City Council Debates Defective Fire Engine
A heated dispute erupts over the purchase of a 'third-class' Waterous fire engine that failed to perform during municipal tests.
The house of delegates spent two hours in a heated debate over whether to accept a new Waterous fire engine. Reports from the board of public works and expert committees were conflicting; while some officials praised the machine, others noted it struggled to maintain power and was poorly constructed compared to the Ahrens engines currently in service. Critics pointed to the engine’s inability to draft water effectively and its fragile piston rods, while the company’s agent argued that test conditions were unfair and that the engine was among the best available. The council remained divided, with some members refusing to vote due to uncertainty about the engine's reliability in a real emergency.
“It was apparent to machinists that she was throwing the water with so much difficulty that it was impossible to keep it up.”
Municipal procurement scandals involving expensive, underperforming public infrastructure are a hallmark of Seattle's growth years. The 'Waterous engine' controversy echoes modern frustrations with large-scale public projects that fail to meet specifications after high-cost procurement.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.