Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-03-07

however, mat ne could not run to hreS with
4 maud engines and work them because he was
physically unable, but it certainly struck Him as
the wiser course to change the name and con-
tnue in existence than to retain the maine and
expire. He could not exactly understand the
Company that; the organization should perish
rather than allow its name to be changed H..
would change his .own name for 500, 900 TO
be sure it would be rather curious after living
aslong as he had bearing the name Of Ball to
be going about among the people who had
known him all his life telling them that his
name was something else. ) Corporations, or
bodies polite, as DIR. johnson called them, were
T having their names changed every day The
railroads for instance changed their names
whenever it was found to be beneficial, and if
Pthis company does not change theirs the; whole
reorganization would end in & tizzle. He thought
Major Wilmington had been too severe in his
structures upon the Fire Wardens Their APP
polntment was one Of the few good things the
present City Council had done. g.
Major Wilmington had not been too severe
He had been fighting the Fire Wardens aud his
company with him all his life, and this propo
sition Of theirs was an evidence of their ami
mostly.
Col. Ball-There is no luminosity in the mat
ter. Two companicS-the Sun and the Friend
ship-were striving for the possession Of the
new engine. TO have given it to either would
have been cause of complaint to the other, and
to obyiate the difficulty the Wardcns had re-
solved upon the simple plan of giving it to
neither, but to company with Il new name.
The Wardens we're very efficient set Of men
and had discharged their duties faithfully, and
the City Council had acted wisely in delegating
to them their authority
President Kilgour said he spoke only to, if
possible, reconcile differences and carry out the
object of the organization. He had never oc-
cupied more delicate position III his whole life
than that in which he found himself. For six
teen mOnthshe had been q member OF the COM
puny, but it was only recently that he had been
called upon to act az President. He honorcd
and appreciated the feeling of the cid members;
those feelings of admiration for the glorics of
the past and the loved associations of by-gonc
days. If when he visited the scenes Of his child.
hood he were to see the axe of the woodman
raised to strike blow at the root of the tree
around which he had gamboled in his youth he
would cry out,
! Woodman spare that tree,
Touch not single bough;
In youth it sheltered me-
/ :. And I'll protect it now.
But this is essentially the age of progress
The cry now is upward and onward. Literature,
Science and Art are all imbued with the spirit,
and the waves of progress dash over the peaks
of the mountains Amidst the general re-
linQuishment Of the things that are past and the
grasping forward for things in advance we can
not hold back We must yield 1 name to build
up an organization lie was not surprised that
the bone and muscle ofthc organization should
cling to the old name; he admired their manly
devotion to the clustering memories Of the
| Rnt of In i
cability of the change The waves of time are
beating against the old house; noble men who
used to meet there have passed away and left
their SOUS to look upon crmbllng walls which,
with mute eoqucrce, almost demand to he per
petuated and that the lettering splrc which
surmounts them may be strengthened and so
continue to bask in security among the golden
rays of the Sun Financially almost bankrupt,if
the resolution were voted down where would
the company 60 for help. The house is now
dilapidatcd and crumbling to decay; the Or
ganization is without means; by the mere change
of Il name you renew your existence aud start
atresh with so much vigor that the Organlza-
ton would be one of the best and most ettec,,
tive in the State. You who will have the hard
work to perform, to rise at all hours OF the
night at the sound of the alarm bell, and run
to the fire through the wind, the rain and the
snow will find it to your advantage to vote tor
the resolution. \ short time since he had Wis
tied the old school house Of his boyish days; it
had gone to ruin; the old stream that flowed
near by had been turned out of its course; the
old oak tree, in the shade Of which ne used to
play had fallen there was scarce memento lett
to tell him of his early years;and as his thoughts
roamed down the vista OF the past and recalled
the forms that once peopled It, ne mad turned
away with saddened htart, tor the memories
that clustered there would haunt HIM while
blood courscd through his veins. With such
feelings it was impossible for him net to respect
the opinions of those who differed with him upon
the question at issue but looking at it in all Its
Ights he was forced to think that the adoption
i, Of the resolution would be the more advisable
course.
COL Ball said it was apparent to hln that
there was too much feeling among the old mem,
: bers OF the company for him to take any part
in voting upon the resolution, and he would
: suggest that none of the new members vote
Mr. Kilgour moved that the adoption or rt-
lection of the resolution be lett altogether with
, the old members.
Major Wilmington said that Col. Ball never
made Il greater mistake in his hte than when
he said there was too much feeling among the
!, old members to allow Of the new members vot-
: Ing. The old members were pleased and de-
lighted at the occasions to their strength glad
, that such good material had come TO their as
, sistauce they had gotten low down III the
world and were gratiied at their reinforccmcntS.
COL B. y remarks had been entire y gratultouss.
MIR. Underwood moved to lay Mr.. kilgour 5
motion that none but old members vote on the
: table, and his motion was adopted.
| MIR. Burke moved that all the old members
present sign their names to the ncwroll of mem;
!, bership and his motion being carried several
y Tho vote being then taken on the resolution
l. reported by the committee, it was defeated by
/ ayes s, noes 20, none of the new members vot-
t ing, Mr. George Bryan and some others stat:
/ ing, when their names were called that they did
e not think they had right to vote on the
n question
# On motion of VIM. Dobie the meeting thel
d adjourned until the Company has engine;
II Which, the President said, was equivalent to ad