Evening star., 1901-09-04
FIREMEN OF OTHER DAYS
SKETCH BY MIR. PEABODY OF VET
ERAN ASSOCIATION.
The Trouble of OId-Time Washington
in Maintaining Organizations
Fire Records.

The meeting of the Veteran Volunteer
Firemen, at the old Union engine house,
10Th and H streets, last evening, was well
attended Mr.. James H. Richards, presi-
dent, in the chair, and Mr.. ]. ]. Peabody
serving secretary.
Mr.. Peabody continued the reading of
the sketch of the volunteer fire companies
of the city of the older time. From the
records of meeting of the Columbia Fire
Company, held at Queens Hotel on 1st
street south of East Capitol street, Febru-
ary 8, 1918, he read that there were pres
ent: John P. Ingle, Alex Mccormick. Hen
ry Tins, Joseph Ingle, VIM. ]. Mccormick,
VIM. Ingle, Robt. p. Washington, John
Dunning and John G. Mcdonald. The fol-
lowing were elected to membership: Adam
Baer, Thomas Dunn, Edward D. Tippett
Samuel Burch, John Love, Benjamin
Sprigg, W. A. Scott, Thomas Law, Wm
Brent, Samuel Eliot, jr., and Robert Dig
CESS. One hundred and fifty copies of the
articles of association were ordered to be
printed and six fire buckets, two lamps
for the engine and eight breast lamps were
ordered with such other apparatus as
might be necessary.
Mr.. Peabody noted that among the names
were some of the best citizens of the Dis
trct. He explained that the small number
of fire buckets ordered would seem in
supplied with water from pumps and ponds,
but, he remarked doubtless the company
expected the members and citizens who
were property holders to bring to the fires
the leather buckets that the law required
them to keep on their premises. Then
water often had to be carried several
squares to an engine and hundreds of buck
cts were sometimes required to keep 1t
supplied
The National Intelligencer of February 3,
1918, contained a call for a meeting of the
Union fire company at the Western Acad-
emy. on l street near 18th street, that even
ing to elect officers The call was signed
by John n. Moulder, and there were no.
tces for meetings of the same company at
the Franklin Hotel March and May 2,
respectively.
A notice in the Intelligencer of May 5.
1918. requests those holding subscription
papers for the relief of the sufferers at
the fire at Greenleaf's Point to make re-
turns to Mr.. Eliot at the Bank of Wash
ington, to Mr.. Carr at the Patriotic
Bank.
The Columbia company met at Queens
Hotel May 5. 1918, and received report
that the badges, fire buckets, lamps. etc,
had been procured. The company elected
Daniel Turner Simeon Mattlock and Mark
Hickey to membership, and authorized the
engineers to exercise the engine as often
as they deemed necessary-not less than
six times year.
Friday. June 10. 1918, the Intelligencer
says: About 1 o'clock yesterday morning
the alarm of fire aroused our citizens. 1t
was found to proceed from the house in
the Six Buildings, between 21st and 22d
streets west on Pennsylvania avenue, oc-
cupied for many years past by Mrs.
Thompson as a boarding house. By the
extraordinary exertions of the citizens the
fire was subdued without destroying the
house entirely, though the interior was
much injured and some furniture lost. One
gentleman boarding in the house made his
escape from the third-story window at
G HI
personal injury. We are requested by
Mrs. Thompson to return her grateful ac-
Acknowledgements for the great exertiOns
made by the citizens to save the house and
furniture'
Expression of Gratitude.
This fire was the subject of communica-
tion in the Intclligencer of June 25, in
which, among other things, it is stated:
"In the discharge Of duty in which too
many are deficient they (the firemen) have
made such extraordinary exertions as to de-
Immediately interested, but also Of all their
fellow citizens. Mrs Thompson has ex-
pressed her thanks, and her neighbor ad-
Joining, after having his furniture returned
himself and family to return his thanks, not
only to those citizens whose exertions, al
ready noticed, SO eminently merit his
thanks, but also to his neighbors, male and
who SO kindly and earnestly assisted in re-
moving his furniture and returning 1t with
so small degree Of damage. In the last
mentioned service number of youths asso-
ciated under the firm of the Star Fire Com
pany of the city of Washington were ac-
lively engaged and merit commendatton for
their readiness to afford their aid. May
other youths do likewise"
Mr.. Peabody noted that no engine COM
pany except the boys company, is men
toned as having been present at the fire
described. This was the first juvenile fire
organization of which he had found men
ton.
Soon after the Espey fire on Pennsylvania
avenue of December Z, 1876 the Star COM
pany appears to have been organized. and
calls for meetings are to be found several
years after. That the Union company was
then in existence is shown by notices Of
meetings at the Western Academy and
O'Neales Franklin Hotel. The first call
for meeting at the engine house appears
June ~, 1S1S ten days after the Six Build
ings' fire. and it is said that 1t was on the
reservation south Of Pennsylvania avenue,
east of 21st street.
Reservoirs Authorized.
The Columbia fire company met at
Queens Hotel July Z, 1918, and elected
Thomas Dougherty, Thomas Lyndall and
John A. Chalmers to membership. Up to
this time it appears that pumps, springs
and ponds were relied on for the extin-
guishment Of fires, and to increase facili-
ties the corporation. July %, 1875 passed
the following act:
BE 1t enacted, &C., That for the more ef-
fectually supplying the inhabitants Of the
city with water and the more readily to
extinguish fire, the mayor be, and he Is
hereby, authorized to direct the making Of
reservoirs at the site Of any Of the present
hydrants, or at those which may be here
after authorized to be erected, of dimen-
sion not less than ten feet square, and of
such depth as the situation may require
not less than eight feet, the expense of
which shall be betrayed in the same man
ner as is at present provided for sinking Of
wells and the erection of pumps"
The Columbia company, September 1,
1915. received the resignation of George W.
Dawson and elected Andrew Hunter
Thomas Thurston, John Pic and Lemuel
Childs as members, and William Scott
sentinel in place Of James Hickey, de-
ceased. At the November meeting Edward
Mattingly became a member.
Calls of meetings of the Union fire COM
pany at the Franklin Hotel September 5
and November Z. 1875 appear on those
dates.
Mr.. Peabody gave the following from the
Intelligencer Of December IL, 1918:
"Agreeahly to notice given. the mechanics
OF the navy yard generally met at the