Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-03-10
comprising all classes Of citizens, and there

comprising oil GRASSES VI cltlZellS, anu lilcie
were no more respectable men in the city; mel
membered the Marshal of the State of Mary
land had paid them visit. 1t was the only
respectable fire company ever in the city-no,
one of its members having been sent to the
penitentiary. They were orderly and Of gen
tlemanly demeanor, and used to attend then
meetings and afterwards ming le III social con
verse Oh terms of familiar equality, irrespective
of their positions in conventional society. Why
can this be done now? Why instead do the
young men frequent the restaurants and places
Of low resort? Because gentlemen like Robt. Mil
Ter, oppose any thing Of the kind, and the young
men OF i certain class followed i'll their wake.
The young men had abdicatcd their POSITIONS
The Friendship ought to llavethc new steamer.
and the company should demand it of the
| Council, upon the ground of the location of
their house, and because their house is best
adopted for its accommodation; and if the de-
mand is not complied with then sec to it that
none of the members of Council are reelected
next May. His family had SD, 900 worth Ut
property III the upper part OF the city, the taxes
| and Insurance upon which absorbed Ill the
| rents and that property he thought was as
| 2nd Ward, but Fire Warden SmOot had told
IL,
the subject, that it was advisable to have the
engine houses far off as it would give the cngl-
neer more time to get up steam in going to
fire. Was not that L brilliant reason? There
was a mean and unworthy spirit evinced III tins
matter by Tie l'lI: WaIucIis, lliat or anOrulnS
all the protection to the property OF the buck
rabbit merchants Oh the wharf. And who Is 1t
that come here and dictate to the company
what they shall do? Ball and Kilgour. But
who the devil are Ball and kilgour? one flip
pant speaker and the other L plausible writer;
though neither have more senSc than they
ought to have. Squattcrs of whom COL Ball
migratoryBal himsclt:-onc is elected President
and the other Vice President of the company,
and the first thing they do is to desert and sell
out to the Columbia kilgour said the Friend
shin members were L set of fools not to change
their name, for in six months they might have
changed it back again. But they were right i'll
not changing it, and he would defy the City
Council or even the Legislature 10 break up the
company. The Fire Wardens had promised
the Philadelphians that the engine should be
named the Columbia The old members of the
company, the sons of those who had run with
the engine before Ball and Kilgour were thought
of. were attached to the old name and would
retain it, but Ball and Kilgour, who hadn't got
warm in their seats-hacn't been here long
enough to know where West street was, must
have it changed, and because twas not changed
resigned Let them resign! he filled the place of
Ball. y member intcrrupting-l fill the
place of Mr.. Windsor | wont tillany place he
has occupied We arc being ruined in the
name of political adhesion Politics has moth
ing to do with this matter, and it should hc sccu
to that no man went to Council next year from
the upper wards who did not sustain the conl-
pally in their demand for the possession of the
new engine. There were rumors on the streets
Of rascality connected with the company with
reference to steamer they had purchased some
time ago from w. b. Richards, and the money
that had been subscribed therefor About this
he knew nothing; Mr. Wilmington was present,
who knew more about it than he did This,
however; had nothing to do with the present
question:; the steam engine belonged to the City
Council, and we will make the issue with them
in May regardless of former political affiliations
He had lately had talk with his venerable
mother; who having seen in the newspaper
that there was proposition to change the name
OF the Friendship, told him that another old
landmark was passing away under the new
regime. The grave yards Of the whole South
land and the battle fields all spoke cloqucntly
against the proposed change, and when You
consent to that change and 50 destroy the old
time honorcd organization you may is well also
destroy the monuments of our fathers
The Secretary then read the following conl
munications
To the mte,ubcJs Of thr Friendship Fire CD.:
GENTLEMEN: | see by notice in the ncwsps-
pcrs that meeting of your company is caledto for
this evening. | was somewhat surprised to see
this action, as the society ut its meeting on Mon
day evening last, against my earnest rnaSdcors
a,tiWishes, adjourned to meet when ancw engine
shall have been obtained This was construed by
myself and others to be II mutual disbanding OF
the company. In consequence OF this condition
of things have accepted the Presidency OF
new fire company, and hereby tender, very r"-
Spectfully, my resignation ~ an iii ccrand InrIli-
bur Of your company. Apprcci ating the conf,
drncc ynu have :" generously placed IN me ANA
chcri.hing the friendly relations that have exist
ed between us, | am respectfully,
Your obcdicnt servant,
WM. kILuouR.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, March Sth, 1871.
Gentlemen, ofthe Friendship Fire Co.:
The wide diversity of sentiment l'crvading
your organization, and being one of the minority,
and entirely unable, according To- my practical
views of assisting you in promoting your wei
fare, most respectfully beg leave to tender my
H.