Fire Department History

The earliest information found concerning the Dalton Fire Department was found in The Dalton Argus newspaper as follows:

January 16, 1886

The city council should place the fire extinguisher in good order, and train ten good men to its use, under the command of the city marshal, said men to be properly rewarded for promptness in case of a fire alarm. In addition, they should secure a light hook and ladder rig, with three or four dozen rubber buckets, and place it in the hands of an energetic company of young men. These would afford some protection, in case of fire, and there is no economy in not providing them without delay.

March 6, 1886

Dalton will soon have a daisy hook and ladder truck, and a city fire bell. The night watchman will also be required to tap the hour of the night.

March 13, 1886

At its next meeting, the city council will enact an ordinance establishing a fire limit, for the prevention of the construction of wooden buildings on the business streets. By an oversight the old ordinance was repealed when the new laws were modified and published.

October 16, 1886

Fire insurance costs Dalton about $2,000 a year, which leaves us, never to return, only when someone is burned out. Water works would keep half of this at home.

August 3, 1888

Hamilton Street Showered With Silvery Sprays!
Thursday afternoon at 5 o'clock water was given to us on Hamilton street from the fire plugs. There was about fifty pounds pressure, from the incomplete stand-pipe, out of a possible 80 when it is completed.
Superintendent Wagner of Rome, who made the plan and specifications of our system, came up and brought 100 feet of hose, and with our Superintendent Spencer, made a practical test of the plugs, showering 128 feet throw of water through a 7/8 spray nozzle.
Several street sprinklers were playing at the same time, and Dalton got a good ducking.

When the system is complete there will be a possible pressure of 80 pounds from the stand-pipe and 200 from the pumps and standpipe in conjunction. By another week everything will be in order, and enough has already been shown to convince the most doubting that we have what we need.