The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-08-22
Meeting Of Virginia State Firemen's
Association.
Newport News. Va, Aug

| National attention is being attracted
| to the convention CT the Virginia State
| Firemen's Association which will be in
session for three days, the 2Sth to Goth
of August, in Newport News and reports
! from throughout the entire country indi-
cate that more volunteer firemen from
more States will attend this gathering
of the fame fighters than have ever
assembled together before, There are
| several reasons for this. One is that the
| meeting. will be attended by number of
| fire-fghting organizations whose men,
| bers have attained prominence through
| out the nation in their efforts to combat
| the fire fend, among them the keystone
| Chiefs association on whose rolls are
| found the names of fire chiefs from prac-
tically every State in the union The
| association will attend this meeting as
will other similar associations. The sue
| cess OF the Virginia association and it's
membership Of several thousand yolun-
teers has attracted the attention of fire
companies in all parts OF the United
States and that is bringing many hun
dreds OF visitors here to study the meth
DDS and see them in actual work. Then
the proximity OF Newport News to the
jamestown Exposition, it being but a
nc" tLiI o5c Hl5tOfiC hdIup-
ton Roads and at the mouth of the
beautiful James river will bring many
who wish to visit the fremen's conven-
ton and at the same time do" the
exposition.
Elaborate preparations such as have
never been attempted before have been
made for the entertainment of the fire.
men and all who come are assured of
not only the greatest meeting of the
volunteers ever held on American soil
but they will be afforded every oppor-
tunity to visit the historic spots with
which this cradle of the nation abounds
as we'll as the Jamestown Exposition.
Among the States which will be es-
pecially well represen ted at the meeting.
aside from Virginia which will send
upwards OF three thousand, will be New
York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Delaware, Ohio and West Vir-
ginia. All Of the volunteer associations
in these States have been invited to at
tend and take part in the events atten.
dant upon the convention and scores OF
their companies have accepted, while
many OF them will be accompanied by
bands. North Carolina will send per-
haps a dozen companies, while Mary
land and New York will have their Lead
ing fire fighters here.
The Keystone Fire Chiefs association
will be one the greatest attractions here
The president of that association is
James Baxter, Jr., chief OF the Philadel-
phia fire department, while the vice presi-
dent is Fred Heed. ex-chief of the West
Chester, Pa, department, both of them
old fire fighters who have taken part in
many battle with the flames. Others
OF equal prominence in the fremen's
world will be here to participate and
give counsel and advice in the discussion
OF modern methods.
From Baltimore, New York, Wash
ington and other cities representatives
are coming to take part in this gathering
with the firemen OF the Old Dominion.
and the result OF this meeting of experts
on fire and how to fight it are expected
to be far reaching.
Business aside, the Virginia firemen
have prepared a program OF entertain
ment which will make the three DAYS
busy ones. Aside from the great
parade in which scores of companies
with thousands OF fremen and almost
countless bands will take part, there will
be numerous excursions to various
points of interest and a great clam bake
on the banks of the river James On the
last day the browning feature of the con-
vention will be held-the races There
will be a reel contest for association
teams with a purse of 500 and the as
ISOLATION trumpet. There will also be
reel contest open to the teams of the
W orld with first prize OF 500 and a
second of $50, and entries from various
States have already been received. A
prize of 500 has also been offered for
the largest uniformed body with the
band in the parade, this open to the
world, and a prize of $50 is offered for
the,largest and best band
Aside from the attraction OF the Fire
mems convention Newport News is offer
ing unequaled advantages for those who
wish to visit the jamestown Exposition,
it's hotel aeon odations being rem arkably
good and moderately priced while it's
water trip to the grounds is unsurpassed
in beauty. This feature alone will bring
many to the convention.
The Virginia State Firemen's asso-
citation was organized in 1886 at Ports
mouth since which time it has had rapid
growth and has attracted national at
tention. 1t now has membership of
associations in more than sixty Virginia
cities with a personnel of several thous-
and. Its president is W. K. Stowe, chief
OF the fire department of Newport News,
who is one of the best known fire fight
ers in the country.