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The July 6, 1903 meeting of the company was held at the Northeast
Shrine Club. At this meeting, the Fire Company was officially chartered in
the State of Pennsylvania . Also at this meeting, the secretary was instructed
to place a public notice of thanks in the local paper for the support given
by the residents to the Fire Company. The building continued to progress, insurance
and other organizational problems were solved and the treasurer was bonded
for $1000.00, receiving an annual fee of $3.00.
The Fire Company made progress in many areas during 1904. They
installed an alarm for signaling a fire and made a deal with the electric company
to lease the upper "retiring room" for a term of 5 year at $24 annually.
In 1905 and the following few years, the fire company explored
many ideas and took several steps to help themselves financially and organizationally.
To solve some of their financial problems, they petitioned the school board
and the borough council to have their building exempt from assessment. They
also resolved to raise the monthly dues to 25 cents per month, effective January
1906. This is still the amount of dues paid by the Fire Company members to
this date although they are now collected annually. At one point in 1905 the
treasury dropped to 11 cents. Also, in that year the members worked out a reciprocation
of assistance agreement with the city fire department when the need would arise
for additional fire fighting equipment and men. This agreement proved beneficial
to both parties as it often took another city company a long time to arrive
in assisting Chemical #5. Also, members from the city company assisted in designing
the fireplug layout for the borough.
In 1906, the members seemed to become more aware of the need to
plan for the future expansion of the borough. They realized that its hand drawn
apparatus was rapidly becoming obsolete, and the members urged the purchase
of a combination truck and chemical unit at the cost of $1,100.00. John Schlett,
in later years, commented "Isn't it a shame that back in the old days
when we had to drag those heavy wagons through the streets over ruts and bumps,
through sheer muscle; now that we have powerful trucks with engines to do the
brute work, the streets are smooth as glass". The members of the Fire
Company began to look for a larger permanent building during this time. Many
of the company's actions were governed by this plan for a new building and
no major improvements were made to the old one.
In January 1908, a committee of five was appointed to devise a
plan whereby our company could build its own firehouse. At the company meeting
held on November 1, 1909, the final plans for the new firehouse were presented
by the building committee. They called for the purchase of a lot at the corner
of Park Avenue and Huntingdon Pike for $500.00 and the sale of the site on
Sylvania Ave. of $450.00. They also called for a loan for the building construction
for $1,200.00 at the interest rate 5.4% with shares for $10.00 being sold to
interested parties bearing 5% interest. The committee reported that construction
would be started as soon as the weather permitted. At the next meeting, the
members suggested many changes so that the cost could be lowered. A motion
was made to rescind the approval for a $1,200.00 loan in lieu of one for $2,400.00,
which was approved. On April 10, 1910, the company agreed to sell its property
on Sylvania Avenue to the Philadelphia Electric Company and accepted the bid
of Grant Irwin to construct the new firehouse at the cost of $4,375 with the
occupancy date scheduled for August 1,1910.
The dedication of the new building was highlighted by a large
parade on October 8, 1910. The parade marched through the streets of Rockledge
and Fox Chase with 33 members of the Rockledge Fire Company in their newly
adopted uniforms along with members of other companies representing the Independent
and Pioneer companies of Jenkintown, Abington, McKinley, Edge Hill, Glenside,
Cheltenham, Oreland, Old York Road , Oconto and Chemical #5 of Philadelphia
. Many companies brought along their bands and their ladies auxiliaries. On
the evening of the dedication, the Fire Company gave a ball at the Rockledge
Opera House, which was largely attended and climaxed a memorable day to the
company members.
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