The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-10-27
FIREMANIC.

The mysterious kilograms as to mis-
sing the last train received from be-
lated members of Independent Hose
Company, who recently attended the
fire parade at Middletown as guests of
the hospitable Kittatinnies of Newton,
is at last explained by the following
item from the Middletown Argus:
No one who came to Middletown,
Thursday, had better time than the
thirty or forty pretty girls from New
ton who, most admirably chaperoned,
accompanied the Kittatiny boys. The
girls did everything that there was
to be done, and saw everything that
there was to be seen, had no end OF
fun, didn't fiirt too much, and went
home tired and happy, satisfied that
Middletown is great town. The
girls won the hearts of all who were
lucky enough to meet them, and when
the Newton tram pulled out last
night, as many cheers were given for
its precious freight of fair and win
some Jersey girls as for the gallant
Jersey firemen.
The best drilled company among
the visiting organizations was no
doubt the Kittatinys of Newton.
They are a splendid body of young
men and had the appearance more of
cadets than tiremen. 1t was very ap-
parent they have efficient drill
officers. -Middletown Press.
Drilling must be contagious, judg-
ing from the lively manner in which
drill Master Dobbins, of Independent
Hose Co., marched and counter
marched his squad around town upon
their return from Goshen, prepara-
tory to the Somerville trip. Judging
by the Somerville press accounts of
the parade our boys ''were warm
members" all along the line of march.
In conversation with Editor Drake
of the Independent Republican, of
Goshen upon the recent visit of IN
dependent Hose Company and the
Board of Fire Wardens to his baili-
wick as the guests of the hospitable
Cataracts, he remarked upon the fact,
almost unparalleled in the history of
firemanic parades, that the companies
had limited the number of invited
guests to one each excepting of course
the chief ana his assistants.
This is as it should be and reflects
we'll upon the sound common sense of
the committees from our home COM
panies having the excursion in hand.
After considering the subject from
the fireman1c side of the ques-
tion, both as entertainer and guest,
for the Goshen editor has many years
to his credit as an active fire laddie,
he sums up his views ripened by age
and experience in his paper;
"There is one abuse connected with
firemen's parades that ought to be
corrected, and that is the matter of
guests of visiting companies who
are cared for and entertained by the
firemen extending invitation. In
stances have been known where visit
ing companies have brought with
them as many as fifty guests, many
of whom had no possible claim to this
distinction other than being friend
of some member of the visiting COM
pdny uleu WLO nave ueNeI StINeu stS
firemen and who had in no manner
earned the right to be saddled on the
expense list of the entertainers.
Goshen's firemen were fortunate in
this respect at the recent parade, but
they have not always been so. The
practice of abusing the hospitality
extended ON these occasions is an inn
position pure and simple. 1t leaves
behind an unpleasant memory and a
desire on the part of the entertaining
company to get even if occasion
offers. 1t makes these affairs need
lessly expensive and it stamps the
offending company as destitute in the
knowledge of what is right and proper
in these matters -