FIRE DEPARTMENT Davenport traces its first fire department to the year 1838, when, on July 27th, the proper official ordered each citizen to keep constantly in his home two buckets for fire protection, and to use them when needed.  On July 26th, 1856, the fire department of Davenport was actually organized at a meeting held in the office of R. G. Congdon, Colonel Robert M. Littler being chairman of the meeting.  At that time a volunteer fire company was formed and two days later the constitution was adopted.  The name given to the company was The Independent Fire Engine & Hose Company.  Two hand engines and 1,500 feet of hose were purchased and about 10 members enrolled.  In 1857 a lot was bought by the city on Brady street, just above Fifth, and thereon a building was erected and used for the fire apparatus, and also for meetings of the city fathers.  It was called the city hall.  The same year, 1857, the Fire King Engine Company and the Pioneer Hook & Ladder Company were organized.  In April, 1858, the Rescue Engine Company, No. 3, was organized.  When the Davenport Water Company began to furnish water, the city took over the fire department, reorganized it and installed a paid department and enlarged the equipment to meet the needs of a growing city.  At this time the fire department of Davenport has assumed quite large proportions.  With its fire chief it has a force of forty-five men that is distributed among seven hose companies and two hook and ladder companies.  There are twenty-four horses, the best for the purpose that money can buy, a splendid electric fire alarm system, 14,000 feet of hose, eighty-one miles of water mains, with 669 hydrants, and the expense for the past fiscal year, ending March, 1909, of maintaining this department was $56,318.55.  The following is the valuation of the property: Real Estate....................................$86,000.00 Apparatus and equipments.............24,000.00 Furniture and supplies.....................2,500.00 Fire alarm telegraph........................18,000.00 Horses...........................................4,000.00 Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L