The Portland daily press., 1886-10-04

Clo anu luC Iilob dlSH CuOlI W.
cupied settees on either side f the decorated
shaft. Mr.. A. j. Cummings the president
of the Relief Association, preIded.
The services opened with annvocation by
Rev. A. T. Dunn, of the Free Sreet Church.
The choir sang ''Oh, Hou, whose
power Ger moving worlds pRsides," the
singers voices blending clearly nd sweetly.
Mr.. Cummings then introduced Ar. Lewis B.
Smith, the first secretary of the lelief Asso-
citation. Mr.. Smith read an address, rem
dered of great interest by the knowledge of the
author with reference to all that prtains to
the Portland Fire Department and its Relief
Association, and the graceful style in which
it was written. An abstract of the address
follows:
MIR. SMITHS ADDRESS.
Mr. Smith said it is now twenty-five years
since he retired from active connection with
the fire department He withdrew with the
hope that the friendships and pleasant asso-
Citations formed during his connection Will
the department might remain unbroken and
the present occasion on which he had beer
asked to participate in the exercises, served
as a token that his hope had not been i'll
founded. The Relief Association was or
ganizsd on the 7th of March, l84S, for tht
department who in the line of their arduous
duty might be injured, as well as to offer aid
to the families of those who died. Mr.
Smith gave the names of the first board OF
officers and the present officers and said that
when the Association was incorporated in
names. Today the Association has 15C
members, the decrease in the number belong
ing being due to the fact that only II
men are required to serve in each company
today with steam fire engines, while for
merly so men ran with each hand engine.
The early records of the Association were
destroyed in the burning of. the Exchange in
1854.
The revenues of the Relief Association are
derived from the contributions of its men,
bers, the fees for life membership and dona-
tions and legacies. After extending aid tc
359 of its members and their families the as
sociation today has in its treasury 81, ,346
The largest amount expended in helping al
Individual member was S4903. and the small
est seven dollars. Its first donation was one
of $500 from Israel Richardson, and the last
one of fifty dollars from the town of Deering
The operations of the association have been
conducted in a quiet and unobtrusiye way,
and were it not for the newspaper reports Of
its meetings the general public would hardly
be aware of its existence. Harmony has
prevailed in its meetings, and its manage
ment has been governed by wisdom. In 1854
the city conveyed the lot, the dedication Of
which is the object of this meeting, to the
trustees of the association the measure re-
ceiving the hearty sympathy of ex-Mayol
Deering, who was then In ONCE. ana later OF
Mayor Chapman.
The speaker made fitting mention of the
debt of gratitude which the city owes to It's
brave fremen. He said that today when
special training is thought necessary in al
trades and professions no school for the fire
men is suggested, and such suggestion
would meet with opposition. The pluck re.
quired in the fireman is born with him, and
the training he gets in his work must come
from experience. But the Relief Associa-
tion should be remembered and help given IL
increasing its funds to the limit of $4,000 Sc
by its charter. Mr.. Smith spoke of the sac
redness of the hour, and in closing said tha
he would leave the lessons to be drawn from
the day and the occasion, to the pulpit, thu
proper place from which they should be en-
forced.
Ex-Assistant Engineer Henry Fox was tht
next speaker, and spoke feelingly and appro
priately of the occasion. His remarks fol
low:
MIR. FoX's ADDRESS.
Mr.. President:
In the days that are past it has frequently
been my privilege to meet the hremen OF
Portland, but never have / met them on an
occasion like this. Never have | met you
before surrounded by graves, falling leaves
and blighted flowers, each and all suggestive
emblems of mortality. Why are you here
Why have you left the city of the living tC
visit the city of the dead-surely neither the
''tap of the bell" nor the fire alarm has
called you here. No, you have come respon-
.,iye to a call which knows no district, and is
cO-existent in every heart that IS charged
with sympathetic feeling. You have come
to set aside this spot of earth and dedicate II
with appropriate services to the use of the
firemen of Portland to build here fireman:
mausoleum, where in all coming time until
the grave gives up its dead" you and those
who come after you shall tenderly bear the
dead bodies of comrades who 1t may be, have
given up their lives in striving to save thu
lives and property of their fellow citizens
Heneeforth no fireman of Portland shall hav,
a nameless grave. Many a heartfelt God
bless you, shall be your reward. 1t is sucl
deeds as these that reflect credit upon hu
manity and its grand evidence of common
kindred. Truly it has been said AL mel
weep. all men have the brotherhood of grief
all men die, all men have the brotherhood o1
DEATH If it should be denied that all men
are born equal it must be granted that all
men die equal" If unity is nowhere elsI
there is unity in the grave, and at the grave
At the grave how significant these words as
''To the grave all must come; the countless
procession is ever marching on ever bearing
from our earthly sight kindred and friends,
who have ''but taken their lamps and gone tt
bed" We ''stay a little longer, as one. stays
to cover up the embers that still burn
All honor to those of you who first origin
ated this idea. All honor to those by whost
exertions this idea has been developed into
successful reality. Il name no names" l
is not necessary in this presence. You know
them well. Fit supplement this to the goot
work which the Relief Association of thu
department has for so many years quietl.
and cheerfully been doing for the sick ant
disabled firemen. Now shall he know, tina
not only when sick and disabled shall he b.
cared for, but when the "al OUT call
sounded he shall be sure OF a resting plac'
here in this beautiful cemetery for SO man.
years hallowed by the mourner's tears an(
sanctified by precious memories.
congratulate you upon the successful ac
complishment of your work. Building deepe
than you know you have performed an ac
alike creditable to your good Judgment an
to your manhood, an act which will be re
membered long after we have all passe
away.
After the choir had beautifully rendere
another selection, Mayor Chapman was in
troduced and spoke as follows:
MAYOR cHAPMAN's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Chairman, Trustees of Relief Associo
ton, Members Of Fire Department, Lddie
and Gentlemen:
You will excuse me from attempting an
remarks of historical or memorial nature
although most beftting an occasion like tn
present. The gentlemen who have Spoken
having been for long years identified wit
your organization, have shown themsselye
admirably qualified to awaken memories {
the past, and pay just tributessto the exploit
Of former years. 1t has been pleasure t
listen to words, which are a valuab!
contribution to local history. My part ]
rather of an official character, as we NEE
| here today that our city may testify, in neye
so slight a degree, to the remembrance an
honor in which she ever holds the member
of her fire department, and, as the rel
resentatiye of the city it becomes IN
privilege to bring her offering, q 2du AZ
| as incense, upon the altar of dedication
| We know that human society is SO const
| tuted that its members are mutually epL aeepehLu
| ent upon one another, and the Great 1eacnt
of us all inculcates the idea that whoeVt