The beginning of the present Hoosac Hose Company took place during the summer of 1892 when a public subscription was taken to buy certain fire fighting apparatus and hose. At a meeting of the subscribers held on October 7, 1892 a temporary business organization was affected. G.Z. Dean was chosen president, J.G. Northrup, treasuer and F.C. Brown, secretary. They together with three others were names to a commitee to purchase a hose cart and hose. At a meeting on October 25, 1892, they reported that a cart and 500 feet of hose had been purchased and paid for. Also at that meeting a permanent organization was set up and by-laws adopted. In apparent satisfaction of the purchase, Mr. Dean was elected president; Mr. Brown, secretary and Mr. Northrup, clerk. The name of the new organization was to be The Cheshire Fire Hose Co.
In January of 1900, the company voted to hold an annual ball, the proceeds of which would go towards the purchase of a hook and ladder cart and a 60 gallon soda-acid extinguisher on wheels. Mr. George Haskins donated a Star auto chassis to the company on which the department mounted a 60 gallon chemical tank, 500 feet of hose, and three ladders. This truck lasted until 1935 when three disastrous fires in two weeks, one of them Mr. Haskin's own home, destroyed about $15,000 worth of real estate.
In the spring of 1935, representatives of the fire department, with the authorization of the town, purchased a Diamond T truck chassis from the Maxim company of Middleboro, Massachusetts. It was agreed that the Maxim Motor Company would mount a 500 gallon/minute geared pump, a 100 gallon booster tank, 200 feet of hose, 2 ladders and a hose body carrying 600 feet of 1 1/2" hose, certain tools and two 2 1/2 extinguishers. To save money, a windshield for the truck was ordered but not installed by the company. The cost of the entire piece was less than $4500.
