Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-05
THE VETERAN TIREMEN
BUSINESS MEETING HELD AT
UNION ENGINE HOUSE.
Death of Member Reported - Con
tinuation Of Narrative Of Old
Time Companies.

Inc. veteran volunteer FlreHeH > <AoSo-
ciation's last monthly meeting was well at
tended. 1t was held at the old Union en-
CINE house, 10Th and H streets, the associa-
tion's headquarters. The president reported
the death of H. C. Jones, for many years a
member of the Franklin Fire Company, and
said delegation of the association attend
ed the funeral.
communication was received from the
ladies' auxiliary requesting the co-opera-
ton of the association in giving enter
tainment and hop in the near future, and
that committee confer with a committee
of the auxiliary This was fayorably re-
ceived, and F. A. Lowe, A. X. Belt and Fl.
c. Thorn were appointed to serve as the
committee.
The secretary for Mr.. Keithley, who has
been Ill for several months, presented the
association a roster of the Anacostia Fire
Company. 9th and K streets southeast, for
the year 1863. This excited a good deal of
interest. The roll of members was called
and it was shown that less than half the
number are living. A vote of thanks to Mr..
keithley was ordered.
Secretary Peabody made further contri-
button to his sketch of the old-time fire
matters, this one covering the first half OF
the year 1920 1t opened with the proceed
ings of the meeting of the Columbia Capi-
toll HID Fire Company, January 5. John
p. IngEe, president, was in the chair, and
William Ingle was secretary. There was
some routine business transacted, including
the election of Benjamin F. Bayley, John
Myers, Thomas J. Barrett, Jesse Burch,
James Gull, Joseph Elgar and David NJ.
W ilSon to membership
The election of officers resulted in the
choice of Henry Tins, president; William
]. Mccormick, vice president; William
Irgle, secretary, and Harvey Cruttenden,
treasurer.
A circular letter was read at the meeting
from committee of the Franklin Fire
Company. inclosing resolutions calling for
a meeting of delegates to a convention look
ing to the formation of a fire association,
and also to consider the propriety of memo
rialiZing Congress to enact a law to exempt
firemen from military service in time Of
peace
An Order and a Protest.
The next meeting called one. held
January l. Resolutions were adopted that
payment be made to the keeper of the en-
CINE house; that the treasurer pay all just
demands against the company. and furnish
correct statement to Col. Elgar, commits
sioner of public buildings. and also pay to
him any balance he holds as treasurer;
that the secretary deliver all the books
and papers of see company TO Col Elsar,
and that the company, known as the Co.
lumbia, be dissolved. The last resolution
for dissolution of the company was adopt
ed on yea and nay votes to IL.
The minority filed protest declaring the
action null and void, for there was no such
action provided for in the constitution, and
it was contrary to every principle of COM
mon law and Justice for twenty-eight msin-
bers without giving previous notice, to eX-
ercise such right as dissolvng a CON-
pany of seventy members. The protestants
included the secretary, VIM. 1ngle, and
Messrs. Bayley, Barrett Burch, new men,
bers, and others.
Another meeting of the company was
PalleH al q he fnl
Saturday. but admittance being denied. aid
Col. Elgar having given the key to Col
Roger c. Weightman, president of new
company. those who responded adjourned
to building which had been recently &C.
cuped by IT. Mccormick as an apothecary
shop. Mr.. Tins occupied the chair. Reso-
lutons were offered and adopted declaring
the action taken on the 18th instant Was
Illegal and the preamble and resolutions
then adortc5 were NIL and void.
A resolution was adopted for the appoint
ment of a committee to wait on the COM
missioner of public buildings and ascertain
the grounds upon which he dispossessed the
company of the engine house, and remon-
strate with him to the end of regaining
possession. In the event of satisfactory
explanation or failure to regain possession
the committee was authorized to ask the
President of the United States to app,. ne
corrective measures. VIM. 1ngle, James
Mccormick and Benz. L. Bayley were ap-
pointed the committee, and John A. French.
Il, w y.
son. Robt. Phillips. David OFT, VIM. STEELE.
Daniel Rapp, Francis Hanna Edward
Sweeney, Archibald Crawford, Thornton
Brawner. VIM. Sutherland and John b.
Locke We're elected to membership.
The Intelligencer of January % contains a
notice of the meeting of delegates to the
convention to form a fire association. and
to memoriaize Congress to exempt fire.
men from militia service in time of peace.
This was held in the hall of the Washing
ton Fire Company January 23. with Chas.
l.. Coltman in the chair and j. NJ. Dun
canSon serving as secretary. The delegates
were James Carson of the Friendship, John
Dunlop and James Middleton of the Sun.
Thomas Preston and Jacob H. Davis of the
Relief. G.. S. Hough, n. r. Fitzhugh and
w. d. Mutt of the Star and H. c. Smith
and w. c. Gardner of the Hydraulion-the
Alexandria companies; John p. Ingle and
Harvey Cruttenden of the Columbian, VIM.
Ingle and James Mccormick of the Column
bia Joseph H. Bradley, James Bender and
j. A. NJ. Duncanson and c. L. Coltman of
the Franklin company.
Views Expressed.
The circular letter of the delegates from
the Franklin was read. This urged the i'm
portance of forming fire association so
as to establish a system of discipline that
would make their efforts more acceptable
and would probably be followed by more
property being insured. for there would be
much less cost. AS to the militia exemption
project. the latter stated there was but one
opinion. all being favorable to such action.
Mr.. w. Archer at some length stated the
views of his company, the Franklin, on the
subject.
Mr.. Bradley offered a resolution for the
appointment of committee to memorabilia
Congress to exempt the members Of the fire
companies from military duty in time of
peace: and to authorize the four compa MES
to pass bylaws for their internal regula-
ton with power to enforce the same by
fine. forfeiture warrant or otherwise. This
was adopted and the following were ap-
pointed: James Carson, Friendship; Rob-
ert Brockett. Star; Josiah A. Davis Re-
lief n. r. FitZhugh. Star. and II. c. Smith,
Hydraulion. of Aexa ndria; ]. II. Bradley
of the Washington. Harvey Crittenden CO.
lumbar; VIM. Ingle, Columbian; C. S. Colt
man. Franklin. VIM. Gunton was appoint
ed for the Phoenix. James Owen for the
Aracostia, J. H. Kennedy for the Eagle G.
w. Hollis for the Vigilant and ]. Myers for
the Columbian of Georgetown, unrepre-
scented in the meeting.
The Intelligencer of February IL contains
an account Of fire.
',Our city" the paper stated, $50 long
and happily exempt from this calamity
was alarmed yesterday a little after one
clock by the cry of fire. Fortunately it
was in the daylight for the wind was high
and the supply of water scarce until the
suctions and hose brought it in quantities
from the Tiber.