 At the beginning of the twentieth century , Buffalo 's waterfront was an extremely busy center of commerce . Grain elevators , warehouses and shipping traffic had overtaxed the two existing fireboats : John T. Hutchinson ( Engine 23 ) and George R. Potter ( Engine 29 ) . Also , the city of Buffalo had shoreline hookups to allow the fireboats to serve as floating pumping stations supplying high pressure water to a fire hydrant system that covered the downtown area . The decision was made by city officials to order a third boat that would also have icebreaking capability along with her normal firefighting duties . 
