The hand pumped tanker, purchased in 1890, sat in the garage while Miller took the villagers for a guided tour through the history of the department in the final installment of the Cridersville Historical Society’s 2017 lecture series.

“Since its founding in 1856, the people of Cridersville, like those in every town, had to depend on each other for fire protection,” the chief said. “When the shout, ‘Fire! Fire!” was heard in town, every able bodied man dropped his work, grabbed his pail and ran with the bucket brigade.”

But that changed for good in January of 1890, when the village bought the hand-pumper for $249.75. Freight was $11.75. It was shipped into town on the railroad.