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The following history of the Volunteer Hose Company is reprinted from the
"Throop A Commemorative Centennial Edition" magazine which was part of the
Throop Borough Centennial Celebration held in 1994. The history was
authored by the late Edward Barbolish. Mr. Barbolish, at the time was
serving as the organization's president. A position he held for
several years of a 38 year membership with the Volunteer Hose Co.
Mr. Barbolish passed away in
August 2001. In loving tribute to one of the organization's most
dedicated members the social / meeting hall he refers to was dedicated and
named in his honor.
Throop PA USA
April
16, 1994
Throop borough's youngest hose company is the
Volunteer Hose Co., organized in December 1928.
It was at Menichello's Electric
Shop, then at 517 George Street, that Joseph Kozel, Joseph Schank, Michael
Menichello, Ross Comarad and Michael Augustinsky met to discuss the
formation of the town's third fire company. They circulated a
petitionfor members, and presented it to borough Council, who approved it,
and thus a new company came into existence.
The first elected officers were
president Charles Krotzer; vice president Joseph Schank; recording secretary
Michael Menichello; assistant recording secretary Max Berger; financial
secretary Frank Zella; Trustees John Gretzula; Joseph Puchalski; Charles
Krotzer; chief Joseph Kozel; assistant chiefs Charles Krotzer; second
assistant chief, Joseph Schank. The company's petition for a corporate
charter was granted on April 30, 1931 by Judge William Lewis in the courts
of Lackawanna County.
The company's first fire truck
was a "Peter Persh" costing $7,700. Since there was no money in the
treasury, a drive was undertaken to solicit $5 from each member, and a drive
was also conducted throughout the town. The citizens responded
generously some even providing collateral for the first loan.
The new truck was housed in the
old borough building located on the corner of Charles at Center streets, and
the meeting room was located adjacent to the truck bay.
In 1949, the company purchased
its second fire truck, a "Reo" at a cost of $8000.00. The "second
generation" of the hose company worked hard to pay off the obligation.
In 1954, the company suffered its
first setback when fire destroyed the old borough hall. Members were
able to save the fire truck but all other additional equipment and the
meeting room were destroyed. Through the courtesy of Frank Lucas, who
operated a service station on the O'Neil Highway, the fire truck was garaged
in his service bay.
A special meeting was called for
the purpose of selecting a new site for hose company headquarters.
Since the borough was without a municipal hall, Council acquired the empty
Pershing School from the Throop School District, and upon the hose company's
request Council offered a room in the school for a meeting room and also
deeded a parcel of land adjacent to the school. The terms of the deed
were that the fire house be built on this property.
Michael Augustinsky, a charter
and active company member, was the contractor who drew up plans, and upon
approval of the members, construction of the new firehouse started in 1954.
The cost of the building was $18,000.00 and is regarding as the most modern
fire station of its kind. To pay for the new building, a loan was
floated and through the hard work of members and generosity of borough
citizens, the loan was paid off, the mortgage of which was burned in proper
ceremonies on December 1958 at the company's annual banquet.
Realizing the
need for more modern firefighting equipment, the company in 1965 purchased a
new Ward LaFrance fire truck at a cost of $22,000.00. Once again the
membership met the challenge, through hard work and the
generosity of borough citizens, and the debt was paid off in
three years.
Over the years, the company continued to purchase specialized equipment to
provide the best fire protection possible. Since the equipment
required more space and was extra weight that could not be provided on the
fire truck, the company purchased an 1970 a Van type truck to carry the
extra equipment to all fires.
Through the imaginative work of
the members, the van was converted to carry equipment, transport firemen to
and from the fires, and also serve as a heated shelter fore firefighters
suffering from the cold in freezing weather. It also can be used as a
rescue truck if necessary. The van is dedicated as a tribute to the
company's second and third generation members whose ideas and work made this
vehicle the pride of the company.
In 1967, borough Council
authorized construction of a new municipal building to be located at the
corner of Charles Street and Sanderson Avenue, and upon its completion in
1969, moved out of the old Pershing School building and into the new
structure. A year and a half later, the old school building adjacent
to the hose house was razed, and knowing that the hose company wished to
build a meeting and social hall, Council deeded that parcel of land (where
the school was located) to the hose company. IN 1972, Michael
Augustinsky and his sons Cyril and Michael Jr. drew up plans for the new
building and construction began. The hall, costing $27,000.00 is
regarded as the most modern facility that today serves as an attractive
social and meeting room. As in the past, hard work and cooperation by
members brought about quick payment of the debt.
In 1976, the company took on the
challenge of raising over $20,000.00 to repair and modify its fire truck to
meet modern standards. |
