By 1900, the Fire Department had grown to five stations: Central, Dukes Addition, West Side Fire Stations, Ogles Addition Station No. 4 ( a hose cart house on the corner of Baker Avenue and 9th Street), and Station No. 5 (another hose cart house on the corner of Byron and Pleasant. In 1913 the city purchased an American LaFrance motorized fire engine and in 1915, they created Chemical Truck No.1 on a Buick touring car chassis. In 1919, the use of horses was discontinued and another truck was purchased. This was an American LaFrance seventy-five foot aerial ladder truck. In this same year, the position of fire chief became a full time position and Ben E. Bangerter was hired. There were also eight other paid firemen, partially paid first and second chiefs and sixty-six volunteers. By 1926, the paid force had grown to eleven men.

The members of the paid force spent nearly all of their time at the fire station since it was difficult to notify them of a fire. As a result, the station was a place to go to exchange gossip, play cards or play snooker pool. This gave them a bad public image. In 1937, eight new men were hired and a two platoon system was adopted. Ten men platoons served alternating twenty-four hour shifts. The men from the other shift were allowed to leave the station, but they were still on call. This helped to combat the negative image.

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Sources:
The Heritage of Blue Earth County Minnesota. Curtis Media Corporation. Dallas Texas. 1990.
History of Blue Earth County. Thomas Hughes. Middle West publishing Company. Chicago. 1976