Introduction
Engine Company 11 was originally organized as Hose and Chemical Company 1 on March 1, 1900, and entered service on that date in the East Camden firehouse at North 27th and Federal Streets. The unit was later relocated to a new headquarters at 901 North 27th Street in the Cramer Hill section of Camden. On January 1, 1924 the unit was reorganized as Engine Company 11, utilizing the same building at 901 North 27th Street. Engine Company continues to protect Camden from the Cramer Hill firehouse.
Hose & Chemical Company 1
Hook & Ladder Company 3, Hose & Chemical Company 1 & Engine Company 9 — 1924
Hook & Ladder Company 3: Captain Joseph B. Ayres, FF Dave Humphries, Al Dukes, J.A. Mulligan, Bill Mountney, Bill Hopkins. Hose & Chemical Company 1: Captain Charles H. Robinson, FF William E “Pud” Jaeckel, George Townsend, Ken Naylor, Howard Gick. Engine Company 9: Captain John H. Vickers, FF Irv Lederman, Newton Ash, Joe Gentlesk, Al Palmer
Engine Company 11
1930
1930 American LaFrance 750 GPM Pumper #7158 — Photographed on June 15, 1952
1955 American LaFrance 1000 GPM Pumper
1960 Willys Jeep Skid Pump 500 GPM
1970s–1980s
1986 Hahn 1000 gpm Pumper
About 1993, American LaFrance 1500 gpm Pumper, 222 River Road.
1994
May 7, 2005
Engine Company 11 Firehouse
While the bell itself may be of more recent vintage, the wood wall mount and adjacent blackboard are quite probably original equipment at the Engine Company 11 fire house. Photograph Taken December 14, 2011.
Firemen Prepare Toys for Poor Children
Camden Evening Courier —
Firemen Prepare Toys for Poor Children
—Courier-Post Photos
If there is to be a cheerless and toyless Christmas anywhere among the poor, it will not be in the easterly section of the city. That is, not if the firemen of East Camden’s two firehouses and business men know anything about it. For many weeks now, the smoke-eaters from the fire stations at Twenty-seventh and Federal streets and Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue, in co-operation with the store-keepers, have been collecting toys, which have been tossed aside by more fortunate children, and have been reconditioning them, so that those who gave them up as “junk” could not now tell them from new playthings. In the two photos above it can easily be seen that the fire-fighting Santas are determined to make many children happy on Christmas Day. In the upper picture, Firemen William Foehl (holding sled) and Charles Schultz are shown at work on some of the broken toys. In the lower photo, Firemen Newton Ash, left, and Irvin Leaderman, have just finished piling up a part of the completed gifts. The toys will be distributed the day before Christmas to children who write to “Santa Claus” at his headquarters at the Federal street firehouse.
Funeral Rites Held for Nicholas Romaine
Camden Courier-Post —
Funeral services were held yesterday for Nicholas Romaine, 48, of 2420 Mickle street, a member of Engine Company No. 11, Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue, who died Thursday of injuries suffered while fighting a fire nearly eight years ago. Services took place at the parlors of Gustav Roedel and Son, 804 North Twenty-seventh street, and burial was in New Camden cemetery. The following members of his company were pallbearers: Herman Dreas, Harry Hess, John Mohrfield, William Mountney, Michael Mungioli and John Peterson.
Romaine, a member of the fire department 13 years, was injured when a brick wall fell on him during a blaze in a junk shop July 27, 1925. Five other firemen were also hurt. He is survived by his widow, Pauline, two sons, Joseph and Nicholas, Jr., and two daughters, Mrs. Gladys Green and Frances Romaine.
Early Donor in Aluminum Drive Hopes ‘Gift’ Will Be Sent to Hitler
Camden Courier-Post —
Campaign Opens Here with Distribution of Pamphlets on Details; Metal Collection Listed for Thursday at Nine City Centers
Editorial: “Pans and Patriots” appears on page eight.
Hitler’s anti-Semitic nation may receive a “gift” in the near future from a South Camden Jewish resident, but the Fuehrer will not send back a “thank you” note.
The gift may attain the form of aluminum bomber parts.
Last night the city opened its drive for old aluminum from homes for use in national defense work. Only pamphlets giving details about the canvass were distributed with the old pots, discarded pans and other outmoded aluminum utensils to be collected Thursday.
However, not to be late in handing in his donation, the South Camden Jew of German birth, who remains unidentified, walked into headquarters of Engine Company No. 8 at Sixth street and Kaighn avenue, his arms laden with old aluminum.
“Here, I want to give this aluminum to you now and not wait until Thursday,” the donor told firemen. “These pots and pans came from Germany with me many years ago, and now I want the United States to make something out of them to send back to that (several words censored) Hitler.”
Seized Cooker in Gifts
A Boy Scout’s pint-size cooking pan was taken into police headquarters by Norwood Greene, a Secret Service Agent, who said the utensil was confiscated in a counterfeit raid a short time ago at Wilmington, Del.
Greene was instructed by a superior to turn the pan over to the Camden aluminum drive. In doing so the agent had to request a receipt signed in triplicate from police headquarters since that is the required procedure in disposing of any seized articles by the Secret Service.
Beginning at 7 p. m. approximately 300 Boy Scouts, veterans and volunteers, began their systematic house-to-house canvass delivering the pamphlets explaining the drive and requesting contributions. The same workers will return Thursday to pick up whatever aluminum the householders care to give.
Anyone may take his contributed articles to any one of the collection centers. From the nine centers the aluminum will be taken to Fifth and Arch streets where a large wire enclosed bin has been constructed.
Mayor Heads Group
Mayor George E. Brunner heads the campaign as honorary chairman and William C. Schriver is general chairman. Heading a group of World War veterans engaged in the effort is Edward J. Quinlan. The veterans laid out the nine districts of the city for the collections. The Scouts are directed in the drive by Scout Commissioner Thomas Norris.
Schriver reported last night when the workers called at many homes the housewives had already collected the old utensils and had them ready for collection piled in boxes. The workers told the residents, however, the donations would not be collected until Thursday.
The nationwide appeal for gifts of aluminum will end July 29. Similar drive plans have been made in every community in the county. In many municipalities, property owners have donated the use of vacant buildings as collection centers.
The Camden city districts, and those in charge of collection, are:
First district, firehouse, Fourth and Pine streets, Leo G. Stephans.
Second district, fire headquarters, Fifth and Arch, Sgt. Ray Smith and Fred Vogel.
Third district, Engine Company No. 3, 1800 Broadway, Eugene Conlin.
Fourth district, Engine Company No. 6, Front and Linden, Samuel Shapiro.
Fifth district, Engine Company No. 7, 1115 Kaighn, James H. O’Brien.
Sixth district, Engine Company No. 8, Sixth and Kaighn, Albert C. Becker.
Seventh district, Engine Company No. 9, Twenty-seventh and Federal, Roy C. Adams.
Eighth district, Engine Company No. 10, Ninth and Morgan, Burnell S. Hartman.
Ninth district, Engine Company No. 11, Twenty-seventh and Hayes, Michael Mungioli.
Mrs. Carrie R. Bean, past department president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars auxiliary, and Mrs. Anne D. Spooner, president-elect of the Camden County American Legion auxiliaries, have appealed to members of all county auxiliary posts of both organizations to assist in collections.
City Yields 10,000 Aluminum Articles
Camden Courier-Post —
Collection Bin Rapidly Filling with Drive to Continue Until Tuesday
Thousands of Camden city kitchens weren’t the same old places this morning because of Uncle Sam’s nation-wide aluminum collection for defense.
Percolators, tea kettles, pots and pans which have seen many years of service now are part of the ever-increasing pile of vital metal being collected for conversion into defense articles.
More than 10,000 articles ranging from baby toys to an aluminum beer keg were tossed into the central-city collection bin at Fifth and Arch streets prior to midnight as hundreds of Boy Scouts, veterans, Girl Scouts and civic groups toured the nine collection centers of Camden to gather the harvest of discarded aluminum.
Self-appointed estimators judged (Continued on Page 32—Column 1)
(Continued from Page One)
sufficient metal had been gathered to provide for one medium-sized bomber. Suffice to say the bin, measuring 50 by 30 by five feet, was more than half full as the collectors called quitting time.
Collection Goes On
But the collections will go on until next Tuesday. All contributions were not centered at the main bin. East Camden groups piled hundreds of pounds of the metal in the basement of No. 11 Fire House at Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue and the residents of Westfield Acres also had a huge pile for delivery.
The collection, which was under direction of Willard C. Schriver, who has been appointed by Mayor George E. Brunner as director of the campaign, supplied tragic and humorous articles.
Among these were play toys from a home where childish laughter once sounded and now is stilled. Another—at the other extreme—was an aluminum vacuum bottle which bore an attached note “Load this with dynamite and send it to Hitler.”
Want Main Bin Filled
“As Camden’s contribution to national defense, we would like to see the main collection bin filled to overflowing,” said Schriver. Schriver suggested that housewives make a last minute checkup for any discarded articles in the home containing aluminum which would be useful to the national defense program.
In common with Camden and the rest of the nation, suburban towns also have aluminum collection campaigns under way. The drive in Mt. Ephraim opened with a special matinee in the Mt. Ephraim with admission a piece of aluminum ware.
Lowell B. Hipple, chairman of the Haddonfield Defense Council, announced collection of aluminum in that borough was “very gratifying.”
He said residents who were not at home when Boy Scouts called may bring their discarded aluminum ware to the established depot at 104 Kings highway East before next Tuesday.
Collection of aluminum in suburban towns on White Horse pike will continue until Saturday. Boy and Girl Scouts and firemen will assist in the work in all towns. Receptacles for articles to be contributed have been placed near all police stations.
Other Towns in Drive
In Oaklyn, John Burhanna, Jr., director of public safety, is in charge of workers assigned to the task.
Mayor Andrew F. Ganser at Audubon, announced that as chairman of the committee he had appointed the following assistants: Joseph Brudon, Girl Scouts; Robert Pemberton, Boy Scouts; Roy Bensing, transportation.
In Haddon Heights, Mayor William J. Dallas placed Dewitt P. Perry in charge of the entire project. He is aided by the scouts and firemen.
Councilman Theodore Weaver is supervising the collection of aluminum in Barrington. He is assisted by John Leidy and Thomas Dillon.
Haddon Township Active
Haddon township provided more than 3000 pounds of the metal in a collective drive with Boy and Girl Scouts, American Legion and V.F.W. Veteran units together with civic groups participating.
William Eisele, past county commander of the Legion, announced he will await word from the government on the method of shipping the aluminum to a central collecting agency. Eisele is chairman of the township drive.
Gloucester Defense Council reported 11 truck loads of aluminum were collected during the past three nights. The pots and pans and other articles donated by the residents were placed in a building at the plant of the Armstrong Cork Company. Families who were missed are requested to give their donations to the employes of the city street department.
Abraham Brandt, chairman of the committee which had charge of the collection, said the drive was a big success and that the residents seemed anxious to do their share to aid the government.
Industrial Plants Aid
Industrial plants and merchants gave generously of their motor vehicles and workers’ time to aid in the collection.
Small trucks were used for gathering the articles from small centers to be delivered to fire houses and other collection points. Those centers provided heavy loads for larger vehicles which transported the aluminum to the Arch street bin.
Schriver announced the drive will be on every day until the Tuesday deadline and that trucks will be available for any sizeable collection.
Citizens were requested to make a further survey of their homes and garages to locate additional articles to be used in America’s defense program.
Willard C. Schriver — George E. Brunner — East Camden — Westfield Acres — Engine Company 11
Engine 11’s 1956 American LaFrance Pumper
Photo by Bob Bartosz
Engine 11’s new pumper — From left: John Letts, John C. Voll, Captain Charles Patterson, James Troutman
Engine 11’s new pumper. The car at right belonged to John C. Voll.
Engine 11 — 1958
Photo by Bob Bartosz
Seated, From left: Fireman Matthew Davies, Fireman Frank Deal, Captain Edwin Robbins; Fireman William O’Connor. Standing: Fireman Harry J. Allebach, who retired February 1, 1958.
Flames Rake Warehouse in East Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
—Courier-Post Photo
SMOKE BILLOWS through the roof of Cartun Hardware Store’s warehouse as two groups of firemen bring hoses to bear on the blaze which was fed by an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 gallons of paint.
A two-alarm fire raged out of control in an East Camden warehouse for an hour Thursday night.
The warehouse, at 14 S. 35th st., an L-shaped annex to the Cartun Hardware Store, 36th and Federal sts., was formerly a feed store and is now used to store paints, plumbing supplies and other merchandise.
Irving Cartun of 2601 Parkway, Philadelphia, proprietor, reported that the warehouse inventory was valued at an estimated $15,000. Cartun said he had not yet determined the extent of his loss.
According to Cartun, there were 10,000 to 12,000 gallons of paint stored in one-gallon cans in the warehouse.
Fireman Injured
Joseph H. Arensberg, 25, of 1041 N. 32nd st., a hoseman with Engine Company 11, was injured slightly when a door in the flaming warehouse fell on his leg. He was treated at Cooper Hospital.
Robert D. Halsey, 23, of 41 N. 36th st., a clerk in the store, and Capt. Otto Kaiser of Engine Company 11 assisted Arensberg from the scene.
The fire was discovered because of an experiment linking traditional Christmas caroling with electronic gadgetry.
James E. Wright of 17 S. 35th st., his son James Jr., 14, Mrs. Coleman Rosenberg of 16 S. 35th st., and her daughter, Merle, 12, were standing outside their homes listening to recorded Christmas carols through an outdoor amplifier system that the elder Wright had rigged.
They saw smoke billowing from the one and a half story frame and shingle warehouse and the younger Wright sounded a box alarm at about 8 p.m.
Second Alarm Sounded
Engine Companies 9 and 11 and Truck Company 3 answered the call. At 8:28 p.m., a second alarm was sounded bringing Deputy Fire Chief Harry Wagner, Engine Companies 2 and 7, Truck Company 1, and Rescue Squad 1 to the scene.
The fire was declared under control at 9 p.m. and extinguished at 9:15 p.m.
Firemen were hampered in reaching the blaze by a corrugated tin ceiling which separated the main floor of the warehouse from the half floor or attic section, where the fire raged at its worst.
Flames burst through the outside wall and roof of the warehouse, when firemen chopped holes there in order to get a hose into the blazing attic.
Sparks Shower Roofs
Sparks showered the rooftops of the homes of Mrs. Rosenberg and her sister Mrs. Calvin Miller of 18 S. 35th st.
Police had already evacuated Mrs. Miller and her three children Robin, 9, Wendy, 7, and Elyse, 5.
According to police Robin refused to leave her house until her pet cat “Snoozy” was found. “Snoozy” was located hiding under a sofa.
The fire was confined, however, to the warehouse.
Wall Blocks Flames
A fire door between the warehouse and the store prevented the fire from spreading into the store. However the intense smoke drove several customers into the street.
Pennsauken residents reported that smoke from the blaze penetrated their homes, almost a mile away.
A major traffic tie-up was averted when cars were detoured off Federal st. at 34th and 37th sts.
Major William Gwynne of the Volunteers of America was at the scene serving coffee and doughnuts to the firefighters.
Engine Company 11 at Fire Headquarters
Late 1970s
Sonny Frett, Stan Trzebuniak, Joe Kirk, Richard Brooks, Bill Colucci, and Joe Marini.
35th Street & Harrison Avenue
July 1, 1980 — Captain Jim McGrory of Engine Company 11 and crew packing hose after a one alarm house fire at North 35th Street and Harrison Avenue.
Retired Firefighters Visit Engine Company 11
1994
Front, from left: retirees Capt. Edwin Robbins, Captain Leonard Garbrecht, and Theodore “Teddy O’Brien” Orbaczewski, with active Captain Anthony Winters. Top: Fire Fighters Greg DePetris, Frank Saia, and Glen Moore
Engine 11 — 1994
Photo by Bob Bartosz
From left: Greg DePetris, Glen Moore, Anthony Winters, and Frank Saia
The Larry Smith Corner
Where smoking and swearing are encouraged
ERECTED 1913
1913
MAYOR
PRESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL
COUNCILMEN 11TH WARD
FREDERICK A. FINKELDEY WILLIAM H. KENSINGER, MD
FIRE COMMITTEE
HARRY R. READ CHAIRMAN
ROBERT W. GORDON JOHN A. MATHER, JR
ARTHUR L. JONES DAVID JESTER
GEORGE J. SCHNEIDER J. WILLIAM [?]
CHIEF ENGINEER
BUILDER
JAMES W. DRAPER
Credits
Many of the photographs on this website are from the limited edition book “Fire Department Camden NJ 125 Anniversary 1869–1994” and were taken by Department Photographer Bob Bartosz. Others are courtesy of Joel Bain of the Camden Fire Department.
Blaze destroys business
Camden Courier-Post —
By JUDY PETSONK Of the Courier-Post
Courier-Post photo by Evangelos Dousmanis
Battling blaze A five-alarm fire destroyed the Du Bell Lumber Co. in the 1800 block of Federal Street last night. The blaze also damaged the adjacent Concrete Steel Co.
CAMDEN — A spectacular fire which burned out of control for several hours last night destroyed the Du Bell Lumber Co. and damaged the adjacent Concrete Steel Co. on Federal Street here.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. Arson was thought to be “a possibility,” according to Camden Patrolman John Hale.
The fire was reported around 8:40 p.m. and the buildings of the lumber company were engulfed when firefighters arrived.
There were no serious injuries reported. One fireman, Robert Williams, 37, of the Eleventh Engine Co. suffered heat exhaustion and was taken from the scene by ambulance.
“It’s just too hot,” he said, his face bubbled with sweat.
The lumber company in the 1800 block of Federal Street is a division of the DiMedio Lime Co., which is the next property on Federal Street and was threatened by the fire. Officials of the firms could not be reached last night, and no estimates of damage were available.
Fire destroys lumber firm
All of Camden’s fire-fighting equipment was pressed into service, and off-duty firemen were called in. Fire equipment was called in from Oaklyn, Haddon Heights, Mount Ephraim, Brooklawn, Gloucester City, Woodlynne, Gloucester Township and Pennsauken to help fight the fire and cover the city.
Flames from the fire leaped more than a hundred feet in the air as an estimated 300 persons from the neighborhood watched. The intense heat blistered the siding of Pooch’s Pub across the street.
Gloria Plymire, 17, of 452 Stockton Station, Camden, said she saw smoke coming from the upper windows of the main building and ran into the pub to call the firemen. By the time her father, Nelson, 47, parked and locked the car, the building was engulfed in flames, she said. “Then it started to blow up.”
By the time the first fire engines arrived a few minutes later, the fire was through the roof, a Camden fireman said.
Explosions could be heard a block away and within minutes, only the outline of a building frame could be seen against the brilliant flames.
“It’s like the atom bomb,” said Donald Anderson, of 1426 Dayton St., Camden, who was shooting pool in Cherry Hill when he saw the orange flames searing the horizon.
As flames nibbled the roof of the adjacent Concrete Steel Co., firemen struggled to find a way to get an engine into the locked yard. They feared the intense heat might cause the steel beams of the building to buckle.
The fire came in the midst of a city work dispute over the planned layoff of 30 police officers and 17 firefighters. Some ambulances at the scene of the fire carried signs with a skull saying “Welcome to Fear City.” Among the spectators in the roped-off area across the street from the fire were several off-duty Camden firemen.
Camden firefighter William Kamman was at a birthday in Runnemede when he saw the flames and piled his family into the car to go watch.
“This is the group that’s going to be laid off that’s fighting this fire,” he said. “There’s a kid out there (pointing to a group spraying the flames from close in) that’s not even supposed to be here. He’s on his own time.”
3 Firemen Grads Given Assignments
Camden Courier-Post —
Three firemen were graduated today from the Camden City Fire Training School, 9th and Market sts. Their training began June 11 and included one week at the Philadelphia Fire Training School.
Assigned in ceremonies at fire headquarters, 3rd and Arch sts., were Truman Maples, 26, of 1024 N. 35th st., to Engine Company 11, Ernest A. Fagan, 25, 105 S. 35th st., Engine Company 1, and Spencer Smith 3d, a third-generation fireman, 22, of 1523 Collings rd., to Ladder Company 1.
2 Camden Veterans Get Honor Medals
Camden Courier-Post —
Mathews-Purnell Post Members Awarded Order of Purple Heart
Two members of the Corp. Mathews-Purnell Post 518, Veterans of Foreign Wars, have received the Order of the Purple Heart, one of them with an oak leaf cluster, a special citation.
The honored men are John M. Peterson, of 1049 North Thirty-fourth street, who received the award with cluster, and Herman Dreas, of 1241 North Twenty-sixth street. Both are city firemen with Engine Company No. 11, Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue.
Peterson served with the First Division in France and was a private in Company D, 18th Infantry. He enlisted September 21, 1917, and was discharged September 23, 1919. He served overseas 22 months and was wounded the first time by machine gun fire in the leg July 19, 1918, in the Soissons Drive. He suffered a shrapnel wound in the right lung November 5, 1918, in the Argonne Forest.
Dreas served with Company C, 309th Infantry, 78th Division. He enlisted February 27, 1918, and was discharged January 19, 1919. He left the United States May 18, 1918 and returned Christmas Day, 1918. He was wounded October 19, 1918, by machine gun in the Argonne Forest drive.