oil NEW NOW o fcV IN STOCK! APPLE & OAT or CARROT & OAT CHECK OUT OUR SALE PRICES! FOR HORSES! We are continually expanding to better serve our customers. MILHEWSY’M rii 396*2336 af Coquille Cnciuille on Fairview Road 396"2836 * - 1/3 Mile fMnrth North of
