Word: truckson
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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Quick to adopt each new improvement in fire-fighting apparatus, the successors of Truckson La France branched into chemical fire wagons, doubled their business when fire trucks were motorized. They opened a plant in New Jersey to manufacture regular commercial trucks, had to abandon it when Mack Truck and others retaliated by invading the fire apparatus field. Just before Depression American-La France bought out Foamite-Childs Corp. of Utica, makers of "Foamite," a patented powder which mixes with water to produce a fire-fighting gas said to be superior to the old sulphuric acid, soda and water...
Business was slow the last year of the Civil War but Truckson La France of Elmira, N. Y. had an idea. He put on his best bowler and went to call on the rich Diven family. "I've perfected a rotary fire engine," he announced. "I want money to make it with." With a snort Old Man Diven gave him the money. Inventor La France made his first fire engine in an old brick house, sold it to Elmira. It was enough to scare the horses, but it had two lines of hose and only one weakness. The cams...
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