Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-04
THE ANCIENT FIREMEN
RECORD OF THE WASHINGTON
COMPANIES OF 1897.
Mr.. Peabody's Address Before the Vet
eran Organization-Busin
Matters Considered.

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. Mr.. James H.
Richards presided and Mr.. ]. j. Peabody
served as secretary.
The secretary reported that Mr.. Charles
Each Of the ST. Louis, Mo-, veterans had
called at the engine house and had inspect
ed the relics. Mr. Each stated that his as
ISOLATION had intended to make a collection
of similar relics, but had been handicapped
by their two rooms In the city hall being
taken by the chief of the fire department.
The Historical Society had. however, given
them a room and the work of forming
collection would be proceeded with.
A letter was received from the secretary
of the keystone Hook and Ladder Com
pany, stating that the members would
reach Washington about o'clock Friday,
October II, and would leave the following
afternoon, making the Howard House their
headquarters. AS a meeting would be held
before the date named the arrangements
for the reception were deferred.
Veterans Fridley, Dobbyn and Schofield
were appointed committee to examine the
books
Mr.. J. w. Thompson stated that on his
recent trip to California he visited the San
Francisco veterans, who were here in Sep
TENDER, 1898. He happened to be present.
he said, at their monthly meeting He was
Hospitality received and spent a pleasant
time with them. He was sorry to say that
nine of the forty who visited Washing ton
in 1893 have since died.
Mr.. Thompson gave account of what he
had seen in California, mentioning geran-
ium plants nine feet high, verbena bushes
six to eight feet in diameter, and rubber
plants used in the parks as shade trees.
At Pasadena orange trees were grown and
fruited along the streets, furnishing shade
as well.
Mr.. Thompson said he would not attempt
to describe the grandeur of the Rocky
mountains. 1t was beyond any description.
He had had some exciting experiences in
raiiroading. At one point the train dashed
along at high speed, the engine by reason
of the air brakes failing to work. running
wild till it reached level tracks. There was
much railroad building in which Mexicans,
Indians and Chinese are employed He de-
scribed Chinatown, with It's opium joints,
theaters and joss houses, and, though he
had seen much Of a repusive nature, he
had found that the Chinese are not as
black as they are painted.
Mr.. Peabody continued his sketch of the
early fire companies of the city, reciting
events of the year 1927. He opened with an
account of a fire taken from the National
1ntelligencer of January 10, 1927. as fol-
lows:
while many of our citizens and all of
our fire engines, etc, were at Alexandria
yesterday fire broke out from the roof
OF Mr.. Aliens dry goods store but was
arrested through the great activity of his
neighbors, without much damage being
DONE
The location was not given, but 1t was
near the present Star building. There was
another fire the morning Of September 8,
as appears in a notice of Money Found on
the Morning of the Fire" published in the
lntelligencer of September T. The location
is not given, but from an advertisement on
September II for proposals to rebuild, sign
ed by John P. Ingle, Robert Brown and An
tnony Holmead. committee Of the Frank
lin Insurance Company, it appears to have
been two two-story houses in square 731,
bounded by Pennsylvania avenue B and
LIST streets southeast.
FROM frequent notices of meetings it is
evident the great fire In Alexandria had it's
erect IN the formation and revival of COM
panies, etc. The Intelligencer has calls for
meetings. of the Anacostia Fire Company.
near the navy yard January % and Febru-
airy y; the Washington, near the post Office.
January 70 and January p (for exercise),
February 10, March 10, April 10, and Julv
90 the Union in the first ward, May Is,
september and November 6; the Columbia
on capitol HILL October 2 and December 81:
the Alert or the second ward, January 20:
the Phoenix near Center market February
y ana III for exercise), March Z, April 16
and October 3; the Franklin. which suc-
ceeded the Alert, In the second ward Feb-
ruary .. ID and 3d. April 8 and 49, August
q; the Phoenix Of the fifth ward, February
IA. W. 'i'
1t is evident there were two companies
FEARING Fearing the same name-the Phoenix-one
located In the third ward and the other in
what was the fifth ward, the latter located
near the Old tobacco warehouse. The fifth
ware company was organized under that
name IN december, 1919, and it would an
pear that 1t was still in existence. The call
Tor Its meeting was signed by Thomas
Biagden secretary, and the meeting Mace
s u. seommercial warehouse. This Is still
ana 4th streets southeast.
Fire Engine for Fifth Ward.
August o an act of the councils was ap-
proved by which 5000 were appropriated
for the purchase Of fire engine for the
fifth ward. Presumably this was for the
Phoenix Company above noted. The other
Phoenix Company was an offshoot of the
Washington Fire Company adjoining the
Post Office Department. That company in
Its call for meeting January % invites
Philadelphia hoseman and others dis
posed to unite in the good cause, and sug-
gests that new hose company be formed
Tor which an hydraulion and 600 feet of
hose were at its service. The Washington
Company at this meeting elected the fol-
lowing officers: Andrew Coyle, president;
Henry Smith, vice president William
Hunt, secretary; Hezekiah Langley, treas
urer, and John B. Martin, Jacob A. Bend
er and Thomas ]. Sutherland captains, re-
spect1vely, Of engineers, hosemen and lad
dermen. meeting of subscribers to the
fire company to be located in the Center
market space was held at the house of the
Washington Company, February 8, at
which William Gunton was called to the
chair and Richard Wright appointed sec
rotary. The tender Of apparatus by the
Washington Company was accepted, a con-
stitution adopted and the following elected
officers: DR.. Gunton. president; c. F. VIII
stach, vice president; Richard Wright, sec
rotary, and E. Lindsey treasurer
The meetings of this company continued
to be held at the Washington's house sew
eral months By act of the councils of Au-
gust ., 1927, the sum of $75 was appropriat-
ed for building an engine house near the
Center market; the material of an old
engine house to be used therein as far as
practicable.
The Alert Fire Company, whose engine
house was located on 1871 street, as APP
pears from the Intelligencer of February g,
held meeting at the Lancasterian School
ROOM 14th and streets, January 80, ard
changed its name to that Of the Franklin
Fire Company, electing the following off,