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Waterous Fire Engine Company, founded in 1844, was a revolutionary fire apparatus manufacturer that changed the world of firefighting forever. In 1898, Waterous created the first gasoline-engine-driven fire pump, which caught on like wildfire across the globe. The 1915 Waterous Horse-Drawn Gasoline Pumper is an example of this ingenuity.
Little is known about the history of this Waterous; however, it was last used by the Kinbrae Fire Department of Kinbrae, Minnesota. The four-cylinder gas motor could pump up to 350 gallons of water per minute. Though gas-powered fire engines were less expensive and easier to maintain, steam pumpers were much more powerful, with many steamers able to push 800 gallons of water per minute. Alas, the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and operating a steam pumper was unaffordable for small towns such as Kinbrae, Minnesota. Even at its lower price point, this Waterous was most likely used by multiple fire departments and companies in the area due to the expenses necessary to maintain it.
