Monday, March 17, 2008

M. Garfield Barbour Dies

On March 17, 1958 Mr. Vigilant Hose Company; M. Garfield Barbour passed away. At the time of his passing Garfield was serving his 43rd consecutive year as company president. Mr. Barbour was also the company’s first fire chief (the leader of the company was not called chief in the early years).

The photograph in today's post appeared in The News-Chronicle on this day in 1972. The rig in the is a Civil Defense truck assigned to Shippensburg also known as "Calamity Jane". The rescue truck was housed at the Vigilant's during its stay in Shippensburg. In the photo left to right are Charles Myers, Vigilant chief; John Snyder, Cumberland County CD director; Crawford Wiestling, WEFR chief; Bob Jones, borough fire chief and Durward Breakfield director of safety and security at SSC.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

OK Let me start this one out by saying this was the second coolest fire truck in Shippensburg, after the old picture of Squad 15. This one had the some problem as Squad 15. You had to push it to get it started. It was an old REO Speedwagon. History repeats it self. Civil Defense/Homeland Security, both the same.

Anonymous said...

ok the $100,000.00 question.

How old was M. Garfield Barbour at his passing ?


At least were got to push the Reo down hill.

Anonymous said...

Brad,
Are you sure that was Bob Jones and not Ray Holtry,,because it sure look's like him?

Anonymous said...

From one who was there, yes Ray Holtry

Brad Myers said...

I really didn't think it looked like Bob or Ray and never considered it when I typed it in here. I just took the information from the caption of the photo that was in the paper. It would not be the first time the paper was wrong.

Greg said...

You said that M. Garfield Barbour was the "Chief" at the Vigilant Hose Co. but Jeb Martin was the first Captain at the Vigilant Hose Co. elected on February 13, 1849. Captain was the "Chief" at that time.