Title: Drill Tower

Identifier: 1136-s7-b10-fd   (https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/23550)

Description: Firemen stand in front of their newly constructed training tower in 1940.The money to build the structure was donated by M.O. Minges, the head of the regional Pespi-Cola bottling plant. Minges is standing in front of the tower in a suit.The tower was built on Chestnut Street and played an important role for firefighter practice drills at the time. Note on verso of the photo reads : "No. 1 Mr. MO Minges and myself standing in front of fire plug near came (cut off). This drill tower is all brick, concrete, and steel excepting windows, window sills, and doors. The stairway is of concrete and goes to roof. Which gives us the same as a six story tower. It is 18 x 18 ft by 60 ft. in height and has toilet and laboratory inside. Has lights on each floor and roof and two flood lights on roof each having two 1500 watt bulbs and controlled by four different switches and another switch for four lights in a wired in conduit and two underground conduits run from tower to light pole across street. One for lights the other for fire alarm. Siameze to sprinkler system on first floor and also valves so you can demonstrate a system in action" and "Mr. and Mrs. MO Minges Drill Tower donated to Fire Dept. and to City 1940" and "Left to Right Standing: MO Minges, GW Gardner, On Ladder looking up: AB Sunnell, Thane Bank, JR Smith". P-1136/190