Evening star., 1901-07-03
THE EARLY FIRE FIGHTERS.
Confirmation OF Mr.. PeabOdy's Sketch
of Pioneer ORGANIZATIONS.

Continuation OF Mr.. PeabOdy's Sketch
of Pioneer Organizations.
The regular monthly meeting Of the Vet
eran Volunteer F'irenen's Association was
| held last evening at the old Uunion engine
house. 10Th and H streets. with Mr.. James
| H Richards, president, in the chair. and
| Mr.. John J. Peabody as secretary. Mr.
Kahl presented picture of the hose car
| riage of the American company of Phila-
delphia. which visited this city in 1860. Mr.
Peabody continued his sketch Of the old
time fire matters giving the latter part of
his second chapter.
He opened with an account of a fire De-
cember I, 1916, taken from the National In
telligencer of Monday, December 9. This
occurred just before sunrise, and destroyed
the two-story brick house occupied by Mr.
David Westerfield and the adjoining frame
dwelling of Mr.. Estep. and greatly dam
aged two adjoining brick houses on Penn
Sylvan1a avenue between 18th and 18th
streets. The paper says: There was much
activity among the citizens, but an evident
want of system, arising from our peculiarly
fortunate want of practice this being taf,
hrst accidental fire within our recollection
for ten years..
Mr.. Peabody said the writer made a mis-
take, for three fires We're recorded during
the previous year-December % 1914: lam
uary "a and May 23, 1919. The account
further says that the attention of the citi-
zens will probably be awakened by this
"diNlllS 10 the proper organization of fire
companies" The fire was caused by THE
inadvertency of boys in kindling the morn
ing fire in the stove" They carelessIy
dropped some fire among the shavings.
There is on the same date an account of a
meeting of citizens held on the previous
Saturday evening at Davis Hotel on the
site Of the Raleigh, Pennsylvania avenue
to take measures for the relief of the suf-
ferers. The mayor, James H. Blake father
OF the late Or. John b. Blake, presided and
committee was appointed to solicit SUBJ
scrlptlons. This committee was COMPOSED
OF Peter Lenox. father Of the late Walter
Lenox, mayor 1850 and 1851; John McSyaI-
land, Joseph Mechln. Henry Ingie and
In1mas Holiday They were directed to
make such use Of the funds from time to
time as would most effectually aid in plac-
ing the sufferers in the situation they we're
before the fire.
corporation to procure and erect in some
central and convenient spot a bell of suit
able size to be used as an alarm bell the
necessity therefor having been demon
Strated by the occurrence of Saturday
morning; also. to take measures to have
at least one good and efficient engine in
each ward. A report of the action of the
meeting, signed by Mayor Blake and los
Gales, secretary. was laid before the coun-
els. This is the first mention of a fire
bell. "
The same issue of the Intellieencer CON-
tanned a call for a meeting at the same
place for the following Monday. to corr
slider the propriety of organizing one or
more hre companies, and the fire which
has thrown seven orphan children ou. of
house and home is cited as a sufficient in
ducement 1t was requested that no per-
son should attend but those willing to
work upon these melancholy occasions"
That the committee appointed for the re-
lief Of the sufferers by the fire of Decem-
Der worked with celerity is evident from
a notice published in the InteIligencer of
January IA following, to the effect that
they had progressed toward the replace
ment of the buildings as far as the amount
subscribed would justify.
Record is made through a card Of thanks
to citizens of Georgetown and Washington
for services at a fire In the roof of George
town College in January. 1917
The city councils by act approved March
21, 1917. authorized the purchase for the
use of the second ward of w. c. Huneman
OF Boston one of his best improved fire en-
gines at a cost of not over 1900 including
freight, etc. and by the same act appro- |
priated $25 for keeping the engines in re-
pair. This engine was bought, and August |
l following notice Of Mayor Benjamin 1
G. Orr states that 1t had just arrived from |
Boston and would be tried the following |
evening at the Center market. 1t was re- /
quested that the engines of the other wards |
their relative power.
Mr.. Peabody stated that he has a letter
of John Huneman, son OF the builder,
stating that the business was carried on 4
till the eos; that the books Of the house