  Ladder
Company 19 was created on April 25, 1905. It was located
at 715 East 4th Street, where it had previously been Combination
Wagon 2.
The
firehouse was built in 1857 - and along with its side
yard for the horses - was home to Hand Hose Company 14
(1857-1860). In 1860 the resident company became Engine
Company 2 and remained there until 1882. In 1882, it was
again re-designated as Hose Company 12 and would remain
until it was disbanded in 1893. It then became Combination
Wagon 2 - and would remain for 12 years under that designation
- until 1905 when it was renamed Ladder Company 19. The
firehouse still stands today and is currently the Fitzgerald
Post.
 On
May 2, 1932, Ladder 19 moved to its new home at 700 East
Fourth Street - and still resides there today. It is also
the home to Engine Company 2. It was built on the corner
of K Street and East 4th Street, which had previously
been the site of a barn owned and occupied by the Boston
Elevated Street Railway. The firehouse is one of four
Boston Firehouses built at this time of similiar designs.
It is a 3 story building, with the main floor designated
for the appartus bays and patrol desk. The second floor
has the company offices and quarters for the one officer
and four firefighters. The third floor is designated for
the living area, including the kitchen, locker room and
weight room.
 As
with all fire departments, the dangerous work comes with
tragedy - and Ladder 19 is no exception. On December 8,
1927, Lt. James Gavagan, while responding to Box 7433,
was killed in the line of duty. While fighting a fire
at 675 East 4th Street - a police station at the time
- Lt. Gavagan breathed nitric acid fumes resulting from
the photographic section of the police station being involved
in the fire.
 The
second death involves another aspect of Ladder 19 history:
the famous (cursed?) White Elephant. The White Elephant
was a white 1941 American La France "500 Series"
100' Aerial Ladder truck. There are several theories as
to why the Boston Fire Department took delivery of a white
apparatus (most widely believed is that it was originally
intended for the Denver Fire Department - that used all
white apparatus.) Nevertheless, Ladder Company 8 in Fort
Hill Square was assigned the truck on - of all days -
September 11th, 1941. The truck was the first metal Aerial
Ladder truck to be used in Boston and because of it's
size and enclosed cab, was criticized by the firefighters
assigned to it. Further frustration was heard when the
aerial ladder jammed while on a drill and had to be refitted.
A little over a year after it's arrival in Boston, on
November 15, 1942, the "White Elephant" was
involved in a f amous fire in Maverick Square, East Boston,
where 6 firefighters were killed and the "White Elephant"
was nearly destroyed in the building collapse. The death
of these firefighters is often overshadowed by the historical
Cocoanut Grove Hotel fire - which occured 2 weeks later
- where 492 people were killed.
 The
"White Elephant" was taken out of service and
completely rebuilt by American La France. At this time,
it was painted red and assigned to Ladder Company 19.
Even though it was painted red, it still retained it's
nickname and was still believe by some to be cursed. A
member of Engine Company 2 once related that he was told
not to bring a line up over the aerial ladder as the fire
building would collapse. It is said that members of Ladder
19 were not happy about having the "White Elephant."
The problems continued with the apparatus, including several
untimely "jack-knifing" incidents and problems
with the brakes.
American
La France sent a representative to inspect the brakes
in an attempt to resolve the issue. On  December
3, 1947, while conducting the brake inspection near the
Strandway, the truck overturned, killing Firefighter Joseph
B. Sullivan - the second and last member of Ladder Company
19 to die in the Line of Duty. Firefighter Arthur Spacone
was the tillerman that day and was thrown 30 feet from
the wreckage, but survived. Many believed that the curse
ended with the destruction of the "White Elephant."
More than 12 years later on Christmas Eve, while then
assigned to Engine Company 2, Firefighter Spacone was
killed in the Line of Duty.
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