Evening star., 1902-05-07
THE VETERAN F[REMEN
REGULAR MEETING OF ORGAN
IzATIoN HELD LAST NIGHT.
Remarks in Eu1ogy of the Late Smith
Thompson-Sketch Of Old
Time Companies.

The regular monthly meeting of the Vet
eran Volunteer Firemen's Association was
held last evening at the old Union engine
house, 10Th and H STREETS northwest, Presi-
dent James III. Richards in the chair, and
Mr.. ]. J. Peabody secretary. The president
spoke of the death of Smith Thompson,
whose funeral took place in the afternoon,
and remarks upon the same subject were
made by Messrs. Julius Strobell and Secre-
tary Peabody, in which Mr.. Thompson's
activity as a member of the Franklin fire
company was referred to.
Mr.. James Fraser presented, through the
secretary the resolutions of the Columbia
fire company on the death by drowning of
Thos. McGraw, in the early part Of 1862,
which was acknowledged after Mr.. James
Dobbyn had spoken in eulogy of Mr.. Nc
Graw.
An invitation to participate in the annual
meeting of the Virginia FiremenS S Associa-
tion at Portsmouth, Va, in August next,
was received. Action was deferred till the
next meeting.
A spanner used by the Anacostia COM
pany in ante-bellum days was received from
Veteran Keithley.
Mr.. Peabody continued his story of the
old-time fire department, having at the last
meeting brought it down to 1923. He noted
that for that year, the Columbia fire COM
pany elected January Z, at Queens Hotel
then on 1st street east, south of East Cap
itol, the following officers: John G. McDon-
aid, president; John T. Frost, vice presi-
dent; VIM. 1ngle, secretary; John Pic, treas
urer, and James Young, Griffith Coombs,
James Middleton and James Carlin, direc-
tors. Messrs. Harvey Cruttenden and Jas
Thompson were elected members.
Company Organization.
The Union Fire Company held its annual
meeting January 7, 1923, at the Western
Town Hall, room over the West market
Pennsylvania avenue and Goth street. The
officers elected were John N Moulder, pres
ident; Thomas Sanford and H. S. Steiner
vice presidents; NJ. Hines, treasurer, and
Alexander McIntire, secretary.
The Star Fire Company's officers were
elected January 4, 1923, but the names We're
not published in the Intelligencer till the
18th. Col. w. w. Billing was elected presi-
dent; Thos. j. Sessford, vice president;
jeremiah Hepburn, secretary; George
worth, treasurer.
The Alert Fire Company held a special
meeting on March 30 1923, at the Lancas-
terian School House, 14th and G Streets at
which resolutions were adopted authorizing
a committee-Messrs. Francis Coyle j. A.
NJ. Duncanson and c. l.. Coltman-to can
vass for members. The preamble recited
that, owing to the many designations, the
membership was reduced and it would be
impossible to render good service to the
public unless there was an increase.
A notice for a meeting at the Lancaste-
rlan School House, April %, 1898, appears
in the Intelligencer of the 10Th, to reorgan-
ize company, and that paper of May l
gives the proceedings of the meeting Capt.
James H0ban was called to the chair and
j. A. NJ Duncanson was made secretary.
Messrs. Francis Coyle and VIM. King spoke
of the necessity for having well regulated
fire companies, after which a constitution
adopted and officers elected, as fol-
lows: James Hoban, president; c. L. Colt
man and VIM. Archer, vice presidents; John
A. NJ. DuncanSon, secretary, and Henry
Ashton. treasurer. The meeting adjourned
to May and the proceedings were directed
to be published, with an invitation to the
citizens of the second ward to attend the
next meeting. That this was a reorganiza-
ton of the Alert Fire Company, which was
originally boys company, and that the
efforts to reorganZe were successful, is seen
by call in the 1ntelligencer for the Alert
Fire Company to meet at the engine house,
l3l2 street, May "A, for the purpose of try
ing the engine and apparatus. The call was
signed by Mr.. Duncanson.