The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-22
A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
The 18Th Anniversary Of the An
cient and Honorable Company.
Organizations Embraced In the So
cicty Include Civic Political.
Benevolent. md other ASSOcia-
tious-SOmc of the Members

Benevolent. md other ASSocia-
lonesome of the Members
BALTIMORE. Md, oct 1.-The An
ci,It and Honorable Mechanical Com
pJIy. OF which James II. Smith is prcsi-
dent viii this evening celebrate the lS>,b
anniversary Of its organization with
banquet Al Gsnzhora's city Hotel
The organization. which as a civic one
ranks as the oldest % the United States.
and as military body yields the palm Of
seniority only TO the Ancient and Honor
able Artillery Company of Boston. has
had remarkable career. Its history
touches on three centuries. ana its rec
oTds which are absolutely uubrokeu.
night serve AS a history Of Baltimore
from date thirry-nvr years prior To the
incorporation of the city so closely has il
been identified with every important
event IN thu city's life up TO within
comparatively recent period. The town Of
Baltimore was scarcely generation old
when It's people recognized the necessity
Tor the organization Of a body of sturdy
ana fearless men for the purpose of pro
lection. not only from the frontier say
ages. but fre,buoters and pirates from
the seaward."
How long the matter was agitated be
FORE II took definite shape is not known
but on September D 1853. a number of
townsm.n met az the store Of NeTcboir
heencr, az the corner of what are NOW
Charles and Pratt Streets. and org9 ufzed
Nhal has ever since been called the Me
chaHieal Company of Baltimore. N,Ichoir
heener was chosen president Oh October
~ OF tnat year. A provincial char
Ter was granted to the organization on
June -. l'1i. and il was incorporated bv
act Of Assembly I'm 1871
The Mechanical Comnanv b,s III
many characteristics. aE Of them good. II
mas 'een ciFle-almost a political body.
so many Of the public officials Of the civ
nave been taken from its rauks-a mill
tary Organization, Ct fire company. and a
guasi-bencvoient society. II furnished
many men TO the Revolution. and III,
FIRST Maryland soldier killed in the great
struggle, Captain Cox was a member of
the company. Captain Cox's militia com
pany, made up chiefly Of Mechanical
members, was almost the first to take
the field IN the Revolution Joshua Ea~-
IeL-lhe naval hero Of two wars i0fnaG
me company when quite YOUNG and CON
Sonh olIlcheT calhoun. Baltimore's first
MAYOR, was msmbar. as were two
council '''7' 0'''
The i've succeeding mayors were from
the ranks Of the Mechanical ,'rr,rsr,,--
Horowgood Smith. Edward J1b-I,r
george stiles. John MONTGOMERY and
Jacob Small u is stated that i'm tho or
ganizauou were the first sheriff. Tho first
coroner the builder OF the first stacpiuz.
vessel, the builder Of the first hosf.ft4T
TN ecit9r OF the first newspaper. the
HISt man 10 PRINT book In Baltimore.
Ais4 thG LTst provincial postmaster. In
~" WneA war was imminent. the Ne
Chamcal Company formally volunteered
rs services. and that this action was no
I"le poast Is clear from the large mum
Der OF its members who volunteered for
service in the war of 1872 and rarffrr7-
larry In the defence Of the city IN 1914
1eETY MctomaS. generally accepted as
one Of the Siayers Of General Ross was
member as was AQui.1s Randall i'm
whose memory the Mechanical EDIUrts ers
erected the monument which StiII stands
on North Point Road
Many Of the names on the Rattle s-o,,r,
ment may be found on The rolls ~ ~.
Mechancal Company. When a commits
SION was appointed under an act Of 1917
20 HIaht = new survey and prepare plat
or the city the following were appointed
as its members William Cooke J.fr i'm
len Nalhaniel Williams. John NcFan~y
James Mosner Joseph Townsend. VIII
nam McMs chen. George Winchests~ and
William Gibson. OF these the first Fy-
were active and the others honorary
members Of the Mechanical Compa9v
A Handsomely gotten IN a ma hound his
tory OF the organization has been r,ra-
pared By George ". NcCrearv. formerly
city librarian. and from il the foregoing
iacis have been taken. The volume Is
DouHu lH blue cloth, bearing the seal OF
The organization in silver Tho fronts
piece Is an engraving of Mayor Calhoun
VINO was President Of the NCch4nfcgi
company from 1924 90 1893. The portrait
IS from a photograph Of the uaiGrfr, in
Inc city council chamber in the cfrv haIr
The volume contains complete records ~
ali OF the Officers ana members Of tn.
30
uGr. as Wei as "a number III other i'm
por-ant and interesting data