John B. "Shorty" Prucella
JOHN B. “SHORTY” PRUCELLA JR. was born in New Jersey on April 5, 1875 to John B. Prucella and his wife Mary. The family appears in the 1887–1888 and 1889–1889 Camden City Directories as living at 1736 Ferry Avenue and in the 1890–1891 as living at 1720 Ferry Avenue. John P. Prucella worked as a waterman and as a mariner. John B. Prucella joined his father at that trade by the time the 1890–1891 directory was compiled.
The 1895 New Jersey Census shows John B. Prucella living in the Eighth Ward with his parents and young siblings May, Eveline (Evelyn), Harry and Mary. Evelyn Prucella married Edward Magann in the early 1900s. Sadly, by the end of 1915 she was a widow with two young children.
After working for the City of Camden Electric Bureau for nineteen months, John Prucella was first appointed to the Camden Fire Department in October of 1911. His first day in the department was November 1, 1911, when he first reported for duty with Engine Company Number 5, stationed at 1401 Federal Street. Already serving at Engine 5 was Clarence T. Madden Sr., who had joined the previous year. Camden’s Fire Department was still using horse-drawn equipment when he began his service. John Prucella was transferred to Engine Company Number 4 at 320 Vine Street in June of 1917.
When he registered for the draft in September of 1918, John Prucella, wife Hattie, daughter Elizabeth, who worked in a lace factory, and son John Raymond were living at 1012 Penn Street in North Camden. Sister Evelyn Prucella Magan was living at 1024 Penn Street with her children and David Russell Ellis, son of former policeman David Ellis. They later married. Possibly through the influence of John Prucella, David Russell Ellis applied for an appointment to the Camden Fire Department in 1920. Ellis began service on January 1, 1921 at Ladder Company 3.
By January of 1920 John Prucella had purchased a home at 919 Penn Street. On July 1, 1933 John Prucella was assigned to Engine Company Number 6 at Front and Linden Streets.
On June 15, 1934 brother-in-law David Russell Ellis, who had been promoted to Captain a few years before, died unexpectedly.
John Prucella applied for his pension in July of 1950, a mandatory retirement at 65 law having been passed covering police and firemen. His last day on the fire department was August 31, 1950, when he retired along with Deputy Chief Clarence T. Madden Sr., Fireman Spencer Smith Sr., and Fireman Frank L’Esperance.
John Prucella was still living at 919 Penn Street into the late 1950s. He passed away in New Jersey in September of 1962, survived by his son John Raymond Prucella, and two grandchildren, one being Ed Nixon.
Although John Prucella had reported a birth date of April 5, 1875 when he registered for the draft in 1918, two years were added when he received his Social Security card in 1951.
Photos
John B. “Shorty” Prucella, circa 1948
Fire Department Headquarters
Headquarters, Camden Fire Department, 5th and Arch Streets — circa 1908 (left) and 1918 (right)
Engine Company No. 5
Engine Company No. 5 at 14th and Federal Streets, with newly converted hose wagon. Originally a horse drawn rig, it was modified to electric power by the Commercial Truck Company of Philadelphia PA. A storage battery powered each wheel.
Pictured with apparatus are (l to r): Chief Peter Carter, Fireman W. Scott Franklin, Chauffeur Bert Coffman, Firemen Edward Kelley, William Buzine, John Prucella, Charles Schultz, Horace Cairns, Daniel Grimes and chief’s aide, Fireman Harry Hankins.
World War I Draft Registration Card
World War I draft registration card for John B. Prucella
1926
Camden Fire Department, 1926
Fire Engine Raced Through Streets With Dead Man 'Driving' the Horses
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden Vet, 70, Recalls Days of Old; Still Fond of Proud Steeds
By CYRIL O’BRIEN
A thundering horse-drawn fire wagon racing through Camden streets with a dead man at the reins….
This is not a figment of the imagination, but a recollection that climaxes the many strange incident in the 34-year-fire-fighting career of John Prucella, 70, oldest active member of Engine Company No. 9, at Front and Linden streets.
In a career not lacking in the lurid aspects of fire-fighting, Prucella, who lives at 919 Penn street, is, however, more interested in revealing the disparity between the fire-fighting of methods three decades ago with those of today.
With a nostalgia for horses, Prucella could not begin his comparison without first describing “the mainstay of the fire department.”
“The ‘fire department’ is gone now,” the veteran smoke-eater said. “What people called the fire department went out with the horses. Horses gave something to fire fighting, and when they left there just wasn’t a ‘fire department’ any more.
“Of course, considering that our engines get out of the fire house in 20 seconds, is enough to show that horses could never compare with anything we have today.
Got Out in 2 Minutes
“The old horses held up in their day, and I still believe they were faster than the electric fire engines that came in 1915. The horse wagons got out of the firehouse in two minutes, and God help the man who ever got in their way.
“Fire never fazed a good horse; in fact, when it neared the smoke it quickened its stride. The fire seemed to give the horses some superenergy. I remember we were coming back from a fire in South Camden and this wagon rumbled by me on the way to the engine house. It seemed the driver was getting a little speedy. When the horses halted in the station the driver did not get out. He just sat with the reins in his hands. He had died of a heart attack on the way back.
“It hurt when the old plugs were taken away. The keenest old horse we owned was turned over to the street cleaning department.
“But there were fewer fires in those days—people seemed more careful. Firemen could take off for lunch, and two men on an engine was usually sufficient to answer an alarm.
Little Fires Bad
“The big fires don’t frighten the smoke eater. A house fire can be the most dangerous. When you climb into a window you don’t know when something will blow up, or when a floor will buckle. You just grope into the smoke, and hope the angels are on your side.
“We are afraid of false alarms. More men have died because of false alarms than in actual fires.
“Some of the strangest events in the city are witnessed by firemen. About eight years ago we found a woman who had burned to death in her room. When we arrived there was no smoke or fire near her—just this lady leaning against a table. It seemed that her clothes became ignited from a heater nearby. She burned to death and the fire went out. Nothing else was harmed.
“In Mathis shipyard some time ago the birds ganged up on us. We went down to put out a fire and found it was started by a lighted cigarette that a bird had carried to its nest.”
Biggest fire in Prucella’s experience was the Hollingshead fire in 1940. Fourteen persons lost their lives.
Engine Company No. 6 — circa 1948
Engine 6 Wagon and Pumper at Front & Linden Streets, circa 1948.
Left column, from left: Captain William Deitz, Firemen Robert Dukes, Harrison Pike, Mario Fattore, Edwin Callahan.
Right column, from left: Firemen Thomas McParland, Philip Farrow, Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Ernest Tartaglia, John “Shorty” Prucella
John “Shorty” Prucella, circa 1948
Engine Company No. 6 — circa 1949
Engine 6 Wagon and Pumper at Front & Linden Streets, circa 1949.
On apparatus: John Prucella and Harrison Pike, Motor Pump Operators. Left to right: Philip Farrow, Edwin Callahan, Thomas McParland, Robert Dukes, Captain William Deitz, Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Mario Fattore, and Ernest Tartaglia
Firefighters Fete 'Shorty' Prucella After 39 Years in Service of City
Camden Courier-Post —
A gold watch in recognition of his many years of service with the Camden fire department was presented Tuesday to John B. “Shorty” Prucella, 75, retiring member of Engine Co. 6, by his “buddies” of the station. Prucella, who will retire July 15 after 39 years, is given the watch by Hoseman Ernest Tartaglia. Standing, left to right, second row, are Capt. William H. Deitz, P. Farrow, E. Callahan, H. Pike, H. Needham and Capt. Harold Megee; back row, Capt. Thomas Winstanley, of No. 2 Engine Co.; M. Fattore, T. McParland and William Reed.
John B. “Shorty” Prucella on July 15 is going to stop fighting fires, rescuing cats up poles and trees, returning lost children to anxious parents and marching in parades.
On that date Prucella, oldest member of No. 6 Engine Co., will go on pension after 39 years service.
Shorty, as the other eight members an two captains of his company call him, is 75. He is one of the two remaining veteran fire fighters in the city who formerly drove horse-drawn apparatus.
The other horse driver is Battalion Chief Clarence Madden.
Prucella joined the city electrical bureau in April, 1910, and after 19 months service, transferred in November 1911 to the fire department. It was at Engine Co. No. 5, formerly at Twelfth and Federal streets, where he drove a horse-drawn fire truck.
Later, Prucella served at No. 4 Engine Co., formerly at Fourth and Vine streets. He has been stationed at No. 6 company, Front and Linden streets, for the last 17 years.
Receives Watch as Gift
Shorty’s comrades, in a surprise ceremony Tuesday, presented him with a gold watch. Attending the affair were Captains William H. Deitz and Harold Megee, of the same company; Firemen P. Farrow, E. Callahan, H. Pike, H. Needham, M. Fattore, T. McFarland, William Reed and Ernest Tartaglia, and Battalion Chiefs Edgar Ellender and Howard Gick.
Prucella lives at 919 Penn street with his wife, Hattie; a daughter, Elizabeth, and a son, Raymond. He has two grandchildren.
Will Take It Easy
The veteran smoke-eater announced his future plans call for “taking it easy” and reminiscing about old times.
“The ‘fire department’ is gone now,” Prucella commented. “What people called the fire department went out with the horses. Horses gave something to fire fighting, and when they left there just wasn’t any ‘fire department.’
“Of course, considering that out engines get out of the fire house in 20 seconds today, is enough to show that horses could never compare with anything we have today. But the horse drawn wagons got out of the firehouse in two minutes, and Heaven help the man who got in their way.
“It hurt when the old plugs were taken away. The keenest horse we owned was turned over to the street cleaning department.”
Biggest fire in Prucella’s experience was the Hollingshed fire in 1940, but he doesn’t like to think about it because 14 persons lost their lives.
Prucella is a member of the International Firefighters Association, Police and Fire Club, Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association and the Camden Lodge of Moose.
4 Cops, 4 Firemen, Widow of One Win City Pensions
Camden Courier-Post —
Johnson, Garrity, Crawford, Stahl Retire Aug. 31
Four police officers and four firemen applied for pensions under the mandatory 65-year-old retirement law today. The applications, all approved by the police-firemen pension board, are in line with Commissioner Aaron’s order in December, 1948, advising chiefs of the respective services that state law requires retirement of all personnel who have reached 65. Police officers to be pensioned are Detective Capt. Samuel E. Johnson, 71, Capt. John T. Garrity, 65, Detective Frank Crawford, 69, and Patrolman Harry Stahl, 68. Fire department members include Deputy Chief Clarence Madden, 67, and Firemen John Prucella, 75; Spencer Smith Sr., 68, and Frank L’Esperance, 66. The eight men will retire Aug. 31, with each receiving one-half of the average annual salary of the last three years.
Also approved today was an application for a widow’s pension by Mrs. Carrie Bean, 1103 North Twenty-sixth street. Her husband, Patrolman Howard Bean, died June 8, eight days after being pensioned. She will receive $1000 annually. Captain Johnson, of 211 Elm street, is considered the dean of the police department, having served 40 years. Johnson, who will receive $2019 annually, was appointed in April, 1910, and was made a detective 10 years later. He was elevated to sergeant in November, 1928, and to lieutenant in 1930. One year after he was cited in 1942 by former Public Safety Director Mary Kobus, Johnson was raised to captain. He served as acting police chief from December, 1947, to December, 1949.
Captain Garrity will receive $1601 annually. He served as commander in each of the three city districts. Garrity was appointed in January, 1920; made sergeant July, 1930; lieutenant in 1940, and captain on June 30, 1944. He lives at 2515 Morgan boulevard. Following a “pep” meeting with city detectives Thursday, Aaron announced he had transferred Captain Garrity to his office for “special assignments.” Sgt. William Schultz was named acting captain to head the third police district to replace Garrity.
Crawford, of 578 Chestnut street, will draw $1501. He was named to the force in 1912 and resigned eight years later. In 1931 he was reinstated and received a promotion to detective status in 1942. He was cited by former Chief John Golden.
Stahl Appointed in 1917
Stahl lives at 1513 Baird avenue. After his appointment in 1917, he saw service in most departments of the bureau. He will receive an annual pension of $1401. Chief Madden, 2760 Mickle street, is serving as fire commander for the second fire district at Twenty-seventh and Federal streets. He was appointed July 1, 1910 and assigned to Engine Co. 5, Fifth and Arch streets. In 1922 he was raised to lieutenant, and six years later became senior captain. Madden was named battalion chief Nov. 21, 1944 and deputy chief on Dec. 16, 1949. Madden will receive about $2000, with the others drawing approximately $1358 annually.
Prucella, 919 Penn street, was sworn in on Nov. 1, 1911 and joined Engine Co. 5. Since 1933 he has been serving at No. 6 Engine Co., Front and Linden streets. Smith was appointed May 1, 1914 and assigned to No. 1 Engine Co., Fourth and Pine streets. He has been attached to No. 10 Engine Co., Ninth street and Morgan boulevard, since 1920. Frank L’Esperance, 604 Clinton street, is also a member of No. 10 Engine Co., where he has been attached since 1938. He was appointed June 6, 1918 and served with No. 5 and No. 3 engine companies.
Fire Department Record Card
Camden Fire Department record card for John B. Prucella. Badge No. 68. Appointed October 1911; reported for duty November 1, 1911. Assigned to Engine Co. 5 (Nov. 1, 1911), transferred to Engine Co. 4 (1917), transferred to Engine Co. 6 (July 1, 1933), retired on pension August 31, 1950.