Twitty, W E 1958-08-27

W. E. Twitty, retired Lubbock fire chief, recalls the activities of the early day volunteer fire department in Lubbock. He also mentions the activities of the State Firemen’s Training School at Texas A & M and alludes to better fire prevention modes.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: W.E. Twitty

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: August 27, 1958

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Interviewer: Jean A. Paul

Length: 1 hour 15 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Twitty came to Lubbock as a farm boy, Moved into town, Took job with Lubbock Light & Ice Company, Rollie C. Burns, manager of Ice Plant, Incorporation of Lubbock brings municipal water and sewage system, First fire fighting equipment in Lubbock, Freighted down from Plainview, Volunteer fire department organized in Lubbock, First fire equipment stored in a garage at site of Woolworth’s until 1910, Refused town’s offer to purchase a team of horses for use with equipment, Fires always disastrous in early days due to lack of available water supply, Lubbock’s first water system laid out, Fire department acquires two-wheeled chemical cart, Fire hose mounted on an old two-cylinder Buick chassis, First fire engine purchased by town of Lubbock (1915).

Tape 1, Side 2: Idea of small booster fire trucks conceived in Lubbock, "Each fireman should have a nozzle of his own", Fire department buys first foam generator used in Texas, Work of the Fireman’s Training School at A & M.

Tape 2, Side 1: Frame buildings in early Lubbock were fire traps, Fireman’s Ball in Lubbock one-time annual affair, Equipment worn by volunteer firemen in Lubbock, Dangers of carbon tetrachloride as an extinguisher, Mechanic hired to take care of Lubbock’s early motive equipment, Fire siren alarm used to announce Texas Tech’s establishment in Lubbock, Assistant Fire Chief killed answering alarm, Lubbock buys first piece of hook-and-ladder equipment, Home-made fire net never used in actual service, Early-day fire alarm system in Lubbock, Lubbock fire department begins to use 1.5 inch hose, State Firemen’s Training School organized at A & M, Ten brass bands from neighboring towns came to Lubbock for Tech celebration.

Tape 2, Side 2: Blank

Range Dates: 1900-1923

Bulk Dates: 1900-1923

Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript:

---

Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.