A very large percentage of the volunteer firemen for the Boerne Volunteer Fire Department worked at Boerne Motor Company. It was right down in the middle of town and only a couple of blocks from the firehouse, which was located across the street at the far west end of the plaza. When the fire whistle sounded the mechanics would drop whatever they were doing and run over to the firehouse. The engine was the old LaFrance that the Berges Fest directors use in their parades now. There were a select few that were strong enough and knowledgeable enough to crank the old truck. It was an important position. Fritz Adler was the official starter for years. The siren was hand driven and on the right-hand side of the vehicle in front of the right-hand door. The “siren blower” would stand on the running-board and twist with all of his might.
The story goes that the old LaFrance was delivered to Boerne by mistake. Supposedly the town of Rocksprings ordered a truck at the same time that we did. Their truck was geared down lower to pull the hills in their area and ours was not geared so low. Somehow they got mixed up and we wound up with the lower geared one. For all of the years that the fire engine was used, I don’t believe that it was ever able to reach a speed of more than twenty or thirty miles an hour.
H.O. Adler was fire chief for years. When the fire whistle would blow he would jump in his old Buick, cigar in his mouth and barely able to see over the steering wheel, and head up Main Street on his way to the firehouse. It is as vivid as if only yesterday. His horn going beep-beep-beep and at a speed of about twenty-five miles an hour he would arrive at the station. By then the guys from Boerne Motors would have the truck started and outside the firehouse. H.O. would pull his car in front of the fire truck and as he led, beep-beep-beeping, the fire truck would follow with the smallest and youngest of the department (usually Arno Meckel) twisting the handle of the siren to let everyone know to watch out, here we come.
I remember that once there was a fire at Krause’s Cafe, not to be confused with Krause’s Confectionery. One of Boerne’s characters was on the scene when the fire department arrived and he was rather verbal in how the fireboys should fight the fire. H.O. went over to him and in so many words told him to keep his mouth shut and get his butt away from there. A fight soon ensued and the fire became secondary as everyone watched the pillar of the community and the lower class of the community battle it out. Both fires were extinguished at about the same time .