RACING TO EMERGENIES: CAPE'S HORSE-DRAWN AMBULANCE FIRST BETWEEN ST. LOUIS AND MEMPHIS

The precursor of today's technologically equipped emergency medical response vehicles appeared for the first time in Cape Girardeau on Sept. 20, 1911.

On that day, the Southeast Missouri Undertaking Co. unveiled its new, horse-drawn ambulance. The company also got a new hearse that day.

A newspaper account said the ambulance was "one of the latest designs and is equal to those used in the largest cities."

It was considered to be the first horse-drawn ambulance between St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn.

Beautifully upholstered throughout, it also featured a state of the art internal communications system -- a speaking tube running from the back of the ambulance to the driver to provide "instant communication," according to the newspaper.

It was also equipped with alarm signal gongs.

The vehicle was drawn by "a fine pair of iron grey horses" that were trained in the same manner as horses used by the fire department to pull its equipment.

The driver, who wore a Red Cross uniform, horses and equipment were ready to go at any time -- day or night -- to transport the sick and injured.

The most regular calls were to the railroad depot to pick up injured or ailing passengers transported from southern Missouri.

Martin G. Lorberg, owner of Southeast Missouri Undertaking, was responsible for starting the ambulance service. The company continues to operate today as Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel Inc.

The business was originally at 625 Good Hope St. and shared space with the Haarig Furniture Co., which Lorberg also owned.

Four years after the city's first ambulance arrived, Lorberg still operated the only such modern and fully equipped vehicles in the county.

An innovator locally, Lorberg also bought the city's first motorized ambulance on Feb. 6, 1917. He immediately phased out the horse-drawn service.

The purchase of the motor-powered ambulance came less than a year after he ordered the city's first motorized hearse on July 29, 1916.

That vehicle was purchased for $4,000 from McCabe Powers Carriage Co. of St. Louis. It took over two months for the company to build and deliver the hearse.