Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-10
PRIZE WINNING FIREMEN
FLAG TO BE AWARDED ON REPORT
OF-COMMI1.TEE.
Inspection rs to Neatness of Quarters
and Exhibat of Efficiency
Annual Competition.


Of the annual parade of the District police
and fire departments, the company of the
latter department. leading the fire fighters
will bear a handsome silk American flag,
| the gift of Commissioner Henry B. F. Mac
farland. who has immediate supervision OF
this branch of the municipality. The pos
session of this flag will indicate that the
company bearing it has been found by a
committee appointed by Mr.. mcfarland to
be the most efficient and disappearing
one in the department. and will be held by
| 1t for one year.
| 1t will be recalled that ex-Commissioner
John B. Wight, who. while Commissioner,
had immediate supervision of the police and
| fire departments, offered handsome SILK
American flag for presentation to the po-
| lice precinct the men of which should be
| found to be the best drilled. the flag to be
| held for year, and to be competed Tor
annually. This idea impressed Mr. Macfar-
| land as being an excellent one, which
| should be followed in the fire department.
| So he decided recently to present flag,
| exactly similar to the one presented by Mr..
| Wight, for competition annually by the
companies OF the fire department.
Mr.. Wight as Chairman.
| Recognizing Mr.. Wight's great interest in
the fire department. as well as his intimate
| knowledge Of IT, Mr.. Mcfarland decided
! eiAoe eAo cA-SoIuHliSSiOutI WoulN UC Tic
proper man to head committee which he
desired should award the flag. Mr.. Wight
| gladly accepted the position, and ex-Com-
missioner John w. Douglass, who also had,
while he was Commissioner, immediate
| charge of the fire department, and Mr..
Meyer Cohen. president of the Fire Under
writer's Association. were invited to serve
| as his associates. Neither the officers nor
| the men Of the fire department were in
formed OF MT Macfarland's purpose, 1t be-
ing MS intention that the committee should
| visit the houses of the various companies
| OF the fire department, inspect the houses,
the men. the horses and apparatus, and
| then decide which company best deserved
tne nag, II being also understood that the
committee should note the general effici-
| ency or the companies and compare their
| records during the past year.
The committee hoped to inspect all the
houses IN one day, so that its purpose
might not leak out, and that the companies
| later examined might not have the advan-
| tage or toning UP meantime. Wednesday
last the tour Of inspection was commenced.
me rain storm which set in that day, how
ever. prevented the committee from COM
| pieting Its tour. and yesterday the remain
| Ing houses were visited. The committee
| did not make known to anyone the object
OF ITS visit, as 1t WAS the intention of Mr..
Macfarland that the companies should be
| found In the condition they are supposed
| to be In at all times, and to the credit of
the department 1t can be stated that the
committee Iound-1t to be as whole In eX-
cellent condition and shape.
The Presentation.
! No decision has yet been arrived at by
the committee. but 1t is understood that it
will submit Its report Monday next. when
1T ts the Intention Of Mr.. Mcfarland to
announce the winning company. The flag
| won by 1t, however. will be not presented
to 1t until just before the parade starts
| Thursday afternoon. 1t is understood 1t
| will be handed to the foreman of the sue
! cessful company by Mr.. Mcfarland, with
| few words Of congratulation and COM
| mendation. He will tell the men that the
| flag is to be competed for annually, but it
| Is understood that the inspection on which
| the award will be made next year will be as
| unexpected to the companies as 1t is said
| to have been this time AS stated above.
the company winning the flag will be given
| the right of line in the fire department bri-
| gade in next Thursdays parade.