The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-06-27
Over In Oxford.
St. Johns Day Exercises Last Sat-
urday-A Great Crowd Present
-Oxford's Splendidly Equipped
Fire Department

st. Johns Day exercises at the Ok
ford Orphan Asylum Saturday drew
a large crowd-the largest in the his
tory of the institution many said.
The occasion was delightful andhelE-
full one. No one can attend these an
nual exercises and see the bright
faced little boys and girls being
cared for and trained up into hon
OrabIe, useful men and women by this
noble institution without being deep
" impressed. Next to the insane
asylums OF the State the Orphanages
the Masons at Oxford, the Baptists
at Thomasville, the Presbyterlans at
Barium Springs, the Episcopalians
at Charlotte. the Odd Fellows at
Goldsboro, the Methodists at Raj
eiq hare the noblest we have, doing
the greatest work for humanity and
posteriTy. We never visit an orphan
asylum or q hospital for the insane
in North Carolina that we are not
made to feel more thankful for the
blessed privilege of being taxed to
support these institutions and the
ability to contribute privately in
some small degree to the mainten-
ance OF those for which no public tax
is levied.
Mr.. +. II. Busbee, of Raleigh, well
known lawyer and Past Grand Mas
ter of the Grand Lodge of Masons.
was the orator of the day and his
speech was worthy OF the man and
the occasion. And saying that no
higher tribute could be paid if We
wrote a column about his splendid
address. Mr.. Robert g. kittrell,
Superintendent OF Public instruction
OF Granville, delivered the address OF
welcome which was we'll timed, we'll
conceived and well expressed. Col.
Frank =. HObgood, of Greensboro,
(native of Oxford and to the manner
bOrn) was master OF ceremonies and
presided with the grace and dignity
of a veteran.
The editor had the pleasure OF
meeting many of his friends from
different sections of the State and in
the cordial handshakes he received he
felt that il was good to get away
from the cares of business occasion
ally and touch elbows with his fellow
men and broaden the horizon OF his
vision by contact with them.
Being IA guest at dinner of Brother
John Il. Britt and his good wife our
visit to Oxford could not have been
other than pleasant had there been
nothing else to make it so. They
have d delightful nome and possess
the gracious faculty OF making their
friends feel at home with them and
one never enters its portals without
desire to accept the invitation to
"come again
Accepting an invitation from our
young friend Mr. Wade H. Britt, son
OF the "old man." and main stay OF
the Public Ledger force. we visited
the fire department and inspected
the same. We had no idea that
| Oxford bOasted such a modern fire
department. They have a 81, 100000
quipment--everyth thing tirst-class and
up-to- date-nothing better to be
found in any Of the larger cities.
With sufficient natural pressure to
| throw a stream over the talleSt
building i'll town they do not need Il
| steamer, Int the wagon hose and
other apparatus are OF the best
They have two splendid horses, well
trained, and have made some record
breaking time in reaching fires and
getting water on A regular salaried
| man, CHR. Johnson, courteous and
ever ready to receive visitors and
show them around) is on duty all the
time, and no alarm of fire goes long
without his presence with team and
wagon, hose, ladders, and other APP,
paratus, and the consequence is
| property owners and insurance com.
panies feel reasonably safe from fire
in Oxford.
Mr.. Wade Britt is foreman of the
department and feels a pardonable
pride i'll the splendid equipment
which the town has provided and the
excellent work done by his men.
AS fine equipment as it has Oxford
does not have apaid fire department
The membership is composed of vol
unteers-numbering some of the best
young men of the town-but they
are encouraged and supported in
every reasonable way by the author.
tiles and citizens and nothing they
ask is withheld. Hence they have an
equipment that would be a credit to
any city, and are in condition to
combat fire and protect. property,
and the people of Oxford consider it
money we'll invested