Morning journal and courier., 1882-02-16
The Veteran Firemen's Ball.

The Veteran Firemen's Ball.
Dine of the Largest Balls Ever Seen I'm this
EXPERIMENTATION of Banner-Speech-
es by Hon. N. ID. Sperry and Hon. John
III. Leeds-Distinguisned Guests Pres
emit.
One of the largest balls that has been seen
in this city for twenty years took place in
Peck's Grand Opera House last evening, the
occasion being the second annual ball of the
Veteran Firemens association. The Ameri-
can band was stationed in the east gallery
near the stage. The programme opened with
a concert by the band, commencing with an
overture followed by flute solo by Mr.. +.
Guilford, a selection from Patience" and
closing with the Swedish Wedding March. :"
Then came the grand march, led by E. D.
and ninety-one couples on the march, and it
was difficult to tell where the beginning and
the end of the immense company was. A
quadrille followed, the entire floor and stage
being occupied, with hundreds of couples
seated in the parquet and in the galleries who
Following the first quadrille came the Vet
erans' grand march, which was participated
in by two hundred and fifty veterans, who,
after marching and countermarching about
the hall, assembled on the stage in semi cir
cular form.
The entire floor was crowded with ladies
and gentlemen, who gathered in anticipation
of the presentation of the beautiful banner.
When quiet was restored, Hon. N. D. Sperry
stepped to the front and delivered the fol
lowing address:
Gentlemen of the New Haven Veteran Fire
mems Association:
have been requested to perform a very
pleasant duty. Last November COMMITTEES
was appointed to procure suitable banner
for this organization. That committee have
performed their duty, and to night the result
of thsir deliberation is to be made public.
The first question for the consideration OF
your committee was what kind of a banner
they should have, and what design should be
placed upon it? That committee did not
take long to decide, provided consent could
be obtained. Permission was at last given,
after much pressure, the work commenced
and carried forward to completion. now
take great pleasure in exhibiting the banner
and it's designs which I know will meet tbs
hearty approval of every member of this or
ganization Gould any design be conceived
more appropriate than the portrait of the
last chief of the old volunteer fire depart
ment. Hiram Camp? Nothing, I know
will be your response. An organization
that could give us such men as Camp
and Hendrick, the former being the last
chief of the old dispensation Cf l may use
the term), and the latter the first and the last
of the new, could not have been other thar
an honorable and worthy organization. The
fire department of to-day is a splendid orga
nization of men and under the best of disci-
pline. But to us who were members of the
volunteer department.,
There are no times like the old times,
They can never be forgot"
The. old cry of Fire Fire amidst the
changing of bells calling us to duty is nc
now the bells sound the alarm, and all
voices are hushed that we may count the
strokes of the bell, which at once locates
the place where this destructive element is
at work. Fire to-day combats fire. Fire
makes the water boil-it makes the steam
and SO becomes an element of its own de-
struetion. Our old organization did all that
horse fire and steam are now doing, and
right we'll we performed our duty when led
night recall And now in the name and in
behalf of the committee and donors pre-
sent to you this banner which commentaries
our services and achievements. Hang it
where you will, even upon the walls of
Truth, and the portrait of Hiram Camp upon
that banner will add lustre and brightness to
truth itself Place around it the symbols of
Fidelity, Patience, Manhood, Sobriety, Purity
aud Virtue, and the portrait will be perfect
synonyms, emblematical of them all. Even
the white hair, delineated upon that banner,
covering the head of our illustrious chief,
seems to have been given him. not only as a
crown of beauty, but to symbelize all that is
just good and pure. Take the banner, Vet
eran Firemen, it is yours. Preserve it, for
age will add to its value. Honor it, for in SO
doing you not only honor your own past
history but you honor yourselves.
Mr.. Sperry was repeatedly cheered during
his eloquent address. In the course OF his
remarks Colonel John G.. Healy brought the
banner to the front of the stage and an i'm
mense cheer went up from the immense
throng in attendance. When Mr.. Sperry
concluded Hon. John q. Leeds stepped to
the front and replied as follows:
Mr.. Spe7Yy and Gentlemen Of the Conpnssttee:
It is with feelings of pleasure and graft
tude that I receive and accept on behalf of
the Veteran Firemen's association this beau
tiful banner at your hands, and while no
token or souvenir from our comrades and as
sociates was necessary to remind or assure
us of their kind regards and deep interest in
our happiness and welfare in the past, nor of
their well wishes for the future, yet
as memento from those with
whom we have stood shoulder to shoulder in
battling with the fiery elements, we shall
cherish it with an affectionate regard far be-
yond our power to express. 1t will ever
awaken in our memories the proud record of
our volunteer fire department from 1884 to
1862, and we shall reflect with pride and salts
faction upon the long list of patriotic, honor
able and honored names of it's members,
many of whom have been called to fill posi-
tions of honor and trust in our municipal,
State and national councils. This familiar
fire scene (referring to the bannerI and the
portrait of our last chief will serve to remind
us of the time when to endure the greatest
hardships brave the greatest dangers, and
obey his commands was the height of vol
unteer fireman's glory; and as in the future
we shall relate our experiences and recite our
the run, the race, the service
with its strifes and its rivalries, and
of the long watch with its fatigues,
we will tell of him who was our chieftain
as firemen and our highest example in man
hood and good citizenship. And to you, gen
tlemen of the committee and our friends the
donors do we return our most hearty and
sincere thanks for this most beautiful and
highly appreciative gift, which we shall treas
ure up and protect with the greatest care,
and it, together with our highly priced col
lection of relics and mementoes of the past,
will pass to the watch and care of our sue
cessors and will become an heirloom and
bond of union between the ssold and the
new" when the last veteran volunteer fire.
man shall have passed away and our assecia-
ton shall have ceased to exist. And as the
great Father of all mercies has been pleased
to grant long life with peace and great pros
perity to him whose portrait adorns this ban
ner, SO will we pray that he may continue
the same these many years to come. And we
will teach our children and our children
children to revere his memory and emulate
his virtues as the full type of an upright
man, patriotic citizen and consistent
Christian, when he shall have obeyed the last
summons and answered the roll call above.
On the conclusion of Mr.. Leeds address
the banner was passed to City Sheriff Hollis,
who preceded the veterans as they passed off
the stage.
Then the dancing was resumed and contin-
ued until 1 o'clock, when intermission was
announced. After intermission the dancing
was continued until 4:3O this morning
The catering, by Max Thalheimer, in the
lower hall and at his dining rooms on Temple
street, was very satisfactory.
The various committees, with their ladies