In 1963 an old fire engine was donated to the Mandeville Volunteer Fire Department by Z. "Cutzie" Sharp, a candidate for the Ward Four Mandeville Police Jury Seat. He had overseen the complete renovation of the vehicle after it had been stored at Sharp Motor Co. for 20 years, beginning in 1943. It had first been placed in service in 1918 and retired from service in 1942. Click on the article below for the details.
Above photo from the mid-1970's
Sharp Donates Fire Engine - An article from the St. Tammany Farmer
Friday, November 29, 1963
Ancient 1918 Model Renovated As Gift To Mandeville Volunteer Fire Department
The explanation is simple. When one's memories revert to associates and promises made in days gone by, I recall as if it were yesterday my last day in the United States Army, World War One.
As teacher-instructor of automotive vehicles and engineer demonstrator, I bid my class farewell. Being honorably discharged from service with muster-out pay in my pocket, I returned to Mandeville, my place of birth, and place where I started in business with the Sharp Motor & Sales Co., where for more than 40 years. I served the people of Mandeville with honest, courteous and reliable service, attested to by the many hundreds of friends using our services.
The history of Mandeville is unique in that its past has been entwined with its future growth and development. Nature w a s more than kind to Mandeville and St. Tammany. Its abundance of life-giving water, its setting on Lake Pontchartrain midst a super abundance of stately oaks and majestic pines and magnolias all seem to beckon and say "Come—Here build your home, and with your families live free from congested cities, in pure 'Ozone Air'."
For more than 150 years, our emergence into a type of so-designated modernization was slow, first as a fourbourg, then a village, then an incorporated town. In 1918, the Hon. H. B. Pruden, one of our early settlers and a generous far-seeing progressive and home loving citizen, donated free of all cost to the Mandeville Volunteer Fire Department a modern chemical fire engine, supplanting the "bucket brigade' unit.
The fire engine, lovingly referred to as "Old Valiant," rendered service continuously to the Volunteer Fire Department, saving lives and property until 1942, at which date it was declared obsolete.
The donor, H. B. Pruden, not wishing the valiant old engine to pass into oblivion, donated it to both Z. Cutsie Sharp and Paul Esquinance, requesting we hold same for preservation and in suitable future, donate "Old Valiant" to the Volunteer Fire Department of Mandeville.
The Engine has been stored in the Sharp Motor Co. for the past 20 years. Respecting our friend's request and our promise of many years ago, we concluded, after the creation of St. Tammany Fire Dist. No. 4, "Old Valiant" would be restored to workable use and travel under its own power through the streets, as it did in the Mandeville of yesterday.
We will have fuilfilled our promise. The engine has been restored and is in usable condition. In the near future it will be presented free of cost to the St. Tammany Fire District No. 4 Volunteer Fire Department.
Much labor, many miles of travel, many hours of work, were required whereby the parts might be secured necessary to restore the age-old warrior to service. All services were rendered by volunteers free of cost, to whom all of us are most grateful.
Those who so unselfishly gave of their time and talents and felt rewarded beyond measure were: Paul Esquinance Sr., Paul Esquinance, Jr., Emory Esquinance, Dewey Esquinance, Fred Krentel, Charles Moss, William "Sonny" Griffin, Mike Smith (Son of Catherine Smith, Covington), Ernest Loeb, Charles Wiggins, Sharp Motor Co., Inc., Norman Clark and of course, Cutsie Sharp, the co-owner.
The "Old Warrior" will once again go forth proudly—under its own power, and Model Motor No. 2848134, after which it will become a token of the past and a reminder to those of today of the product of inspired community service.
End of newspaper article
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