Swampscott Vs. Marblehead 'Pump-Off' Coming Sunday

Before the days of automatic pumps that send water soaring out of fire hose nozzles, there were hand-powered pumps, known as handtubs, that required dozens of volunteers to operate.

On Sunday, Oct. 18, volunteers will revisit those days of old in the hopes of winning bragging rights in the 50th anniversary pump-off between Swampscott’s antique fire engine, The Atlantic 1, and Marblehead’s antique engine, The Gerry 5.

The pump-off will take place at noon on Oct. 18 at Jackson Park, Essex Street and Burpee Road, in Swampscott.

The engines, both built in 1845 by William Hunneman, an apprentice of Paul Revere, will each be on the pumping platform for 15 minutes, according to an announcement on the Gerry 5 Veteran Fireman’s Association (VFA) website. The engines will pump as many times as each crew can manage and the engine that produces the longest stream wins bragging rights for another year.

According to a brief history on Handtub.com, the winner of Sunday’s competition will walk away with the Ephraim Taylor Trophy. The first competition took place in 1965 and Marblehead claimed the victory that year.

Mike Butler, the president of both the Atlantic VFA and Gerry 5 VFA, told the The Lynn Daily Item that engines would shoot water down an 8-foot-wide path that is 300 feet long during the pump-off. He explained that the distance would be measured to the farthest drop of water that is at least the size of a dime. Butler also said that each pump would ideally be operated by 60-70 volunteers under the direction of a foreman from the respective VFAs.

Photos: Patch stock