The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-10-24

The Smoke Eaters Celebrate.
} There is no kick coming about the &C
/ tions of Jupiter Pluvius and Old Sol, OIL
! Thursday, as they let us out of prett,
tight hole. At other places Throughout
} the county there was rain, but none ap
peared here to mar the festivities In homo
J of the one hundredth anniversary of thu
Union Fire Company.
The event had been thoroughly adver
, tised for weeks in advance, and thousand
of people had made up their minds to b.
|, numbered among the visitors.
But everything seemed to be agains
} favorable conditions. The wind was com
Ing from the wrong direction, raising the
temperature to an unreasonable degree
the weather man was unkind enough tC
predict rain. and sure enough it came at
o'clock in the morning from an uncertain
sky Jupiter Pluvius and Old Sol then
played tag for while, the latter winning
out. Gloomy spirits gave way to good
cheer. and the rain that was feared came
down good and hard, but not until the
programme of the day had been success
fully carried out.
While the demonstration was not met
ropolitan event, it was equal to such when
population is considered. 1t was better
than a big Thursday at the fair, because
the crowd was held in the business Sec
ton of the town, causing a coDgested
condition of the streets and sidewalks all
the afternoon.
Decorations for the event had been in
progress for several days. and Thursday
morning found the town handsomely
trimmed, some of the displays being es-
pecially neat and attractive and further
beautified in the evening by an illumina-
ton. This was pleasing feature to the
eye of the stranger.
The centennial anniversary of fire
company is worthy of public recognition.
The men directly responsible for this eel
ebration have been Wondering in the
dust for many years, and it is to their
successors, who Loyalty perpetuated the
existence of the Union Fire Company,
that homage was paid.
Early in the morning the town was
turned over to the firemen, and the hos
pitality extended to them was unstinted
Most of the companies arrived early
with their bands of music. After being
instructed as to their orders, ranks were
broken and the men had a good time TAX
ing in the sights of the town.
Occasionally, however, there was just a
little sprinkle OF rain, as If Jupiter Plu-
vius was reminding us of the fact that we
owed him debt of gratitude for holding
back shower which he could let fall at
any moment, but his watering pot was
kept nearly on the level until after sun
down.
1t was good-natured crowd which
jostled each other for several hours. Maids
and maidens were out in force in their sum-
mer attire, the old and young were pres
ent, and also the usual number of baby
coaches always to be found in jam.
Old residents fail to remember when
the town was so well supplied with music.
Business was suspended during the pa
rade, and the throngs which lined the
sidewalks and other points of vantage
applauded themselves tired.
The employees of the machine shops. at
Smithville, were here. as well as nearly
the entire population of the place. Work
in the country district came to a stand
still, and In some cases only enough help
was left oR-the farm to care for the cattle
When the marshal and his aids started
to line up the 30 fire companies, 20 bands
and five drum corps, the crowd seemed to.
double in number. With applanding sticks
visitors waited the oncoming of the hand
some appearing firemen, and to them was
extended warm welcome.
One of the first of the firemen to arrive
in town was Elk Chief James Mcmahon,
of Gloucester. He is passed 80 years of age.
and was the organizer of the Gloucester
City Fire Company in 1878. Mcmahon
was a member of the Philadelphia Vol
unteer Fire Company, and was one of the
participants in the great fire at Fifth and
Market streets, fifty-five years ago. He
presented framed Autograph of that
conf1agration to the Union Fire Company.
By actual count there were 1913 men in
line. Some of the oldest fire relics in the
state were placed side by side and in
striking contrast with the most approved
fire apparatus. The is true of the hand
some engine of the Lambertville COM
pany. 1t took first prize at the Paris Elk
position, where it was taken for exhibi-
ton purposes by the American Fire En-
CINE Company.
The old hand engine belonging to the
Columbus Fire Company, in charge of
George A. Wills, was attached to the bri-
gade of Continental paraders from the
Relief Fire Company, of Mount Holly.
The Union Fire Company took great
pride In presenting its old hand engine be-
cause of its history. 1t was built In 1885,
by John Agnew, of Philadelphia, at a
cost of $3.50.
Prominent among the visitors were W.
l.. Mathues, state treasurer of Pennsyl-
vania; William Ossenberg, who led the
Exempt Firemen's Association, of Tren-
ton; General Bird W. Spencer, of Passaic,
for twenty-five years president of the
State Firemen's Relief Association. The
General was assigned to position in the
parade with Robert s. Gaskill. president
of the Northampton Fire Department,
and together with William Hinkle and
George H. Peak, two of the Oldest local
fremen, occupied Mr.. Gaskill's handsome
automobile
The marshal, aides and route of the
parade were the same as previously an
nounced in THE News.
The blowing of whistles indicated that
the starting hour had arrived, and prompt
at at 2 o'clock the parade began to move
In the following order:
FIRST DIVISION.
Liberty Band of New Brunswick
Exempt Firemens Association of Trenton Old
Hand Engine.
Automobile.
Ivy srd Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps of
Camden.
Ocean City Fire -partment.
Freehold.
Riverside Fife and Drum Corps.
Riverside Fire Company No. /.