Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-04

us back to the year 1S4O, during which time
have been a member of seven different COM
panes, some of them considered the best in
the United States l have helped to organize
five different ones, and having been SO long
connected with fire department, and having
filled every office in one, pride myself in or
ganizing at last, one, that is near to perfection
the Arab Company. And I say to you, and to
this vast audience, not to tlatter you, but that
you, the best, quickest and most efficient fire
company ever saw, and [ challenge any city
Of the Union, with a volunteer association, to
show your equal in any respect. Gentlemen,
have led you to many hard fought battle,
well and faithfully have you done your duty,
and never have you been beaten.
1 accept of this beautiful Silver Trumpet,
coming as it does, not from few Of you, but
as understand it to be, it is the generous out
pouring of the mite Qet it be large or smalD
of every member ofthis Company. This makes
the gift the more valuable to me. informing me
you are all, all, my friends, and I thank you for
the same from my very heart, determined to
lead you with it, on to other battle fields, were
you aoII, and shall reap renewed glory and
laurels, pledging myself ever to remain and be
interest till death do part us. [ will preserve
your gift and hand it as you desire, to my
children when l come to die, with instructions
never to part with it, to preserve it so it can
be handed TO after generations. May the Arab
Company never die, and when l depart
this life, let it be a fireman's glorious death,
leading you Arabs on to glory, and that shall
be buried with all the pomp, glory, and
funeral rites of this great, noble and glorious
Company, is my most earnest wish. Gentle
men, again allow me to thank you, for this
beautiful, costly and apprproiate gift
President Winter then delivered the follow
FORMAL ADDRESS.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and Fszlos0
Citizens:
Another yesr has rolled around-the 9Th
birthday of our Company, and having gone
through with the regular Company business, It
devolves upon me as the Chief Magistrate of the
Company to briefly rehearse its history from its
organization up to this present evening:
This company was organized and brought
into existence in an old frame building, located
on Commercial Avenue, on the spot where
Winters Block now stands on the corner Of
Seventh street, then occupied as a tin shop, on
the evening of Sept. l, lS59-six years ago
tonight.
Myself and eleven others, the actors upon
that memorable occasion, met, surroun-
ded by stoves, tin pans, and old kettles. and
perpetrated the deed by signing the constltu-
ton and bylaws that governed the Company
up to the acceptance and adoption of our
present State Charter and Bylaws, which
change took place April Sd, 1865, and under
which charter we now work.
Tho Company has been in existence up to
this evening six years to this very hour, during
which time there has been ITO alarms of fire,
81 of which were burning chimneys or else
totally false; l19 alarms were actual fires, at
81 of which the Company was in service, and
many times the only one to do duty.
The amount of property destroyed during this
period six years is as follows:
From Sept. l, 1859 to Sept. go, period of
1890 to sept iisss 1''0o w
From Sept i, 1862 to Sept /, 1868. period '-0'00
From sspt l. 1858. to Sept i. 1854, period '.0''0
From Sept l. 1864, to Sept. j, 1865. period '0
OF year ..........:....... olo,oto,oo
Total loss for the six years. S6lS, ,19l co
Or nearly twothirds of million of dollars about one
half of WHICH only was covered by Insurance
1t also appears by these figures, and, by the
way, they say figures will not lie, that the loss
by fire the past year is far greater than the
previous five years combined
Independent of the fires and losses men
toned, the Company also attended the burn
ing of the large naval wharf-boat with all its
naval stores and ordnance upon it, at Mound
City on the night of Jan. ] 1864, the loss Of
which to the Government exceeded half
million dollars. At this fire the company done
good execution, saving considerable property;
our pipeneen entering the hold of the boat,
subduing the fire, while hole of sufficient
capacity was cut so as to enable the water to
enter, causing her to sink, and prevent the
burning mass from floating down amongst the
fleet ofboats laying below. For our services
rendered that night we received the thanks Of
Admiral D. D. Porter in a card published in
the Cairo City and ST. Louis papers.
Here follows an extended account of the
fires occurring in this city since the organiza-
ton of the Arab Fire Company, which We
heretofore published and now expunge.l
From the commencement of our organization
the members have been to great expense and
labored hard to maintain the organizations and
for years were but poorly sustained by the
citizens but within the last eighteen months
considerable pecuniary aid has been received
from individuals, firms and the City Council
This liberal spirit having been manifested, has
! inspired the company to renew its efforts to
please, and have more than redoubled its ex-
ertions to be in a condition for any possible
emergency.
To this end, therefore, a steam fire engine has
been purchased, with three new large hose reels,
l 900 feet of large rubber hose also 400 feet
Of new small hose, to use with our little Arab.
All of this apparatus is in good working order,
and capable of reaching any portion of the
town and do good service. ~
The expense incurred by these purcha-
ses, together with the lot on which our
Engine House stands, involves us considerably
in debt-still we confidently expect that gem
erous public, in whose service the time and
money of the members are SPENT and often
their lives placed in jeopardy, will appreciate
the past services rendered, and cordially lend
their aid to all effosts to perfect and maintain
| the organization. We number now on our
rolls 100 good true, and worthy Arabs, ready
| and willing at moments warming to protect
| and defend your homes and property, and with
our members and apparatus, we challenge any
| city in the Union to show a better or more eff
cient Fire Company.
In the organization of the Company the in.
corporators had tw o-fold object in view, and
for that reason embodied q benevolent associa.
ton within it, SO that, while being general
benefit to all in time of fire. the members could
protect and assist one another in time of sick.
ness and distress and many an Arab has fell
| and received that assistance and benefit, and
several have been conveyed to their last resting
place with funeral rites and ceremonies ex.
ceeded by few associations.
To support and maintain this, we formed anG
| founded Relief Fund, which is denominatee
such i'll our bylaws. This fund is kept ND b,
monthly assessments on each and every mem
Der, OF fifty cents; and, although we have pait
out large and numerous sums of money, in thu
way OF benefits, the past year, the said fun(