Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-11
SPECIAL to the Register.

Special to the Register.
Charles Town, w. Va, January 10
The dedication Of Charles Broadway
Rouss Memorial Hail. the new building
erected by the Independent Fire Com
pany, took place at two O'clock this az
ternOon, in Fireman's hall, on the second
floor Of the building. The exercises
were presided over by Captain George
Baylor, who announced the programme
and introduced the speakers.
Company B, 12th Virginia cavalry,
made this an occasion Of reunion and
Of the eighty-one surviving members,
forty-three answered to the roll call.
The exercises began with music by the
Charles Town coronet band, followed by
prayer by Rev. DR.. A. C. Hopkins, of
the Presbyterian church. Mr.. Seth NJ.
Timberlake, orderly sergeant Of COM
pany B, called the roll, giving the names
of all the members of the company from
its organization; 1885,
An address OF welcome to the mem
bers present was made by Mr.. Milton
Rouss, second Lieutenant, and his ref
erences to their gallantry during the
war brought forth much applause.
The memorial address was made by
Postmaster-General w. L. Wilson.
When Mr.. Wilson arose he was received
with tremendous applause which lasted
several minutes. Mr.. Wilson began his
address by referring to the occasion that
brought this company together and then
made
SOME ELOQUENT REMARKS
to his old comrades of company B, in
which he was a private.
He said the building Of this memorial
hall would mark a point in the history b
Of Charles Town, and be an example Of
the enterprise and energy of the Inde-
pendent Fire Company.
When he referred to Mr.. Charles
Broadway Rouss. through whose gener-
osity the building OF this hall was made
possible, and in whose honor 1t was built
there was deafening applause Mr..
Wilson paid a beautiful tribute TO the
business methods and indomnitable
energy of Mr.. ROuss by which he amass-
ed his fortune and after amassing it the
magnanimous generosity with which he
bestowed upon worthy people and eau
ses his liberal gifts. This hall is only
another Of those generous gifts, to a
good cause that VIII stand as a reminder
Of a man who loves his home and his
fellow cOuntrymen.
Mr.. CHAS. w. HENSELL,
member of the City Council of Win
chester, Va, also made an address.
Mr.. w. d. Briscoe, citizen of Jefferson
county, read an original poem pre-
pared for the occasion.
The memorial tablet, placed on the
wall behind the speakers stand, in
memory of c. II. b. Rouss, son Of
Charles Broadway ROuss. whose death
occurred in 1891, was then unveiled by
Capt. j. c. Holmes, commander of the
fire company.
Col Forrest W. Brown read his
tory of the Independent Fire Company
from it's organization in 1884 10 the
present time and gave many instances
of the valuable work of the company
in saving property.
Mr A. d. Barr, on behalf Of the COM
pany, presented to its captain, Mr. J.
C. Holmes, gold badge, and Mr..
Holmes responded in happy manner.
THE EXERCISES WERE CLOSED
with cheers for Mr.. Rouss. The occa-
sion was one of a most interesting char
acter, ard an immense crowd filed the
hall. At six o'clock a banquet was
given to company B. and about $50
guests participated There was grand
display of fireworks at night. The
new building is Of brick, four stories
high, and cost $4,000.