Portland, OREGON - Fireboat George H. Williams - 1906 for Sale

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Portland, OREGON - Fireboat George H. Williams - 1906 For Sale

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Portland, OREGON - Fireboat George H. Williams - 1906:
$9.50

Portland, OREGON - Fireboat George H. Williams - 1906: Portland\'s first fireboat, the George H. Williams, was christened and launched on February 27, 1904 at 3:15 PM. The large steam-powered craft was named for the current mayor, and was the product of the efforts of Fire Chief David Campbell. Although the dimensions and pumping capacity of the Williams are not delineated in the old newspaper clippings, the photographs would suggest that it was nearly as large as the three Campbell-class fireboats currently operated by the fire department. The crew consisted of a captain, a pilot, a first engineer, a second engineer, and two stokers. All of these navigation and engineering personnel were \"civilians\" or non-fire department members. The remainder of the crew, however, consisted entirely of an unspecified number of firemen to operate the turrets and other firefighting equipment. Captain W. H. Whitcomb, who for 27 years had been at the helm of Willamette River boats, was selected as the first captain. By the time the Williams went into service, the need for a fireboat was profound. It ended its service in 1928. George H. Williams was a Democratic politician and officeholder in Oregon from the mid-1850s to the early twentieth century. He was chief justice of the territorial supreme court, a delegate to Oregon’s constitutional convention, U.S. senator from Oregon, the first Oregonian to serve in a presidential cabinet, a member of national and international diplomatic commissions, and mayor of Portland. For his service and serenity, the Oregonian referred to him as “Oregon’s Grand Old Man.” He was, Oregonian editor Harvey Scott remarked, “a man who never lost his equipoise, nor even studied or posed to produce sensational or startling effects.” This Divided Back Era postcard, mailed in 1906, is in good condition but shows some edge wear. Edward H. Mitchell. San Francisco, California. No. 1050.