Originally located in Los Angeles, the factory moved to Burbank in 1914 to become one of the largest manufacturers of trucks, busses, and fire engines in the west. The Los Angeles Fire Department soon became a good customer.
Early Moreland fire rigs were no beauties, but they were durable and dependable and well known for their pumpers, foamite and water tankers and grass-wagon trucks for transporting fire fighters and equipment. Hercules and Continental engines were standards. In the twenties, Watt Moreland took a stab at designing passenger cars and airplanes. After a few prototypes of each, he concentrated only on trucks and fire apparatus. http://www.lafire.com/fire_apparatus/TouristFireEngines_Burnham/TouristFireEngines_Burnham.htm
in 1964 Life magazine sent a couple photographers to Gene's ranch, and these are the only two images they took of his wagon and truck collection, damn! Here is the problem... a fire destroyed it all.... Gene’s prized collection of antique automobiles and stagecoaches, his wardrobe and costumes, documents and memorabilia, and an archive of 17,000 recordings.
