The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-09-25

Company Is an organization of which Eb-
ensbufg is and has good reason to be proud
Composed as it is of some of the best and
ablest young men in the town it's domestic
affairs from its inception down to the pres
ent time have been conducted in such q
manner as to win general applause, while
the work it has been called upon to perform
IN a professional way, happily for q
town net onerous, has yet been we'll DONE
Beginning without dollar in the treasury,
by series of enterprises original in coucep-
ton and bold in execution il has succeeded
In realizing quite large sum of money
This money, or the major part of it, has un-
mistakaby been put where it WOULD do
the most good" 1t has been expended in
The purchase Of library, numbering sever
al hundred vol umes, and embracing stan
dard works as well as the latest and best
! miscellaneous publications of the dav-
With commendabie liberality the use of this
library il not conf ned to the members of the
Company, hct ncn-rnemb bers the pay
ment OF a nominal sum PEI year, are admit
! ted to its privileges. This of itself, is suffi
clent to commend the organi zation as a pub
| lie henefaction, while the efforts il puts forth
| for the preservation OF property when the
flames surge high, are appreciated at their
proper value.
From every indication the Dauntless is
destined TO be n permanent company. Its
officers are capable its membership large,
its finances adequate. We are assured that,
ho untow ard accident Intervening, it will
not be permitted to sink, as have so many
public enterprises of a somewhat similar
character in our midst heretofore. Such he
ing the case, and to the end that the unwrit-
ten history of the Company NAV not perish
with the lapse OF time, but be affectonately
rfmembered down to the last moment of its
usefulness, we propose placing on record a
brief "reminiscences connected with the earli-
est days of its existence.
Four years ago, after the occurrence of n
slight fire, our citizens became afflicted with
the scare which always followed such an
event, and determined to purchase new
engine forth with. Accordingly a meeting
of citizens was called at the Court House,
and goOdly aSScmblage was present there
"a. Speeches were made and the utter iba a
bility OF the town to successfully cope with
the devouring element was painted III graph
ic coiors. Some resolutions WERE, also, dopt-
ed, and the upsl1ot of the matter vas that a
new engine was purchased by Council
Naturally the next thing in order the
formation of a company to run the machine.
n company was formed and a committee aT-
pointed to draw up a constitutions and by
laws for its guidance. The committee, in
the discharge of its duties, met for delibera-
ton. The first business that came before
it for consideration was the selection of Z
Eame for the Company. Here occurred a
hitch. Some of the committeeman thought
that "Cambria' would be the most appro-
pirate name, others expressed - preference
for M ountain' or M ountaineer, " and vet
others coutended that there was a charm
about the word "Allegh.ny'' that ought to
make it peculiarly acceptable. Indeed. each
one seemed to have come already cooked and
primed with a name, aud by some odd coin
cidsnce each and every name suggested sa-
yored strongly of some point or popularity
relating TO ou- geographical location. In
the end, as compromise acceptable to all
parties it was agreed to discard all mere '
local names, and select instead some genera
one.
This meeting of the committee was held
! in High street business establishment
where paper collars by the box were expos
ed for sale. After each member had shut
his ewes two minutes and half to think OF
a suitable name, and then opened them with
out having thought OF it or anything like it,
one of the number chanced to fasten his eye
on a row of collar-boxes. They were label
ed
''Dduntless." ="
He made the proper suggestion it y SIS
accepted, and it soCame about that an unprc-
tentious box of collars lent its name u Z
fire organization which in point of efficiency Y
is second to none in the land. 1t was an
unassuming way to choose name. There
was no romance about it. Many n far more
hish-sounding aggregation of syllables might t
have been arrived at. But the name fits
it is appropriately meausbusihess.