Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-10-22
BANNER PRESENTATION.

OH tnc OcCdSuh vi thO SVuuSy Eoh' was 'hS
display to be made. by the Fire Department
of this place The programme was a parade
aud The reception Of the Athens Company as
| their invited guests, banner presentation and
torch light procession in the evening. The
| elements seemed to have conspired to defeat
the success of the Fair, but our gallant fremen
went through with their part of the performance
despite the unpropitious weather.
At IL o'clock, g Protection Fire Co" No. l
of Athens arrived, and were received by the
Firemen Of this place, and welcomed by the
Chief Engineer in few words Of greeting,
eloquently responded to by the Foreman of
Protection. They numbered about 40 men,
under the charge of A. H. SPALDING Foreman,
and accompanied by L. w. B1RcHARD, Engi-
neer. Headed by Dittrich's brass band, they
were escorted through town, and dismissed
until evening. At 2 o'clock they sat down to
on excellent dinner at SwEAzEY's, where excel
lent appetites did good justice to the viands
prepared. .-- -...... ...
| At I o'clock in the evening" the Court
House was filled with spectators to witness
the presentation of a banner from the ladies
of Towanda borough to Franklin No. l. The
banner was presented by ULYSSES MERCUR,
Esq. on the part of the ladies, in the following
words = ...
| GENTLEMEN AND MEMBERS OF THE FRANKLIN
FIRE CoMPANY-I appear before you this even
ing, at the request, and in the behalf, of the
Ladies of Towanda. The position which they
have assigned to me in making me their rep
resentative on this occasion, | accepted with
peasure-I receive it as a kind manifestation
of their kindness and partiality towards me,
and at the same time do not forget that
am an honorary member of your Society, hav-
ing been amongst its earliest members. So
participate in the pleasure of both giving and
| receiving.
| GENrLEMEN-Your organization formed for
the protection of the property and the homes
of our citizens should excite all the better feel
ngs of our nature To you we look for the
preservation, from the devouring flames, of our
homes our family affairs and our lives. Un-
/ like the warrior whose glory is acquired by
strewing the battlefield with the bodies Of the
slain, and marking his path with destruction
and devastation, yours is acquired by preServ
ing and protecting. If it be commendable to
acquire, it is still more so to preserrs from use
less and wanton devastation. Yours is mis-
sion of benevolence and humanity--one of
kindness and love- Woman, true to the gene
rous emotions and noble sympathies of her ma
ture, feels deep interest in your prosperity.
She looks upon your organization as the natu-
raj offspring of an enlightened and humane
age-of that conservative spirit of the age
which seeks to preserve and protect both the
useful and the beautiful Thus viewing your
organization, its purposes and its influences,
and cherishng kind feeling toward your So
ciety and its individual members, the Ladies
of Towanda, by the presentation of this Ban
ner, desire to express a slight manifestation
of their appreciation of your past conduct. As
your past conduct has been most commenda-
BILE, so they have no doubt but your future
will continue the same. Yours is q noble en-
terprise-and although you may not be crown
ed with the garland of Fame which decked
the brow of the successful warrior in a more
classical age, nor with the wreath of olive
with which the victor at the Olympic games
was crowned, yet here surrounded by profu-
sion of the material products of the land, wo-
man gives you this kind token of her approval.
Take this Banner, gentlemen, bearing upon it
the name and likeness of FRANKLIN-a name
known and revered throughout the civilized
world and in the expressive language inscrib-
ed beneath it, may you be Always in time
and ready for action" That you will ever
preserve it lpure and spotless, the Ladies of
Towanda have full confidence a
WILLIAM ELwELL, Esq, on the part OF
Franklin No. received this splendid present,
and returned the Acknowledgements of the
Company as follows =
Mr.. .MEReUR Franklin Fire Company
No. |, tenders to the ladies of Towanda its
sincere thanks for this splendid banner, and
duly appreciates the sentiments of confidence
and regard which you as their representative
have so kindly expressed in its presentation
In the history of this village we 60 back but
very few years to the time when there was
no means provided for defending against de-
struction by fire. Then feeling of insecurity
pervaded our entire population and
fear caused many q sleepless hour. Often
very often were our citizens startled from their
ftful slumbers by the rapid stroke of fire
bell at midnight; and Fastening with rapid
steps to the scene of destruction, vainly re-
GREETING that we were so lily prepared to cope
with the devastating elements.
On such occasions the ladies were most ef-
ficient and foremost in efforts to save the prop
erty of our citizens often for hours together
their unbroken ranks extended from the only
reservoir, the broad Susquehanna, to the point
of danger, laboring with untiring and unceas
ing energy until further exertions were unnec
essary. All praise to the ladies for their no
BILE and philanthropic action in those days ol
terror. ...s -,.. .....
AS am only On honorary and not an active
member of the fire department, may speak