The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-18

Last evening was the time selected By
the ladies for their surprise party on
the men and yesterday morning the
upper rooms of the building were tuIn-
| ed over to them, the men meanwhile
working faithfully under the orders or
their superiors. The florists of Topeka
had contributed flowers, holly and
Christmas green for the decorations.
Mrs Lord gave generously of holly
from the Hayes greenhouse came Amer
lean Beauties, Mrs. Holcraft, American
Beauties, La France roses and carna-
tionS, while H. Hulse sent a handsome
rooms took on very a festive look with
the holly trimmed pictures and the tall
vases on stands and billiard table filed
with the long stemmed American Beau
ties. The couch, a handsome leather
one, was presented to the men by Chief
Wilmarth who called all of them to-
gether in the club room and told them
that he had something to say to them.
In a few well chosen words he then
gave them the couch, which included
five hand worked sofa pillows, a large
yellow and black one from the CHIEF
and Mrs. Wilmarth and the others from
the ladies of the station. Chief Will
marth spoke of the high calling Of the
fremanS life and of the great trust and
responsibility imposed on him. While
many" he said, Imagined that the
| life of a fireman was easy, that when
there were no alarm of fires he had
nothing to 90. such was not the case.
1 The fireman had to keep in practice
and had at all times to hold himself in
| readiness to go at a moments notice
weather" Chief Wilmarth then turned
| the couch over to them, admonishing
/ them that he did not expect them to lie
down on it with their boots on or to
have pillow fights with the new cush.
ions. Attached to the couch was
type written list of all those who had
| contributed to this fund. Chief Will
marth then gave to Captain Gilman the
purse containing $32 to be used to i'm
prove their club room. At the conclu-
| sion of the chiefs speech Captain Gill
man was called upon for a talk. He
responded and said that he was no or
atOr and that he did not wish to speak
and had begged the ladies' to let him
off but they refused. In spite of his re-
luctaEce he made a good talk and
thanked the chief and all those pres
ent in a very pleasing way. DR.. Ryder
who is considered an honorary mem
Der of the department, was then called
upon and responded with a short talk
He spoke Of the highest terms of the
Topeka fire department and paid
glowing tribute to Chief Wilmarth, who
he said he considered the best man in
his line in the country. DIR. Ryder spoke
of the fires that he could remember IN
his bOyhOOd before the days of paid
service when the volunteer man did
the work. In those day a fire would
burn for two weeks and consume vast
properties while he said Topeka had
never had a bad fire where whole blocks /
were destroyed. He cited the roller mill !
fire the Parkhurst-Davis fire and the /
Crawford opera house fire, but these he /
said were confined to the buildings in
which they started and that there
was no greater loss was because of the T
splendid fire department of Topeka He I
likened the fremen's life to that of the +
men in the life serving service. While |
the former were not always called upon /
to save life they frequently did and
always saved property. Mr.. c. w. /
Thompson and Fred N1orns. who are
also welcome visitors at the station /
gave short talks. Chief and Mrs VIII
marth then led the march to the sup |
per room where oyster soup was served |
ted with carnations. At the conclusion |
of the feast a telephone message was
received from Councilman Simms, say
ing that the increase for the fremen /
and for which increase he haa worked |
so faithfully had been agreed upon by /
the council. This caused great rejoic- /
ing among the boys and Captain Gill |
man Immediately extended an invita- +
ton for Mr.. Sinns to come to the sta |
ton and have the biggest bowl of oys- I
ter soup and receive the longest /
stemmed rose in the house. Mr.. Simms I
rest Of the evening the guest Of the /
men. This evening Will long be re- /
membered by all as a pleasant social +
event, Captain George Gurtler for
merly lieutenant at this station, but /
now captain at Nc. 5, was over with +
welcomed by their old friends. Stewart /
Henry, another one Of the boys who /
resigned a short time ago to go into I
business for himself, was also an honor I
ed guest for this evening The men at /
No. l are: Captain H. N. Gilman; Lieu |
P. Near. A. B. Bland, Archibald Church. |
man and Chester Myers.