Evening star., 1901-11-09
APPROVE SPECIAL SERVICE
VETERAN FIREMEN INDORSE SUG-
GESTION OF CHIEF DUTTON.
Salvage Corps Also Regarded With
FavOr-Resumption of Narrative
of OId-Time Companies.

FayOr-ResumptiOn of Narrative
of OId-Time Companies.
| The regular monthly meeting of the Vet
ran Volunteer Firemen's Association Tuesday
| evening at the old union engine house, 18th
and H streets, was well attended. Mr..
| James H. Richards presided and Mr.. j. j.
Peabody served as secretary.
The president referred appropriately. TO
Mr.. A E. l.. Keese as having attained the
| eightieth anniversary of his birthday, and
| on motion of Mr. Julius Strobel a congrat-
! ulatory resolution was adopted. Mr.. Keese,
| apparently the healthiest veteran present,
| thanked his associates in fitting terms.
| The suggestion of establishing an inde-
| pendent water system for fire service was
referred to by Mr.. Strobel and he said that
| the Commissioners proposed to urge it on
! Congress. In the days of the old depart
ment back in the fifties, some of the COM
| panies had urged such system, he said.
He remembered we'll that his company, the
| Perseverance, presented the matter before
| the councils. 1t would be a good move, he
said, and he hoped to see such d system
| provided.
Mr.. Strobel said he was glad to see that
| the establishment of a salvage corps was
| projected, and he added that The"Star had
an editorial on the subject. This, too, had
| been urged thirty years ago or more, and
! he knew that such corps would be of
! service. He referred to the recent fire at
| Mayer & Pettlts as one in which the loss
| would have been greatly reduced had such
| a corps been in service.
| Mr. F. w. Kahlert said he had seen some
thing of the work of a salvage corps in
! other cities and it was a most efficient
| force wherever employed, was most COM
pietely equipped and well supported. The
| insurance companies supported these organ
/
fire referred to showed the necessity for
such service, and it had long been a Won
| der that Washington was not up to date
| in this regard.
| Mr. Strobel repeated that neither subject
| was new and said that Mr.. Peabody in his
| researches might fEd that some other i'm
| provements had been at least suggested
| years ago.
Old Volunteer Companies.
| Mr.. Peabody continued the reading of his
| sketch of the old volunteer lire companies.
| He quoted communications and notices in
! the Intelligencer. One of these of April H.
| 1919. called attention to the carelessness of
| citizens in leaving their fire buckets Cn the
| streets and commons for days after a fire,
| and noting Il result of the negligence the
want of buckets at the FIRE on New Jersey
! avenue the day before which was seriously
| felt
| A call signed by Andrew Coyle, president
III d
| the companies of this city and Georgetown
to send representatives. to McGowan's Hotel
! to adopt measures for the promotion of
| harmony and to secure concert of action
among them.
meeting was held at McGoWan's tav-
| ern. near the Marsh market nOw Wash
| ington), of the representatives of the sew
eral fire companies of Washington and
Georgetown to adopt such measures as
would promote harmony and concert of ac-
tion between the companies, in pursuance
of notice referred to. 1t was held WedneS-
day April II, 1919. Mr.. Andrew Coyle of
the Patriotic company was the chairman
and Col. VIM. b. Randolph of the Vigilant,
Georgetown, the secretary. After some de-
bate the object of the meeting was ac
compliShed by the adoption of the following
resolutions:
..First-That we will act under the laws
of the corporations of Washington and
Georgetown, the case may be, relative
to fire companies and engines, and do agree
that the officer of the engine first at the
scene of action shall be the chief in COM
mand.
"Second-That for the purpose of deter
mining without delay or doubt who IS en-
titled to the chief command each engine
shall be provided with a white pole or rod
of at least eight feet in length with white
flag, always to be kept with the engine
and to be fixed in such manner as to be
shipped unshipped at pleasure on some
convenient part of the engine, and the
first which arrives shall hoist the pole.
which shall be the signal for the command,
and in the case of the arrival of two or
more companies at the same time the point
of precedence shall be amicably settled be-
tween themselves.
For Full Divisions.
Third. That We will use our utmost eX-
ertions in having the respective divisions
of our companies full and complete, with
all the proper badges and appropriate
| property belonging to each; and that we
| will inculcate on the officers of each divis-
| ion the necessity of attending to the orders
of their commanders alone.
Fourth. That will refrain from all
unnecessary conversation and inculcate on
our companies and others the propriety of
silence, as promiscuous conversation tends
much to confusion.
Fifth. That the citizens be, and they are
hereby, invited to unite themselves with
some one or other of the established COM
panies or to form new ones.
Sixth. That it be, and is hereby, recon-
mended to the citizens generally on occa-
| sions of fire to pay no regard to any orders
or instructions which may be given by any
/ other person than the officer of fire COM
| panies: and that no person will take it
! upon themselves to interfere with the du-
| ties of said officers.
Seventh. That these articles of agree
| ment be presented to the officers of the
| several fire companies for their sigma lures,
| and when signed be published in the papers
| of their respective towns
This paper was signed by the chairman
and secretary of the meeting and by the
| company officers, follows: Union Fire
Company, first ward. ]. N Moulder presi-
dent; Thomas Sandiford and VIM. O'Neal,
vice presidents. Star. first ward, W. w.
Billing, president: Charles l.. Coltman,
vice president. Patriotic. second ward
Andrew Coyle, president: David OFT, Henry
Smith and George Sweeny, vice presidents
Navy Yard. NJ. Dove, president; John Da-
Wis of Abel vice president. Vigilant,
Georgetiwn. w. b. Randolph, president: j.
j. Stull. vice president. Union George
town, Daniel kurtz. president: Thomas G.
| Waters. vice president. Sun. Georgetown,
Henry Hazel president.
Call for Meeting.
In the lntelligencer of April 13 another
call for the Patriotic Company to meet that
evening appears over the signature of Gle
ment T. Coote, secretary; also a comm uni
cation suggesting that fire buckets left on