The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-13

1t is co~nservative;y estimated that
there are now between 5000 and 5000
visitors in the city and on the beaches,
rae here by the firemen's con-
ventiOn and tournament, only the first
day of which is past, and it is believed
that the crowd will easily reach $1,000
before the tournament events Of the
week are completed. All the fire COM
panies are now here except those from
South Carolina, which are to arrive in
time for the interstate tournament
on Friday. Every incoming train is
an excursion train" bringing hum
dreds of visitors. The city is in bright
and patriotic gala week attire.
The morning, afternoon and evening
sessions of the convention were the
most important features of the day.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVEN-
TON.
The North Carolina State Firemen's
Association convened in it's twelfth
annual convention att 2 m. yesterday,
in Pythian Castle Hall. President
James d. McNeiH, of Fayetteville,
q III LII NAAdILy dlu MISS NdIulc
Combs, of Greensboro. was in attend
ance as official s~tenographer for the
association Mr.. w. c. VonGlahn, of
Wilmington, and Mr.. Miller, of Colds
borO, were appointed secretaries pro
tenn.
The convention hall was made COM
Portable by several electric fans, ant
though there must have been three
hundred persons present, they found
the hall quite a pleasant place. In ad-
ditiOn to the electric fans, small fans
We're also found in each seat for indi-
Vidual use.
4 half hour before the convention.
convened the delegates and citizens
assembled in the hall where there was
an informal reception. Old acquaint-
ines were renewed and new ones were
made between the Wilmington people
and the visitors. A number of aides
lent their presence to the occasion
When the convention assembled it
made a very decided impression COM
posed as it was of a fine looking set of
men-many of them very promin mt III
their respective portions of the state.
Captain James d. McNeill the pOpu-
lar president of the association, Who
was concluding his seventh term as
the presiding officer of the association
called the convention to order, briefly
SApIOocLAAS AC Soo - NN~
association in coming here by the i1vi-
tation of the people of Wilmington to
hold it's twelfth annual convention.
He was heartily ~applauded.
The Rev. a. d. Mcclure then led iii
prayer after which the Hon. a. VI.
Waddell, mayo of the city of Will
mingtOn, delivered the address of well
come to the visitors Mayor WaddelPs
welcome was delivered in his usual elO-
quent chaste n highly lofty and was
as follows:
THE WECOME ADDRESS.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of he
North Carolina State Ffremen's
Association:
No more pleasing duty has ever been
imposed upon me as mayor of this city
than that which comes to me today in
extending to you and your visiting
brethren from other states, on behalf
of our people, a sincere and cordial
welcome, and in expressing on their
behalf the earnest hope that you may
find your stay in our midst in every
respect agreeable. l beg to assure you
thai the selection of Wilmington as
the place for the nnua meeting and
of the State Firemen's As
ISOLATION was regarded as an honor,
and the event has been anticipated
with great interest and pleasure by
this entire community.
We open our hearts n homes to
you. and are lager to see You have a
good time and thoroughly enjoy every
moment of your sojourn among us.
There is no department of municipal
government (and / might say no part
of the machinery of modern civiliza-
tiOn) in which greater a has
been made or greater efficiency has
been acquired than in that to which
you have devoted yourselves. 1t is at
once a field of active beneficence and
of heroic achievement. 1t has destroyed
the terror which for centuries was eN-
cited by the toll of the fire bell at
midnight" in every city in the world,
and the annals of war furnish no more
splendid Illustrations of human valor
and self-Sacrifice than may be found
freely scattered throughout it's records.
1t is, therefore, only a just ~recogni-
ton of merit when an assemblage of
the gallant fremen of the country is
greeted with applause, and welcomed
with honors to the Inequalities of a
community, as are here today.
There is no body of men in this COM
monwealth whose services in the re-
-spective communities in which they
live are more highly priced, and none
the sudden disarmament of which
would cause such general apprehen-
sion and alarm as the hremen or the
state. l trust that this meeting OF your
association will be harmonious and
productive of great benefit TO your
selves, and to the service in which you
are engaged, and 1 am sure that the
practical illustration of skill and efh-
cheney which the friendly rivalry be-
tween the visiting companies will FUR
nish will be a source of pride to them
as it certainly will be a source of pleas
ure and satisfaction to the thousands
who will witness it here. And now,
again, gentlemen, I bid you a cordial
welcome to the Inequalities of this
city, whose people will be glad to o
tribute in every way in their power tc
make you visit here as pleasant tC
you as it las been to themselves.
RESPONSES FROM THE ASSOCIA
TON.
Manor Waddell's address met witt