Note on back of photograph reads: June 1888 G. A R. (Grand Army of the Republic) Encampment taken at intersection of what is now West Seveneth Street and Wyoming Avenue. Our Old home FEW [Frank E. Ware].
Taken in front of the Glass Block on Atlantic Avenue [Block 12 Lot 1 Original Town]. See Western Minnesota Fireman's Tournament Ass'n, July 2-3, 1909. ID from The Morris Tribune, June 25, 1927. There were no roaring motorized fire trucks thirty year ago but who is there to gainsay that the Morris fire department laddies of that day did not have all the pride in the world in their then up-to-the-minute equipment? And, as far as that goes, that the boys themselves were not just about the most efficient and best-trained bunch of fire-fighters to be found anywhere? The above picture, taken in 1909 in front of the Spooner Glass Block (the present postoffice entrance can be seen at the right), shows the company members all spruced up in their uniforms, together with the department FS horse-drawn truck. The team shown in the illustration was a Minneapolis Brewing Company team used by the department. Its driver was Mealon Cousins, shown in the center of the trio on the seat. Max Trantow, present chief of the fire department, was chief at the time the above picture was taken. He was first elected chief in 1905 and has served steadily in that capacity ever since. Members of the department are: Left front, J.A. Guter; rear front, W.C. Borrill and S.J. Stebbins; on wagon seat, left to right, F.E. Ware, Mealon Cousins (driver), L.S. Munro; others, left to right, George Splitstoser, George Danielson, H.B.Jones, Harry Lord, W.C. Cherry, Jas. Lawler, H.C. Adkins, Leo Altrich, Chas. Byrne, R.S. Roberts, C.A. Horton, Richard Cairney, Chief Max Trantow, F.A. Mullen, Mark Killoran. Other members of the department at that time and not shown on the picture were: C.B. Randall, George Hogan, Frank Griffith, Lawrence Zahl and M. Williams.
Identification given on back: In top of tree: James T. Lawler; in tree next below: Chester A. Horton; in tree next below: Leo Altrich; on top of ladder: Lawrence Munro; on lower ladder: Mealon Cousins; in lower tree: Walter C. Borrill and Mark L. Killoran; left to right: Geo. A. Danielson, Max Trantow, Geo. F. Splitstoser, Frank E. Ware, Chas. L. Byrne, Chas. L. Pepper [crossed out with Harry Lord substituted], Joseph H. Guter, Henry C. Adkins, Henry B. Jones, Wm. H. Cherry, Frank A. Mullen
Taken in front of the Glass Block on Atlantic Avenue (Block 12 Lot 1 Original Town). See also: Western Minnesota Fireman's Tournament Association, July 2-3, 1909 [program]. Newspaper clipping from Morris Tribune, 25 June 1937, attached to rear gives identification as follows: Left front: J.A. Guter; rear front: W.C. Borrill and S.J. Stebbins; on wagon seat, left to right: F.E. Ware, Mealon Cousins [driver], L.S. Munro; others left to right: George Splitstoser, George Danielson, H.B. Jones, Harry Lord, W.C. Cherry, Jas. Lawler, H.C. Adkins, Leo Altrich, Charles Byrne, R.S. Roberts, C.A. Horton, Richard Cairney, Chief Max Trantow, F.A. Mullen, Mark Killoran. Other members of the department at that time and not shown on the picture were: C.B. Randall, George Hogan, Frank Griffith, Lawrence Zahl, and M. Williams.
Identification is given on the front of the mounting board: Compliments of H.T. Bevans, President of the Village Council. VIEW OF MORRIS AND VILLAGE OFFICERS. Attorney R.A. Stone; President H.T. Bevans; Councilmen, A.P. Dye, D.S. Long, J.H. Devenney, H.B. Lund, Recorder, Chas. B. Burpee; Engineer T.J. Calahan; Night Watch, S.J. Ryan; Marshall, F.A. Zahl in the buss [sic]. Printed in Morris Tribune, 19 Sep 1947, Historical Section, n.p.
Originally located at the corner of Sixth Street and Oregon Avenue, the fire station was built about 1884 and torn down in July, 1926. From right to left: W. J. Munro (chief), T. A. Callahan (Engineer), Isaac Imes, William McCullogh, ?, ?, L. W. Northcott, J. E. Spooner, [no further identification given].
Parade of the first soldiers who left Morris for training camp during World War I. Businesses in the background are, from the left: Stewart's Mill, Stewart's Mill Office, Max Trantow's Saloon, the Stevens County Creamery, and Walker Towle [dry goods].