The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-26

street. Mariners Fountain as it was
called. The building was erected for
the occupancy of the company.
Well do I remember the following lines
we used to sing:
The Gaseous are coming; Oh, hill Oh, hi!
The Casco's are coming from Mariners Foun'
The Casco's are coming; Oh, hi! Oh, hi!
Frank G. Moody he goes before,
And makes the men and little boys roar,
With the ringing of bells and gathering OF
You can't tell how we Firemen feels.
That's poetry, no blank verse about that.
Do YOU wonder that under the inspiring
influence of such soul stirring words as
those, that without money and without
price, we readily volunteered to enlist
as firemen in those
Good Old Hand Tub Days.
have in my possession copy OF some
lines written by Chas. P. Ilsley and sung
at one of our celebrations in 1843, styled
lsThe Roll Call of the Cascos," and COM
mencing as follows:
Come man your brake, Old Casco,
Lay hold each mothers son;
Be faithful to your motto,
Are you ready, Number One?
Chorus:
Then break her down, my hearties
Oh give 1t to her strong;
Let all hands join the chorus
And cheer our work with song.
There are some twenty-six verses more
and in them the names of the different
members are brought in Alas, how few
of those old members are now living.
Everything has changed since then.
The hand tub has given way to the steam
fire engine Now the locality of the fire
is sent at once to the houses. The bells
announce the district; the horses take
their places. seeming to scent the danger
from affair; Sebago is all ready to do it's
part waiting only to be released from the
iron embrace of the street main. How
different everything was then. We had
no districts. First came the cry of fire
and then the ringing of the church bells
and we started on wild goose chase to
find the fire. We were often governed
by the sound of the bell that struck first,
whether it was down town or an up town
one, which ever it was thither we direct
ed our steps, Juggling away at the drag
ropes as we hauled the tub along up
hill and down dale" Horses were but
seldom used to haul engines in those
days. Sometimes, however, they were
allowed. | recall an instance, it was not
the ssCasco," however. The first name
of the driver was Uriah. On the way to
the fire his horses became balky and de-
clined to go to that particular fire just at
that particular time. They did not ex-
actly strike, but the driver did, as he
piled his whip upon their hides, but go
they would not, they seemed lashed to
the spot. Some hoodlums, for they had
them in those days, stood upon the side
walk anxiously vociferating: Uriah,
why Don't You Go To The Fire?
Is it not strange how inquisitive the
average boy will be when an opportun-
ity offers? How anxious he seems to
gain knowledge. How persistent to OBJ
tain information. But fear l am tax
ing too much of your time; am presum-
ing too much upon the honor OF being
your presiding officer. Speakers, ! be-
lieve, are not always expected to speak,
simply to count quorums or something
of that sort One "reminiscences more and
have done.
recollect once when the Cascos were
the guests of the Atlantics at Augusta
had the honor to be captain of No. lex
| Capt Moody accompanied us. In march
| ing we walked side by side, he being on
my right. Capt. Moody carried with
him silver trumpet which had been
presented to him by the company. had
| only brass one. AS we marched along
some little fellows who were walking
close by seemed to be considerably exer-
cised as to whether Moody, OF myself
was captain. One boy thought it must
| be the man who had the silver trumpet,
but the other. little urchin declared it
must be the other fellow (meaning your
humble servant) because l had gold
| one. have often thought since then
how often brass passes for gold in this
world, and how prone we are to be de-
ceived by appearances.
| We see it everywhere. Truly ''all is
not gold that glitters." May your asso-
| citation be freed from alloy and always
have the ring of true metal; and now in
closing again congratulate you upon
the success of this, our first field day.
| May there be many of them. Here may
we and those who come after us meet
| year after year. Here on this island in
sight of our own dear old Portland, the
beautiful town by the sea, in sight OF
Casco Bay, whose waters mingle with
| those of the Atlantic. Come one, come
all.
In the years that are past you have
done ''the state some SERVICE" and it is
fitting that you come and recount your
experiences, when at 'drag rope" and
at ''brake'' by day and by night, in
smoke and in flames, forgetful of self,
forgetful of danger, you strove manfully
and valiantly to save the lives and prop
| erty of your fellow citizens.
Col. Dow was then introduced and
made happy speech replete with anec-
dotes of the old days when he, too was a
| fireman. He inherited his love for fire.
mans life. He caused considerable mer-
riment by recalling incidents that hap
pened when old No. 2 and No. 3 were
rivals.