Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-11
THE VETERAN FIREMEN
MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION
HELD TUESDAY EVENING.
Reports Of Officials Received-Contin-
uation of Narrative Of Early
Day Companies.

SAotioA iACI dl Tic Olu OLlOA CLSlHe I1ouSS,
10th and H streets, Tuesday evening. Mr.
James H. Richards. president, was in the
chair, with Mr.. J. j. Peabody serving as
secretary. The president reported Veterans
keithley and CIssel as on the sick roll, and
the death Of Veteran Samuel K. Swami,
which took place at Aberdeen, Hartford
county, Md, July 81. The report of the
officers and the committee on the books
showed healthy financial condition.
letter was read from the secretary Of
Keystone Hook and Ladder Company, No.
1, of Reading, Pa, stating that the COM
pany would arrive at the 9th street depot
Friday, the 18th instant, at O. clock in the
afternoon. The association decided to meet
and escort the visitors in citizens dress,
but wearing badges.
Mr.. Peabody continued his narrative Of
the early fire companies of the city, his
paper covering the year 1928. Opening with
the call for the meeting of the Columbia
Fire Company in the Intelligencer at the
engine house then on the northwest corner
of New Jersey avenue and B street south
east, he read from the proceedings Of June
1. Mr.. w. j. Mccormick presided, and the
following were elected members: Robert
Brown, Christopher Dunn, E. Stansbury,
David Pancoast, George Whitwell, John
Coyle, Col. c. K. Gardner, John Mcleod,
Simeon Bassett, George Thompson and
VIM. Thompson.
1925, to suggest to the commissioner of
public buildings the propriety Of erecting
nengine house outside the Capitol Square
made report, in which it was stated that
Colonel Elgar, the commissioner, had
shown disposition to crafty the wishes
Of the company, and had erected the valu-
able house on the exact spot suggested by
the committee. The committee had the
pleasure Of stating that Edward Everett,
member Of the committee on public build
ings and grounds, was disposed to place adj
ditional apparatus in the hands of the COM
pany. The members furnished him an es
innate and the appropriation was made
and carried into effect by Colonel Elgar,
who purchased first-rate suction engine,
a bending hydraulic, harness for horses to
draw the engine, furniture for the house,
etc, and repaired the old apparatus and
painted it. The committee offered a reso-
luton returning the thanks of the COM
pany and of their fellow-citizens to the
commissioner, Colonel Egar for the aid
uniformly given the company and for the
handsome manner he had carried into effect
the act Of Congress for erecting the en-
gine house., etc. The resolution was
adopted and the president was directed to
present a copy to Colonel Elgar.
The engineers reported all apparatus in
their charge in complete order, ready for
service.
Oficers were elected as follows: John G.
Mcdonald. president; John T. Frost vice
president; VIM. Ingle, secretary. and VIM.
A. Brady, treasurer: John Coyle. ST.,
James Young, Alfred r. Dawson and Berg
man Sprigg, directors.
Exemption From Military Duty.
The question of the exemption of firemen
from militia duty was at that period one
which engaged the attention of the public,
for although some uniformed military COM
panies were maintained, the musters be-
came unpopular This fire company, at
their meeting on January l. appointed
committee to correspond with other COM
panleS with the view Of making a concerted
effort before Congress to exempt the men,
bers of the fire companies from militia
duty in time of peace, and to incorporate
the companies. At a called meeting Janu-
airy the following committee was APP
pointed under the foregoing resolutions:
John Coyle, jr., VIM. ]. Mccormick and w.
H. Gunnell.
the company: Howard Stansbury, George
F. Berry, w. S. Drummond, John Purdy,
Chas. Tins, VIM. Wood, Samuel j. Mid
dleton, Edwin Hurdle, James Towles, A. ].
Stansbury and Frederick May. A meeting
was called to consist of the fire companies
to be held at the city hall, March 4, to con-
slider the propriety of memorializing Con-
gress to exempt the firemen from militia
duty. Mr.. Peabody had, however. found
no report of the meeting, nor, indeed, notice
of any action having been taken up to the
close of the year 1923.
Calls for meetings of the Washington
ruary.
An Alarm Of Fire.
The Intelligencer of March 27, 1925 has
the following:
.There was an alarm of fire yesterday
between 3 and 4So'clock, originating in a
building belonging to Mr.. Law, and occu-
pied by Miss Polk boarding house, on
Capitol Hill, which called forth the engines,
but which was promptly extinguished by
two att % hot i11,
nearer and first on the ground"
In the same paper: Mr.. Law returns his
grateful Acknowledgements for the zeal
and activity shown to extinguish the fire
in his house; he cannot sufficiently express
his thanks"
The following day the Intenigencer pub
lished the following card
THE Misses Polk return the fire compa-
MES and Others whose action and generous
exertions yesterday saved from devouring
flames the house of the philosophic and
philanthropic landlord, to accept an effu-
sion of the most grateful sensations, for
though the circumstance has lost a large
portion of their living, the timely aid af
forded preserved their means of subsistence.
The intrepid conduct Of two or three black
boys upon the back building deserves we'll
to be remembered and commended. Miss
Polk having lost several of her boarders by
reason of this unfortunate occurrence would
be glad to have their places supplied. She
can accommodate ten or twelve The re-
pairs of the house will be completed in
very few days; only three rooms in the
building were in the least commoded. The
principal injury was in the roof over the
upper passage"
Notices of meetings Of the Union, Frank
lin Washington and Columbia fire compa-
niles appear during the year, that Of the
Union at the West market and others in
engine houses-the Franklin in December at
14th and E streets northwest the Wash
ington at the engine house adjoining The
general post office, and the Columbia in
the new house on New Jersey avenue ard Is
street southeast Some of these were for
ordinary business and others for inspection
and test of apparatus.
A call appeared in the Intelligercer for
meeting at the city hall August Z, adj
dressed to THE mechanics of Washington
favorable to the formation of new and
Independent fire hose company"
Iron Water Pipe.
The first mention of iron water pipe Mr.
Peabody found was in the advertisement of
Mayor Joseph Gales. July %, for propo-
sails for furnishing not exceeding five thou
sand feet of iron pipe of three inches diam
eter and half an inch thickness Tor rhe
conveyance of water.
In August an appropriation of $104.75 was
made to complete the work for conveying