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Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. of Manchester, N.H.
manufactured a variety of fire engines, pumpers and support vehicles,
including a 9,240pound steam pumper, named "T.J. Coolidge", after the
chairman of the board of directors of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co.
(Coolidge was a great grandson of Thomas Jefferson).
This pumper was made of brass, copper and nickel-plated
metal and was capable of pumping 900 gallons of water per minute.
Their first steam fire-engine was built in 1859. It was
designed by N.S. Bean, and was named Amoskeag #1. This engine was in
service for seventeen years. The firm constructed eleven more of this style
engine. In 1861, they produced another style, available in three sizes,
named the "Harp", because of its shape.
In 1866, they built their first double straight frame,
in 1870, they added a crane-neck style, and in 1877, they offered what is
known as the Single Short Frame. By now, over 700 vehicles had been sold,
and in the spring of 1877, the firm changed management, and their company
name to Manchester Locomotive Works; Manchester, NH, circa 1859-1900.
Amoskeag is included here because many early motorized
fire engines were built using Amoskeag steam pumpers.
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