The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-19
BRENNAN BUDGET.

4
family made an extended tour OF points
OF interest in Mexico. AT saltillo Mr..
Wood took a carriage drive six miles
out to the battlefield of Buena Vista in
search OF souvenirs and 10 crafty
| feeling Of patriotism. A smart looking
Mexican youth in knee trousers accom-
panied the party on a bicycle. and to an
INQUIRY from Mr.. Wood in regard TO
souvenirs he said: "You can probably
find some souvenirs over there about that
mound where 300 or 400 American sol
ders are buried The youth further im-
parted the Information that cut for
4 the Coahuilla and Pacific railroad would
i pass almost through the center OF the
place where the soldiers are buried.
! On his return to San Antonio Mr.. Wood
called on Captain c. l.. Hodges of the
Twenty fifth infantry and told him the
condition OF affslrs Captain Hodges al
once took the matter up with The war de-
! partment and Mr. Wood is Just In re-
ceipt of the following letter:
Mr.. w. A. Wood. Breaham Texas
| Fort Sam Houston. Texas. July To-
Dear Sir; Replying to yours of the 18th
| Instant lust received, l would say that
as result of your (and my report, or
at least 1 think So the war department.
has concluded a contract for the removal
OF the remains Of all United States sol
diers from the battlefield OF Beuna Vista
1 TO the National cemetery OF this place.
and this work is now going on. This Is
very gratifying to me. and ! know will be
| to YOU by whose thoughtfulness this
matter was brought TO the attention OF
the proper authorities. The San Antonio
papers OF the past week con tained full
account OF It, and credit was given you
! therein. With assurance Of my respect,
/ I am Yours very truly
C. l.. Hodges,
Captain Twenty-hfth Infantry.
| Mr.. Wood says there Is an OLD cannon
near the buryng place of these soldiers,
and he will ask Mr., Hodges to interest
4 the government IN removing it along with
4 the ashes of the soldiers. There Is moth
ing to mark the cemetery except two
\ larger stones which do not appear to owe
! their presence on the spot TO any par
/ ticular design. The graves are short
] distance from an old fort which CON-
mands the city OF Salt!llo and which the
4 Meicans call Taylors fort.
! In celebration Of the new charter re-
Gently obtained. concentrating the fact
I that Hook and Ladder company No. ] OF
Brennan has passed quarter OF CEN
! turv OF existence. an annual lunch was
I held at the truck house Tuesday even
/ ing. The entire fire dtpartment was in
4 yited and a large number OF the menu
! bers OF the different companies attended
In uniform The mayor and the city
council added the dignity OF their pres
ence to the occasion. Other guests OF
note We're Henry Harrison Of New York
City. Commissioner ]. r. Pennington,
Messrs. r. x. Harrison. Harry Haynes,
William Perry. The charter members OF
the company organized twenty Ave years
ago who are yet living in the city were
all present. namely. Messrs. r. D. Harris.
Alex Simon H. C. Mcintyre. w 4.
Wood NJ. A. Healy and Mayor James A.
Wilkins. Other members OF the COM
panv since the davs Of its extreme youth
were Colonel D. G, Giddings Messrs. j.
G. Rankin and Julian Mcfarland.
MIR. w A. Wood, president OF the COM
psny. called the meeting TO order, and
gave brief account Of the early history
of the company, which was 6rst organ
ICED as military company. The yellow
fever of 1867 decimsted it's ranks and
the passing away of the military fea-
lures caused the company TO lapse for
time. The great conhagration OF 1873
( that wiped ont the best portion of the
city aEain stimulated interest in a nre
company. and the reorganization took
place. Mechanics Engine company was
organized shortly afterwards, and In 1885
the Conner Hose company came into ey-
istence The Chemical Engine company
is product Of recent years, and In com
menting upon its efficiency Mr.. Wool
said he had heard that merchant of me
city said ho had no further use for i'll.
surance. since II he started fire in his
establishment that soda water engln-
would put 1t ont before anv damage.
Colonel D. c. Glddings the first cap.
tain of the Hook and Ladder company
when 1t was military organization was
called on 10 give history OF the organ
! ization in those early days,
In those DAYS" said Colonel Giddingn,
I'VE were receiving our hrst experience
in a government by force You hear a
great deal these days about government
deriving its Just powers from the con-
sent of the governed We had a govern
ment without our consent. The citizens
OF the city were subjected to all manner
of indignities and outrages. and these
finally eliminated in the pillaging and
burning Of the town The Union SOL
diers had secured the country for arms
and thought they had secured all at
them. but in this thew were mistaken.
Il was then that military company, I'M
der the guise Of a FIRE company. was or
ganized( and OF which l was the nrs,
captain. We had certain signals ana
when the proper one was given all tne
old soldiers who were skilled In the han
ding of guns were to come with arms
ready for action. while the other mem
bers OF the company looked after the fire
in case there happened to be one. We
were organized in self defense and for
the protection OF our properly. aud nons
of the Younger generation can have any
conception of the difficulties under which
We labored Every white man In town
not Union soldier. belonged TO the
company. BY coincidence the signal OF
the fire company was the same as tina:
/ OF the KukluS. One night there was an
4 alarm Of a mob in Watroustown. and in
very short time 500 men were under
arms. told the Yankee captain TO get
his men out OF town as quick as ne
could, and after very hasty survey OF
the situation he took the hint. That OBJ
iect lesson had most wholesome effect.
These we're our first experiences IN a
reversal OF the principles on which our
government is founded and since Ap-
uomettox it has continued to be gov
eminent by force: a government OF ma.
iorlty in which the minority has no
rights that are bound TO be respected"
Hon. Harry Haynes made a short sd,
dress, in which he complimented the Of
cheney of the department and referred
feelingy 10 the memory OF W. p. Ewins.
whose influence is indelibly stamped on
the organization.