Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-10-27
The Good Will Hose Go.

In October 1873, The Good Will Hose
Company. volunteer. of Butler was
organized Tuesday evening twenty
years had rolled by and the Company
celebrated the occasion in hitting
manner. The Company appeared IN
uniform at the Hose house on Jefferson
street and at eight o'clock, headed by
the Germania band marched TO the
Park Theatre to hold an open meeting.
A few hundred of the Companys friends
were preeent, but not half OF what
should have been there. The fire boys
must not take the number in attendance
"a indicative of the whole esteem in
which they are held by the people OF
Butler. The Town Council attended
and occupied front seats
After an overture by the band the
curtain rose and discovered a stage
hastily decorated by "Old Glory, the
banner and colOrs of the Hose Co, and
aspeciallv by the handsome, well
formed fire man.
President Walt. Ziegler brought the
meeting TO order and Secretary c. Cron-
enwett called the role to which eight
retired and thirty-six active members
responded. G.. Wilson Miller then in
troduced Judge Greer, who told of the
usefulness and self sacrifice and the
good done by the Butler Fire Depart
ment. Lev McQhistion Esq under the
subject of Volunteer vs.. Paid Depart
ment" paid some high compliments to
our firsmen. The most interesting
event at the Theatre was the reading of
a history of the Good Wills by Secre-
tary. Carl Cronenwett. He told how
thew were organized, how they respond
ed 20 their first fire. that which destroy
ed the Union block" in November, 7S,
how hose had arrived but had not yet
been issued by the Town Council, and
how they broke into Campbells hard
ware store, secured the hose and put 1t
in use. In twenty years the Co has re
sponded to 208 alarms. and has often
worked all day or all night at one fire.
Nearly all the Cos charter members
are living and death has struck into
their ranks but twice, John Orr dying
during the first ten years, and Fred
Reiber in 1896.
Three members are at present in the
service of Uncle Sam, Wis: Col. w. I.
Y,
Faber. The present officers are Pres,
]. Walter Ziegler; Vice-Pres.. Lewis
Keck. Sec, C. Cronenwett; Asst Sec,
E Faber: Treas, J. B. Mitchell, Fore.
man. J. c. burckhalter and Asst. Fore
man. John Lefevre.
After this program the Good Wills
and their guests the speakers OF the
evening. Council, the Germania and
press representatives repaired to the
Hotel Lowry and partook of banquet
unexcelled in variety, preparation and
faultless in service. Messrs. McCrea q
McCafferty have reason to be proud Of
heir board.
The following toasts We're then re
sponded to: Turn on the Water. A
f Reiber; The Good Wills, F Bow
ser: The Council" W z Murrin: The
Fire Policeman" Burgass, L 3 NcNair;
Shut 'er Off" G Burckhalter, the
foreman of the past ten yeurs.
Then the banqueters hied themselv es
off to their little beds, thinking better
of and holding mere good will towards
the Good Wills than ever before.
The charter members of the organi-
cation were. Lewis Keck. John Le-
fevre, w A Stein, George j Smith.
James B Mitchell, G. Wilson Miller j
Nj Moffit, George J Reiber, Val Aland,
AL Ruff, J c Burkhalter. Adam Hoffner,
JH Troutman, Leonard Nicklas, Z {
McQuistion. Andrew Miller, John p
Orr, John Sykes, John A Richey, AleI
Baxter, II G Moser and a Smith. all OF
Butler; Phillip Bauer and Benjamin
auer now of Bennett; klee. Henry
Shrei Der and John Irwin, now of Pitts
burg, and Casper Rockenstein, of Allie
gheny.