LAFIRE.COM
Los Angeles Fire Department
Historical Archive
Chief Walter S. Moore
|
||
Los Angeles
Volunteer Department |
Los Angeles Fire Department
|
Chief W. S. Moore, whose last term ended March 31, 1900, had been active in Fire Department affairs since 1875 serving three times as Chief of the paid Department. He also was one time Chief of the Volunteers. He also became President of the Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs. Chief Moore was born in Philadelphia and was a runner with Philadelphia Fire Company No. 18.
The mainspring in the creating and in
the career of Los Angeles Engine Company No. 2 was undoubtedly Walter S. Moore.
He came here from Philadelphia about thirty years ago. I do not know
whether Walter had the benefit of the instructions of the Hon. Billy McMullen of
that city, or of association with the Moyamensing engine boys, but certain it is
that he reached here a full fledged fire laddie--one to "the manner
born." He ranked high from the start as a fireman, and when Los
Angeles had progressed to the metropolitan status he was for years chief of the
paid fire department.
He might be filling
that post of chief still if it were not for certain differences with the
controlling authorities about the price, quality and quantities of hay which was
fed to the horses of the department, and which led to the retirement of the
redoubtable Walter, as to the details of which I refrain.
Walter will always
loom large in the annals of the fire department of Los Angeles. He was
identified with it in its infancy, and he had a personality which will not be
lightly forgotten. In addition to being a fireman of renown, he was a
politician of a unique sort, and his Oro Finos were well capable of making the
Republican Rome howl. He was once nominated for secretary of state and
achieved at the polls what the French call a debacle, that may be rendered in
English a "smashup." While he was popular with the
"boys" he was down way deep in the books of what are irreverently
called the "long hairs," who made him run appallingly behind his
ticket.
The versatile Moore
tells a good story of himself in that campaign. He had placarded Los
Angeles with flaming posters telling the people to "vote for Walter S.
Moore for secretary of state." He was ranged in line to vote in his
own precinct. Two citizens were ranged in front of him, whom he did not
know and who did not know him. One of them happened to look up and caught
sight of Walter's flaming placard.
"Oh," he
said to the man behind him. "I forgot something. I intended to
scratch that blank be blanked---."
Excerpts from an article written by Joseph
D. Lynch |
LAFIRE.COM
Copyright 1999 All Rights Reserved.