This historical record of the founding of the Lock No. 4 Volunteer Fire Company, was taken from the memoirs of Walter S. Rockwell (1886-1974).

"The Charleroi Water Company built their new reservoir on Charleroi Hill and brought city water to Lock 4 below the street car line (present Route 88) about 1902. They placed a few fire hydrants below the railroad tracks. Some of the townsmen got together and formed a volunteer fire company. Their meetings were held in the Pennsylvania Railroad Tool House located just south of the present bridge. There was only a single main track then. The tool shed housed a hand car which the rail workers easily pulled out and placed on the tracks.

At the first firemen's meeting, Allen Goe was elected Fire Chief in 1902. He was section foreman for the railroad. Allan Goe placed a number of tunnels under the tracks so that hoses could be passed beneath the tracks since the hydrants were all on the west side ofthe tracks. Jack Anderson was Chief in 1907, John Hogan in 1911, and Joe Allfree in 1913. My two older brothers were members of the old company until they both moved from Lock 4.

The firemen held oyster suppers and socials in the old Library Hall to get money for parade uniforms and two tents they used to attend conventions. The council also held their meetings in Library Hall. (Library Hall was the former Calvary Baptist Church on East Liberty Avenue and is still standing today).

The borough had a shed behind Library Hall in which they kept picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows for street maintenance. The shed was large enough to store two small factory type hose carts. The cart whels were of steel about 40" high. Each drum would carry 150 fet of hose, but when taken out onto the streets, the hose would drag in the mud making it difficult to move anywhere."

More History to come... Up next? The 1907 fire on East Liberty Avenue.