The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-07-18
TREATMENTS CONVENTION.
BIG EVENT OPENS AT SAVIN
 ROCK THEATER TO-DAY.

Extensive Decorations and Illumina- tiOns in Their HOnOr-Opening of the Session and Business Meeting-Ban- quet in the Evening-TO-mOrrOw Big Programme of Events-Parade
 and Athletic Contests in the After
 noon.
 The cottagers under the direction of J. c. Johnston, Manager Speck of the White City, and who are strongly aid- ed by the trolley company and propri- etors of the various resorts at the shore, have been working hard to complete arrangements for the biggest and grandest Illumination that has ever taken place at the Rock, and their efforts will be duly appreciated when the lights are turned on tomorrow night.
 The twenty-thrid annual convention of the State .Firemen's association will open at Sayin Rock this morning and continue through to Thursday.
 The State Firemens association is an organization composed of the fire fighters both paid and volunteer of the state. It numbers over 5000 men, and will be represented by about 400 dele gates. The charter members who are still alive are: Charles A. Gerdenier, Bridgeport; A. c. Hendick, New Ha- ven; w. B. Thomas, New London; H. B. Stevens, Danbury; I. B. Hyatt, Meriden; Samuel c. Snagg, Water bury; John $. Jones, Westport; Henry J, Eaton, Hartford; Joseph B. Carrir, Norwich
 The meeting will be called to. order in the Savin Rock theater at 1:SO this aft ernoon, and the routine business quick ly disposed of. The opening will be \ by President Beardslee of Bridgeport, who will be followed by Warden James A. Peck of West Haven in an address of welcome. The annual reports of the association will then be taken up and acted upon
 | Some 1,600 state firemen with crowds of visitors from all over the state are expected to be on hand Thursday, and the day bids fair to be the largest of the year at Savin Rock.
 At il o'clock In the morning a par ade of fire laddies will start from the town hall, West Haven, with fifteen bands and sixteen drum corps in line. Wheeler & Wilson's Bridgeport band, the Ansonia Brass band, Bristol Brass band, and our own Second Regiment band will be among them.
 Athletic events will then take place on Main street, Savin Rock, and the celebration will be concluded by the H. lumination at night.
 The event of importance that will mark the first days session will be the presentation by ex-President A. c. Hendrick of the association of the his torlc old gavil that was brought into use by the charter members when the association was formed. This trophy passed out of the possession of the as- ociation and was lost sight of for some time, It was recovered and will be presented in due form.
 | Two candidates seeking the presi- dency of the Ffremen's association is causing a lively interest in the business sessions of the convention.
 Thomas R, Connel chief of the Ham, den fire department, is pitted against Archibald Mcdonald of Putnam in the contest for the head of the state or ganization. Mcdonald is now the first vice president of the state organization and if the custom of other years is followed he will be raised to the pres idency
 Assistant Chief William B. Perkins of this city is in line for the presidency. If the slate goes through he will be made first vice president O'Connell claims to have the support of a num- Der of delegates. Ansonia and Derby fremen are strong for O'Connell.
 Each fire company in New Haven will send delegate to the convention, and department officers are entitled to representation. From the different fire stations the representatives to the con- vention will be Messrs. Gesner, Kinney, Goebel, Falsey, Borst, Kiernan, Slagle, Lynch, Reilly Jackson. Langdon and McQueeney, Myer, Cronogue, Killeen and Coates.
 The other feature of the convention will be a special memorial to the de- parted firemen, and will no doubt prove one of the most interesting though sol enn parts of the meeting To allow the public to take part in the exercises the galleries of the theater will be thrown open and cordial invitation is extended to all, and especially to the | ladies, to attend
 This evening a banquet will be serv- ed Wilcox's Pier restaurant, Thursday morning the session will be resumed at S:30 o'clock, and after tn~ lcompletion of unfinished business there will be a parade by the West Haven fire department and a large number of the visiting firemen This will be fol- lowed by a hose tournament which will embrace the latest methods of laying hose, and the drills of the firemen in the departments in the large cities.
 The session of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs association, which is an ad- junct of the State association, inas- much as it is comprised of men who are members of the latter association, will be held on Thursday, This associ- ation is mainly @ social one
 There will be large number of vis- itors to the gathering, ad it is antici- pated that many from this city will attend the session Thursday and wit ness the hose tournament.
 Thursday is really the big day From early morning until the time for the l nnrada the cnnnnanias will be arrivinn