“Bring in a rock bottom price…”

In 1931, the five year old North Beach Volunteer Fire Department was in the market for another fire engine to augment the 1926 Studebaker-Childs engine it already had. At its November 18 membership meeting, the body directed the engine committee, Chief Willard Ward, Russell Owings, B. G. Loveless, J. Hook, and J. Delp, “…to bring in a rock bottom price be (sic) for this body.”

At the December 24, 1931, meeting, the engine committee reported on three options, “…Seagrave at #7800 hundred dollars, Buffalo at #7400 hundred dollars, and American La France at #8450 hundred dollars.”

“Motion made and second the Investigating Committee report be excepted (sic) as a report of progress and their preference Seagraves (sic) and be continued.

With that, the department bought its second truck, an iconic Seagrave 6DT 600 gallon triple combination water tank type pumper. The truck was ordered January 12, 1932 and shipped on March 14, 1932. It was guaranteed for one year.

The pumper was equipped with 800’ of 2 1/2” hose, 600’ of 1 1/2” hose, 8 - 14qt. fire pails lettered “N.V.B.F.D.”, Seagrave nozzles, a 24’ extension ladder, 12’ roof ladder, and a 10’ pole ladder. All “removable parts” were to be stenciled “N.B.V.F.D.”, the body lettering was to include “NORTH BEACH & VICINITY,” and the Buckeye Jr. Roto-Ray warning light replaced with a Whiting warning light. Among other change orders included for the truck was a specification that the 2 1//2” hose couplings be National Standard Thread, but the 1 1/2” hose couplings be pipe thread.