The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-05

The Howard Relief Company will
open their new club house tonight by
giving a ball and banquet. It will De
an elegant affair, one that will be in
full keeping with the opening Of such
a handsome club.
All the rooms Of the club have been
beautifully decorated and everything
presents a festive appearance. Hollow
bush's orchestra has been engaged to
furnish music for the occasion. A
banquet will be given and there will
also be a ball. Hansome souvenirs will
be presented to those present.
The committee which had charge of
the arrangements were, Messrs. Il.
Gieschen, NJ. Schnibben, w. A. Mailer,
w. Tienken, w. H. Coleman, c. B.
Render and w. F. Stolter. Mrs. P. n.
Flick has charge of the arrangements
for the banquet. Only members Of the
club or their immediate families will
attend the reception, but these will
make a large crowd. as the
has about eighty members.
The Howard Relief Company's new
club building is located at the corner Of
Front and Orange streets and it is an
elegant structure. The building is two
stories high n the entire building
will be used by the club. 1t is built Of
white hydraulic brick and presents an
exceedingly pretty appearance.
The interior of the building presents
as pleasing an appearance as the out
side. On the first floor there are four
rooms, two on each side of the hall.
The front room on he right viii DE
used as a reading room and the room
in the rear a. a committee room. The
front room on the left will be used as
a ladies reception parlor and the room
in the rear as a billiard and pool room.
On the second floor of the building is
a dancing hall. This is suppl ed with
ladies and gentlemens dressing rooms
and it also has a balcony for the band
and spectators. The buffet will be on
the second floor Of the building. It is
an up to date club building in every
respect and the members nave a right
to feel proud of their new home. 1t is
one of the handsomest club buildings
in he State.
The different rooms Of the club have
been handsomely furnished and every
thing presents a homelike and comfor-
table appearance. In building the club
an effort was made to get all the ma
terial, il possible, in Wilmington. Mr..
H E Bonitz, an architect, Of this city.
was awarded the contract for putting
up the building and the handsome
structure erected under his supervision
convinces the company that they made
no mistake in selecting him. The only
material used about the building which
was not bought in Wilmington was the
metal ceiling and the galvanized orna-
ments.
The Howard Relief Company vas or
ganized in 1856 as a volunteer fire de-
partment. 1t was first known az the
Howard Relief Fire Engine Company
and retained this name until about 1895
when the city Of Wilmington decided TO
have a paid fire department. The COM
pan then got their charter changed
striking out the words Fire Engine"
When a city adopts the system Of paid
fire departments the old companies
generally disband and are foI gotten.
Not so with the Howard Relief Compa-
ny. They We're bound by many kin
dred ties and when the city decided %
have a paid fire department the men,
bers could not stand to see the CLUB to
which they had belonged 81 long dis
band, so they decided to continue che
company in the form Of a social organ
ization. From 1898, when the city got a
paid fire department, until the present
time, the company has met in the hall
of Germania Lodge Knights Of Pythias.
This company was organized by men
who were willing to give their time AMI
often endanger their lives to fight
fires. The company a ever been re-
| garded as one composed of men Of
| sterling worth.
May the Howard Relief Club con
tinue to grow in prosperity and mas
| they never lose hat feeling Of broth
erly love which has existed amqhg the
members since il was first organized.