Silsby was the largest volume manufacturer of steam fire engines and produced a very wide range of different capacity pumpers, characterized by "size". Many - like this example - were exported.
Like all the other American manufacturers, they only rarely built any units with storage for delivery hoses, although these steamers carried their own suctions - which were used to hook up to hydrants as well as to access open water. The few that had hose boxes were considered rather exotic and christened "Continental"!
As a result, they were accompanied by separate hose wagons, hose carts or hose reels pulled either by horses or by hand.
Sometimes the same company operated both the engine and the hose trucks, but in some places they were different organizations. For this reason you still find American volunteer fire companies continuing to use the titles "Engine Co", "Hose Co" or "Engine and Hose Co", despite the fact that now they all have the same type of equipment.
Like all the other American manufacturers, they only rarely built any units with storage for delivery hoses, although these steamers carried their own suctions - which were used to hook up to hydrants as well as to access open water. The few that had hose boxes were considered rather exotic and christened "Continental"!
As a result, they were accompanied by separate hose wagons, hose carts or hose reels pulled either by horses or by hand.
Sometimes the same company operated both the engine and the hose trucks, but in some places they were different organizations. For this reason you still find American volunteer fire companies continuing to use the titles "Engine Co", "Hose Co" or "Engine and Hose Co", despite the fact that now they all have the same type of equipment.
Added by Rob Johnson on 07 December 2017.