The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-05-07

stituted for breath and muscle, And we won.
der that we have remained so long Ignorant OF
And here let ne say, that have seen mos,
Of tho prominent steam fire DEPARTING mis- of M
country, and feel city pride In proclaimi ing
| and gentlemsnly department, IA sunerior IA
many and Inferior TO none.
We now reach one OF tho most Interesting
periods In the history OF the company, the
Mrs. Z. H, Pendleton (the daughter OF Robt,
Mills. arohitect,l a lady OF culture and bril-.
is h ACKNOWLEDGMENT, became the friend
soul seemed to be csnisrea ia The desire eo to
present was the old yet beautiful banner we
oy vsf iSn SSa q s:r s sSs sseo
rations Of our hall are principally her contri.
buttons money to endow our library was
md alone ios tospogra A..
corporated the "Columbls Library 1ssoeis.
tion," That library is Increasing yearly in
nde are carefully shss.ssa saS q nsr
served. But the pure heart, bright face, spark.
ling eye and liberal hand or her who was 90
RaGh Ia and 10 SslNsea By is h
Oh why do the good die so youngi The an.
swer can only come fromthe mysterious future.
Fortunately our company have perpetuated
our hall. Not to remind us, whose privilege 1t
was to know her, Of features so well known,
and which are indelibly engraved upon our
live after us, the Image Of the freman's friend
and benefactress.
But now we come to that fatal nlsht-Msy
over the Columbia Fire Compsny; the night
that robbed US OF gallant member; the night
that has brought us here to-day to do honor to
ne memo memory FL our noble conrade. Benjamin
who have saved or served their country; eccle.
.iastical history spreads out upon Its pages
lives OF Howard and host OF other philan.
throplsts have been written but who has
written the history, OF the volunteer fireman,
KILLED in the discharge OF his dutyp
inscribed to draw from the heart sympathetic
sigh or tear; let the proud look down with
contempt upon these self.sacrlfcing men; but
heart as free from seiashness and possessipu
as high a principle Of honor as he who ex.
hibits finer exterior.
parted brother.the representation Of the
scene 70 faithfully cut upon the monument by
some o. Us saw him die, and many of us
stood round his corpse as he lay In our hall.
Poor Ben, beloved by all who knew him, no
more shall we see your honest, handsome
fsce-no more shall we hear those sweet
baritone notes Of song that thrilled the ears
Are we superstltous ibid we receive A
death warning on that fatal night
surrounded BY his comrades and singing his
favorite song, "Good night to allr the bell
struck the alarm OF fire. The song was half
hnished-the singer dead.
Farewell Ben; we have raised . tablet to
done.
Music was here, rendered by q. band, when
Hon. d. b. French arose and said,
The scene before me Is fruitful of remiuis-
cences,
sec around me my friends and neirhbors of
ha ARa ~
among whom have dwelt for more than I
quarter Of q century are here; and the many
occasions wherein 1 have united with them,
they were but Of yesterday.
Well do remember the presentation to the
Columbia Fire Company, BY the accomplished,
aThe Guiding Star" Of The old GoiumbisIof
an elegant and appropriate nag, bearing upon
y the stars and stripes OF our beloved country.
She presented other banners, but this partic.
ularly remember, for I had the honor to be one
OF those who Joined In the ceremony Of the
presentation and reception Of that elegant
him whom we SO deeply regret, and whose
memory we meet here to henor, was on that
day heard, In the rich musical tones which he
l remember, too the elegant tabieau that
was witnessed AZ Carusps saloon, when that
same generous lady presented to the company,
opening address on this occasion%then Pre se
dent Of Columbia-a magnificent silver speak
ing.trumpet. In that ceremony also Joined;
are fresh il my memory, the form o'o Of Young a
Grenup stands before me, as he stood In life, q
noble specimen OF manhood; modest In his de.
pertinent, fearless in the performance OF every
duty; and In temperance, morality, and the
virtues that adorn humanity, an example to
all his associates.
ceeding the calamity which deprived the com.
with the particulars OF Il, was related TO me
voice trembling With emotion By worthy
ranked second to no one In manly promise, and
who, alas, has since followed him to the land
OF shadows. Irefer to Joseph NJ. Adams, who
only to be respected and loved, and whose sud.
den death was deeply and sincerely mourncd
BY all who knew HIN.
II would seem to us finite beings, untimely, OF
the never-to-be-forgotten lady, OF whose gener-
Gus deeds have spoken, and a 1.-THE of which
memory which it is appropriate that / should
mention. She, too, passed away In the midst
Of her usefulness, and her memory 10 still
f.e.h and dear to every member OF the old
We may all here In this presence, as It were
Of the dead, most properly remember and re.
call all these things, an! they ought to impress
In the sacred volume, ABE ye also ready, for,
At an hour yc think not OF the Son Of Man
It is not out OF place hero to allude to the
great change that has been made within few
years In the mode Of dealing with connagra.
lions. Now, when an alarm Is sounded, In
we sec the exciting exhibition Of a steamer
Ing Its train Of smoke and. sparks In its rear,
while generating the power needed to over
Science has done away with the old uncer.
Iainty which induced the inquiry, where is !
~ hIsr whsn the arst stroke q the bell
we have only to listen for moment when the
slectric current, acting like magic las II really
,e s,r 70 be- upon the "ase alarm, informs us
This vast, this wonderful Improvement on |
he old order OF things has rendered numerous !
4 men, as hrc companies, un- |
,xtinguishm, OF Ares to a complete System |
.tio organiIatlon, generally known as 1.-THE |
Fire Brigade. which we lind ever ready 10
Thi. effective organization in this city hs.
broken up most Of the old fire companies, but |
he Columbia still retains Its Organization, |
which name It legally holds In consequence Of
charter by Congress, obtained mainly BY the
'xertions OF the lady whom I have already
mentioned.
That company in the days OF Its great useful.
less as fire company, to Its everlasting credit
'e A. said, established a library, and a most
redi ns hso one twas not only In the .eles
where 1t was kept, where might be found at
IL times more or less of Its members spending
heir leisure hours In literary pursuits. We,
say "we," for l was sufficiently favored to
participate. felt proud Of our library, and l
Aw with pleasure, that often expressed in
yards of their literary Investment instead OF
pending their precious time In idleness, or
worse than idlenessi and predicted that the
ity would reward this worthy action OF the
ompany while Its members would be vastly
levated In the scale Of respectAbiiity. Ny
reelection has been fulfilled. That library il
TIL In existence, and the company who formed