GASTONIA, NC

By 1900, [...] the Board of Aldermen began to seriously consider the formation of fire companies to provide formalized fire protection for the town's citizens. Gastonia now had six cotton mills, a third hotel, and an opera house.

In recognition of the growing threat of fire, town Aldermen passed a motion on December 6, 1900 to allow Negroes to organize a fire company of 12 members, to relieve them of the poll tax, and to give each member a shirt and a cap .

This action was followed on February 7, 1901 by the acceptance of an application for the formation of a white volunteer fire company , and equipment for 5 of their number was ordered to be purchased .

During 1901, the Board of Aldermen continued with efforts to add to and formalize fire protection in Gastonia.

On May 23, 1901, a permit was issued allowing Anders and Floyd to erect a wooden shed adjoining the stable now occupied by them and situated within the fire limits of the Town of Gastonia.

On June 6, a motion was passed that authorized T.L. Craig to buy for the town two mules, harnesses, and a wagon, the kind of wagon, harnesses and mules to be determined by Mr. Craig . Thus, by the end of 1901, Gastonia had formalized the organization of fire companies and purchased its first fire engine.

On May 16, 1902, the Mayor appointed V.E. Long and J.L. Robinson to serve as a committee to investigate the needs of the fledgling fire department, and to make a report back to the Board of Aldermen. The committee was authorized to purchase such hose, suits, nozzles, and such as per list submitted.

On June 12, it was moved and seconded that we erect an ordinance creating a Chief of the Fire Department. On September 11, 1902 the committee recommended that a fire chief be elected, and that we elect George Glenn Chief of the Fire Department. This motion was passed, and the Gastonia Fire 3 Department has its first chief.

On April 11, 1904, W.P. Upton succeeded George Glenn as Fire Chief, at a salary of $ 100. per year, while other members of the volunteer fire company were paid $ 20. per year. A major organizational change in the fire department occurred at this time by combining both the white and the colored volunteer fire companies under the control of one chief.

As noted in the minutes of the Board of Aldermen meeting on April 11, 1904: the colored men were to be under the control of Chief Upton and to get the same pay as the white (men) do.

Demand for service and a general lack of support apparently doomed the two volunteer fire companies, and the colored Fire Company was disbanded on October 1, 1906. Aldermen V.E. Long and T.W. Wilson specified in Town records that the thanks of the Board were extended to the colored firemen for their efficient services.

The disbanding of the colored volunteer Fire Company was followed on July 23, 1907 by the mass resignation of the volunteer firemen of Hose Company Number One.

The letter of resignation submitted to the Board of Aldermen noted that the volunteer firemen have not had the proper support and funding from the Board of Aldermen that a volunteer fire company should receive.

Apparently the mass resignations and complaints of the volunteer firemen served to good purpose, because another volunteer fire company was immediately organized by the Board as Gastonia Fire Company Number One, and B.H. Parker was elected as Chief.

Link: From History of the Gastonia Fire Department by Robert L. Ridgeway, Former Fire Chief.

https://www.cityofgastonia.com/.../GFD_Fire_Department...