WPBFD History

a month.

tion on October 14, 1909. At age twenty-four he was as- signed the responsibilities of running the entire depart- ment as chief. He gave up his job in a local grocery store to assume his new duties. West Palm Beach was still a small community. The city limits only stretched from present day Okeechobee Road to 7th Street with many residential dwellings lo- cated in the two and three hundred block of Clematis Street (today a commercial district). The department elected new officers to serve under Sadler. Clarence Pierce was

A photograph taken in front of the fire house in 1914 shows the 1910 American La France with Chief Sadler at the wheel. The horse drawn equipment was still in use as was the hand drawn hose cart. 1915 Sometime around 1915 Chief Sadler introduced a fire department personnel numbering system. The num-

ber was used to easily designate individuals and their equipment. All new employees were given the next available sequential number at the time they were hired. Numbers were not re-issued when firemen left the department. Chief Sadler took the number "1". A list of the known personnel identification numbers appears in the appendix. The town finally began to keep more accurate financial records during the 1914-15 fiscal year. Mitchell & Huddleston's audit noted the improvement. Fixed as- sets for West Palm Beach totaled $267,613.08. Disbursements for the fire department included

named 1st Assistant; Carl Kettler, President; Henry Burkhardt, Vice President; Frank Ehrens, Secretary/ Treasurer; J. O. Cheatham, Fire Marshall; and W. T. Voss, Assis- tant Fire Marshall. A future chief joined the department June 16, 1913. Ray Larrabee would have to wait a long time, but he would eventually take the reins from Sadler in 1949. His first duties were driving one of the new motorized fire trucks. Another audit in 1913 again criticized the books kept by the town. Mitchell & Huddleston, Mi- ami auditors, stated "The Books and Systems in use, are not of an up-to-date character, are incom- plete and lacking in essential de- tail." Fire Department equipment was valued at $18,981.00 of the town's total fixed assets of $212,163.99. The Tropical Sun published

$2,000 for fire equipment notes and $3,734.24 for maintenance. Fire equipment was valued at $20,081.00 with the Type 12 triple combination truck accounting for $9,000 of those assets. A new pool table was purchased during the year at a cost of $216. 1916 The whiskey, beer, and wine were flowing early on the morning of January 25, 1916, and it wasn't a party. Grove's Warehouse, where more than $30,000 worth of spirits was stored, went up in flames. The fire was dis- covered by West Palm Beach Policeman Clarence Pierce at about 1:00 a.m. He immediately pulled out his re- volver and fired it into the air before rushing to the fire station to sound the alarm. By the time firemen arrived at the warehouse, located at North Olive Avenue and infa- mous Banyan Street, the building was completely en- gulfed. As firemen played water on the fire they were suddenly shocked by electricity from a nearby power line. "Dick" Ray was knocked down by the shock and Chief Sadler himself was hit by it. The fire was still smoldering at dawn.

Alfred P. Sadler, Chief 1913-49

an article December 4, 1913, describing the annual Thanksgiving masquerade ball sponsored by the West Palm Beach Fire Department. Some twenty-five "masquers" attended with prizes awarded at ten o'clock. The best lady's costume was awarded to Mrs. Buckner whose "fancy Spanish dress of red silk was very striking." She was presented a "La Valliere" as a prize. Frank Ma- jewski received a set of cuff links for his first place man's disguise as "Weary Willie." After ten o'clock the dance floor was "thronged with dancers." The Fire Department Band provided the music. 1914 In 1914 the chief's office changed from an elective position to a paid position appointed by the council. On June 1, 1914, Chief Sadler was granted a monthly salary of $100 for his duties. Two months later the town fathers had a change of heart and Sadler's pay was reduced to $80

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