The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-16
PRIZE BANNERSAWARDED
Flags Presented at the Annual
Fire and Police Parade.
The Streets Lined With Spectators
and the Procession Reviewed by
the President and n Distinguished
Company-A Magnificent Showing
Made by Both the Departments.

The parade OF the Police and Fire De-
partments yesterday afternoon was gala
occasion. The streets were lined with peo-
pie and the President, surrounded by a
distinguished gathering. reviewed the ex-
hibition. The Sixth police precinct, under
command of Lieutenant Moore, was award
ed the prize banner of the Metropolitan
Police, District Commissioner John w.
Ross making the presentation. Likewise.
honors were awarded to No. engine CON-
pany. Commissioner H. B. F. mcfarland
giving them flag.
Hours before the forming of the process
sion people began to gather about the
stand erected in front OF the White House
along Pennsylvania Avenue and Fifteenth
Street. There were men and women. boys
and girls. all awaiting with more or less
Impotence the coming of the parade. BY
order of the Commissioners. clerks Of the
municipal offices were excused at 2 o'clock
so that they might swell the crowds that
gathered along the route. Every police
man and every fireman, except those kept
by duty at their posts, participated in the
event. the climax of weeks of careful drill
and rigid inspection.
As on former occasions. the Police and
Fire Departments formed along Pennsyl-
vania Avenue from Seventeenth to Twen-
tieth Streets northwest at $50 o'clock.
There were present at the formation the
District Commissioners. Major Sylvester.
/ Chief of Police, and the various police lieu
tenants. Acting Chief Engineer William 7.
Belt. because of the illness of Chief Paris,
was in command of the Fire Department.
Along the south side of Pennsylvania Ave-
nue.. stretching two blocks west of Sew
enteenth Street, the Police Department
was drawn up. the First precinct being on
the right of the line, with the Ninth pre-
cinct on the left. Near the centre of the
column, commanded by Lieutenant Moore,
the Sixth precinct force was stationed, to
whom Commissioner Ross awarded the
prize flag.
Prior to the order to march Commits
sioner Ross received from Major Sylvester
the nag coveted by every precinct of the
Police Department. The banner won
year ago by the First precinct yesterday
went to the Sixth precinct command In
his speech Of presentation Commissioner
Ross said:
AS one who has been closely associated
with the metropolitan Police Force of the
District of Columbia for more than ten
years. l have just pride in its personnel
and IN the record which 1t, as the right
arm OF the municipality. has made in the
maintenance of peace and good order, and
in the protection of persons and property in
this Jurisdiction.
although called upon to patro; an ey-
tent OF territory greater in area than that
assigned TO any other police force of like
numbers in any city of the United States.
II has attained results which are in the
highest degree creditable and praiseworthy.
This has been largely due to efficient su-
perintendence, and the promotion of wor-
thy men to positions of rank and station
on the force and to a selection of the mem
bers of the rank and file upon the merit
system
The friendly contest which has Just end
cd between the various precincts was bas-
ed upon the orderly and presentable con-
dition OF the stationhouses and the ac-
coutrements. and upon efficiency in drill.
The showing made by all of the precincts
was good. There need be no heartburpines
over the result
1t affords me great pleasure now to pre-
sent this flag. donated by the Honorable
John B. Wight. former Commissioner of
the District. to the lieutenant, the officers
and the men of No. G precinct, who were
shown by the report of our judges to have
excelled in the regards which have nam
ed
Lieutenant Moore received the flag from
the hands of Commissioner Ross saluted
and retired to his command Next came
the presentation of the prize banner of
,ne FIRE department, gift by Commits
sioher mcfarland to the firemen. Act
ing Chief Belt drew his men I'D in line
along the avenue from Nineteenth tn
twentieth Streets northwest. giving No.
company. the winning command a con-
splcuous position. Accompanied by Com
missioners Ross and Beach, Mr. Macfar-
land repaired to the position occupied by
the Fire Department. At the direction of
Commissioner Mcfarland, Acting Chief
Belt signaled Foreman Kraemer to adj
vance. The presentation followed, Com
missioner Mcfarland awarding the ban
ner in speech. as follows:
Il hand you the prize flag which I have
presented to the Fire Department, to be
awarded annually under the direction of
the Commissioner in charge of the Fire
Department to the company making the
best showing upon inspection ard for dis
cipline. / congratulate you upon having
been selected to hold 1t for the first wear.
1t is a distinguished honor 1t was award
ed you by committee of prominent citi-
zens, former Commissioners Wight and
Douglass, who had charge of the Fire De-
partment. during their terms of service,
and Meyer Cohen, Esq. President Of the
buaIu Vi rlTe OnuEfSTlttrS.
These gentlemen, at my request. and as
matter of public service, took two days
of their valuable time to make thorough
inspection of every company in the Fire
Department all over the District of Column
bia. and atterward examined the official
records OF charges against members of the
department during the past year. After
careful consideration they unanimously
awarded the prize flag to your company for
the ensuing yea. 1t gives me great pleas
uro TO place 1t in your keeping. for | he
lieye you will do faithful service under it,
and live out daily that patriotism for
which it stands
But flags were not the only trophies
awarded. Gold medals. shaped like a
shield, and bearing the letters IN. p.
b. c." and the word, Workmanship"
we're donated to a sergeant and two pri-
Yates who excelled in craftsmanship dur
ing the recent target practice of the Po-
lice Department. Major Sylvester pre-
scented these medals. Sergt. J. A. Will
liams of the Sixth precinct, and Privates
Archibald MeIlen. of the First precinct
station. and ID. E. Langley. of the Sixth
precinct, won the medals, which were
pinned upon their coats by the Chief of
Police.
Preceded by a platoon of mounted DO
lice, with the Marine Band second, the
procession took up the line of march di-
rcctly after the presentation ceremonies.
Along in front of the reviewing stand,
where sat the President and other distip
guished personages, and where the crowd
gathered by thousands, the parade
passed The Marine Band struck up
Hail to the Chief" and the people |
cheered.
Major Sylvester. mounted on black
horse, led the Police Department, fol-