Fred Gates & the MFD

             In Millinocket’s early days, Fred W. Gates took on the role of police chief and fire chief in the rapidly growing town here in the woods. It appears that things tended to be a bit chaotic as the population grew, more businesses opened, more homes were being built and the town government was organized.

            Fred Gates became the town’s first fire chief in 1902 and continued in that position until 1936. MFD, a volunteer fire department, was organized after a May 1901 town meeting. It was called Pioneer Hose Company No. 1 and by 1905 a fire station was erected on Penobscot Avenue.

            Gates was also named chief of police in 1902 and held that position until 1936. He had been a city marshal in Old Town and was called to Millinocket briefly in 1900. That was when Millinocket was still a construction camp (not yet a town). At that time, the law was handled by a deputy sheriff.

            The Laverty book describes a bit what policing was like in those days. “Tales of Gates’s handling of stabbings in Little Italy or drunken brawls in Tin Can Alley and in the railroad yards are part of Millinocket legends.”  Also mentioned in the book is that parents warned their children to be home before curfew. It states, “when Gates appeared on Penobscot Avenue at curfew time, youngsters scattered like rabbits.” Gates would sit in front of the fire station “to let his town know that law and order prevailed.”

            The first jail was near Shack Hill and was a small shed with one barred window and had a tall picket fence surrounding it. The Laverty book states, “It is said a drunk has a most surprising ride in this house when it was moved downtown to a spot behind the Charles Rush block. The moving crew slowly hauled the little shack along on log rollers.” The book states that when the move was halted for dinner, Gates brought the prisoner a meal, sat with him a bit for a chat and a smoke and then the move of the jail continued!

            In 1905, Pioneer Hose Company moved into its new fire station on Penobscot Avenue (where current Municipal Building is located). It had a hose wagon, a ladder wagon and two pair of horses. In winter, the wagons were converted to sleds. A new Gamewell fire alarm system was set up throughout the growing town. Alarm boxes were listed by streets or the name of the closest house occupant.

Note: the museum has part of that Gamewell system on display. Also in the collection is a panoramic photo of 20+ MFD firemen and members of the Dover and Foxcroft band posed in front of Millinocket’s three fire wagons and truck. Another item is an early “fire extinguisher” from the Mountain View Hotel. It is the remains of a glass globe and the metal wall holder that held it. In case of fire, someone would remove the globe from the sconce and throw it on the fire. It is small and would not be of much use in a fire such as the one that destroyed the Mountain View Hotel.