The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-16
OF INTEREST TO THE VETERANS.
Description of Their Pilgrimage to An
sonia in Sc.


Description of Their Pilgrimage to An
sonia in Sc.
The following extract, taken from the
Brooklyn Review, of october 8, 1885,
will be of interest to the members of
the Veteran Firemens associations of
this city:
while, on our annual visit to New
Haven hast week the writer received
| and accepted an invitation from one OF
the members of the Veteran Volunteer
Firemens association of that city to
accompany the Vets on their yearly
pilgrimage. This year the journey was
but short distance from New Haven,
about twelve or fifteen miles, and the
destination was Ansonia. A number of
residents of Brooklyn, formerly of New
Haven, and who are members of the
association, We're there to enjoy the
day and take their yearly tramp.
Thursday morning, September so,
the Veteran Volunteer Firemen's assoc
citation left New Haven at $3.50 o'clock
in the morning by special train, accom-
panied by an old hand engine used in
1895, and by the Meriden Military band
of twenty-five pieces, arriving in Anso-
MIA at $780, The veterans were the in
vited guests of Fountain Hose compa-
ny, No. /, of West Ansonia, and were
received by them and marched to the
Ansonia theater-Ansonia proper
where a bountlful collation. furnished
by the ladies Of the east side awaited
them, and from thence marched to the
hose house in West Ansonia.
Gra n 30
gether and invited visiting fremen
from all over the state to participate in
the demonstration, the largest ever wit
messed in this locality. The depart
ments are the West Ansonia fire de-
partment, organized February ~, 1876;
Ansonia fire department, organized Au-
gust, 1871; the Birmingham fire depart
ment, organized September IA, 1858; the
FL. M. Baesett Hook and Ladder COM
pany, No. l, organized November 4,
1874, and the Shelton fire department,
organized In 1882. Visiting firemen
were present, accompanied by brass
band and drum corps, from Winsted,
Thomaston, Seymour, Waterbury, Dan
bury, New Milford, South Norwalk,
Westport, West Stratford Milford.
L GAL iiftNCll, ION, NlluuIeloW11,
Wallingford, Hartford and Norwich
The line formed at the junction Of
Howard street and Clifton avenue, and
the distance Travelled by the red-shirts
pageantry was about twelve miles.
The New Haven Veteran Volunteer
Firemen were on the Immediate right of
the line, escorted by Fountain Hose
company, No. /, and the Ansonia brass
band. The veterans were the observed
OF all observers. and were greeted with
rounds of applause as they passed
through the towns en- route. The dis
lance travelled was about twelve miles.
1t Is estimated that there We're fifteen
thousand flremen in line and five thou
sand invited guests in carriages. 1t
was said to be the erandest parade ever
witnessed here by the oldest inhibatants
and it is believed that there win never
be another one like 1T seen by the pres
ent generation.
AT the banquet, which followed in
the new Episcopal church in West An
sonia, speech making was INDUCED in
by prominent men, the Hon. n d.
Sperry responding in behalf of the vet
Grams of New Haven At 6:35 D. m. the
train of twelve cars conveyed the vet
Grams and others To- New Haven, local
company receiving and escorting them,
amid shower of Roman candles. sky
rockets and red fire, brass bands and
the cheers Of the multitude, to their
headquarters.
The Veteran Volunteer association
was organized in 1879. The president
OF the association, Hiram Camp, is
somewhere between seventy-f1ve and
eighty years of age, still vigorous and
active.