The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-10
GRAND TOURNAMENT
At Hampton Of the Companies Composing
the Virginia Fhsman's Association.
LEXINGTON WINS M THE REEL CONTEST
she Defeats the Friendship Fire Com.
p"nS of Ssinchester by less Than
Two Seconds "A Brilliant Parade
Annual Report of abe Secretary
Shows Encouraging Growth.

hampton. Va, July 9.-(SpeciaD-One
OF the greatest events in the history OF
the town OF Hampton was the tourna-
ment OF the State Firemens Association
to-day. Nearly all the houses on the
principal thoroughfares were beautl-
iuuy ana taStefully decorated with
nags and bunting. and crowds of visi-
tors thronged the streets from an early
hour in the morning until night. Not
~ithstanding the inclement weather the
people seemed to be In u frame OF mind
10 have good time, and many of them
mad 1t. The good spirits and jollity OF
small company Of fat men from the
shenandoah Valley was especially no.
ticeable. They were dressed in citizens
clothes. worn broad brimmed straw
hats and were equipped with tin horns
ranging from five to seven feet long.
This little band of big men, the persona
ncation of grotesqueness in appearance,
AFFORDED old and young alike an almost
imitless amount of amusement. Their
good humor and fun former miclens
around which all merriment circled.
The first important occasion of the
day was the hose reel contest. Only
two companies entered for the competi-
tive reel contest. This necesstated the
elimination of the second prize, which
would have been s25 In gold.
The competing companies were the
Lexington Reel Company No /, of the
Lexington Fire Department and the
heretofore invincible Reel Company No.
l. of the Friendship Fire Company Of
Winchester, Lexington won by l 2-5
seconds. To account, in part at least,
for the defeat of the Friendship Com
pany the boys allege an unavoidable en-
tanglement of a string that held the
hose up, caught on spool at the plug,
causing a delay of seven seconds This
knocked the formerly, always victorious
company out.
ha oil
judges: Oliver Mountcast!e, Richmond;
n. r. Reid, Danyille; r. L. Herbert
Portsmouth,; E. B. Chiles. Hampton.
and l.. w. Clark. New York, They
Lexington Reel Company. of Lexington,
Va.
The Friendship boys who won s375 in
prizes last summer felt that company
able to defeat them was worthy OF q
prize and they, therefore. rendered most
fil opponents.
The lineup of the competing compa
MES was as follows:
Observation-Disclosures Pole and c. E.
Welsh, H. w. Aole. c. w. Charlton
w. G. Smith, James Mccormick. p. G,
Caring w. .orcliles, John FOLEY. j. II.
Charlton. Hugh Charlton. +. l.. Young,
George. Baker. A. b. Beckwith. James
Tolley. Trainers-N. F. Woodland V. r..
Funkhauser. Substitutes-J. F. Deav-
er, F. Fl. Campbell. s. L. Rice, NJ. l..
Hilderbran.
Friendship of Winchester-Captai
Purcell Strickler; Trainer, Ed. Mcln-
tosh; e. Spillman, f. Parsons. I. Grim.
James Seabright. John Fuller. Luther
Windall. John Kern, James Collins, N.
Mccarthy. John Collins: Substitutes.
Sam Noaks John Darsey and VIM. S.
Darsey.
The distance run was 25O yards. llme,
80 3-5 seconds.
At2p. m. the various companies began
to file Through the streets, preparatory
to taking their assigned places In the
parade A slight shower ut this time
threw a dainper on the hitherto gay
spirits Happily the rain subsidized and
the cloudiness rendered the afternoon
more pleasant ft
Each division formed on side street
leading into Armistead avenue, facing
north. the right of each resting on Arm
istead avenue. sufficiently distant there
from to allow cars to run freely.
There were three divisions. as follows:
First commands under Chief Marshal
l.. b. Chsles. headed by Sheriff Curtis.
county police and chief marshal and
aids, composed of Soldiers Home Band,
Hampton Engine Company, Hampton
Hook and Ladder Company; Lexington
Fire Department. Danville Fire Depart
ment. Staunton Fire Department.; Basic
City Fire Department, Newport News
Fire Department.
Second. under Assistant Marshal G.
w. Hope, Were t:he following commands:
Winchester FEe Department., Phoebus
Fire Department, Bedford City Fire De-
partment, Waynesboro Fire Depart
ment. Charlottesville Fire Department.
Third-Commands under Assistant
Marshal Captain ". T. Dougherty
composed of Suffolk Fire Depa, tment;
Annex Fire Department of Norfolk
county, Berkeley Fire Department,
Chambers Fire Company OF Portsmouth,
Independent Fire Company of Ports
mouth.
The procession was clozed by a fine
turn out driven by II. II. Claiborne.
The several divisions marched from
their side streets into Armistead avenue
as the preceding one uncovered his re-
spective street. Then the following line
was taken up: Armisted avenue TO
Queen street. Queen to Hope, Hope to
King, King to Queen, Queen to Cour.,
Court to King. King to Queen, Queen to
Locust (HospitaD. Locust to Academy
Lane, Academy Lane to Jesse Jones
corner to Carey. Carey TO Wine, Wine to
Mallory avenue, Mallory avenue to Mar
shall stree;. Marshall to Il. a. Semples.
Semple's to Franklin, Franklin to Mallo-
~ avenue. Mallory avenue to King.
King to Queen, Queen to Soldiers Home,
Soldiers Home to Asylum street (Phoe-
bus). Asylum to Willard avenue, Willard
avenue TO Mellen street. Mellen to Mallo.
ry, Mallory TO Soldiers Home. Soldiers
Home to Engine House.
Bands paraded tho streets and dis