Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-08
COMMITTEE is APPOINTED
Joint Tenant Of the Volunteer Fire
mems Engine House.
PIN ADOPTED FOR MEMBERS
Pictures of Capt. Isaac Bassett Pre-
sented by Harry o. Hall, Who
Delivers Interesting Address.


For the first time since the passage by
Congress Of the &C; making the Oldest
Inhabitants Association joint tenant with
the Union Veteran Firemen's Association
OF the old engine house at 10Th and II
streets northwest the members Of the
Oldest Inhabitants Association met last
night in that historic structure BY rea-
son of the reminiscent talks and the pres
entatfon OF reminders of earlier days oil
| the city the meeting proved most interest
ing. The plans for future events which
were outlined showed that the association
is to be very active in the coming weeks.
With the assurance that the necessary
funds will be forthcoming when needed
he association appointed committee to
prepare plans for alterations to the old
engine house, in order to make it more
| commodious and comfortable for the as
sociation's meetings. This committee Is
composed of DR.. A. p. Pardon. Daniel
J. Bache, B. D. Drane and James l..
Parsons
Two events in which the association will
take an active part were announced. Will
liam +. Downey will give lecture in the
Public Library, April ID on Good Citizen
Ship under the associations auspices but
open to the public. The members also ac-
cepted an invitation, extepded by Col.
p.in- May 20 at Col Armes home, Fair
field. In celebration Of his sixty-fifth
birthday anniversary.
IAN the boys are expected to bring
their best girls" he remarked. in extend
ing the invitation last evening
President Theodore w Noyes was in
the chair, and. in the absence Of Secre-
tary B. w. Reiss. DIR. B. w. Sunny
acted as secretary. President Noyes con-
graduated the association on holding its
under the act of Congress. making 1t
cotenant with the Veteran Firemens As
ISOLATION.
Pin Adopted by Association.
On the recommendation of the commit
tee on badges. the association adopted
pin to be worn by the members. 1t is
square. Diagonally across the face Is
representation OF the Washington Monu-
ment, and at it's base is an eagle with
shield on its breast. Across the face
are the words Assn Oldest Inhabitants,
d. c." Under a resolution adopted by the
association at a previous meeting, 200 OF
the pins will be ordered at once and sold
to the members at cost.
Applications for membership were made
by S. Heller. 617 K street northwest: J.
NJ. Perreard. 1904 f street northwest;
Joseph Williams, ia B street southwest;
William A. Cooper. 3O3 l. street south
east: George Z. Zurhorst, 2Oi Sd street
southeast and Charles F. Shelton, 116 &
street southeast These applications were
referred to committee composed OF
Messrs. Bundy Sunny and Kiefer. Rab-
bi Abram Simon OF the Washington he
brew Congregation, who made an ad-
dress before tie association February %,
was elected an honorary member.
To Enlarge the Hall.
A discussion of Improvements to the
rev quarters Of the association followed.
The committee on hall was authorized to
take steps to have the windows and
blinds of the engine house altered, to in
sure proper ventilation. In an address, OF
which Lets Be Comfortable was the
text, DIR. Sunny proposed that commit
tee be appointed to prepare plans for al
tering the structure. SO that larger
hall will be provided for tire association
meetings. He suggested hat by the re-
movai of some partitions the entire Sec
ond floor could be made available as an
assembly hall and that outside stairs
could be provided on the east side OF the
structure.
Another member suggested that the
committee should consider the advisable
ity of purchasing more land.
The general motion that committee be
appointed was approved by vote, and 1t
will begin active work at once. 1t was
stated that no structural changes 10 the
historic building are contemplated at
present.
the evening was the presentation to the
association of several pictures of Capt.
Isaac Bassett. who was for over sixty
five years connected with the Senate OF
the United States, and who was the first
man to turn back the hands of the Senate
clock when the hour for the final ad-
journment of the Senate for the session
approached.
Address on Capt. Bassett's Life.
An address on the life of Capt. Bassett
was made by Harry o. Hall. Capt. Bas-
sett, MIR. Hall said, was born in Wash
ington near the site Of the former meet
ing place of the association-the Corcoran
building-in 1919 His ancestors came to
this country in the seventeenth century
and his father, Simeon Bassett, was in
charge of the stone cutters at the Capitol.
Mr.. Hall described graphically the first
time the hands of the Senate clock were
turned back. when the hour for the final
adjournment Of the Senate was near. Sen
atOr W. p. Mangum OF North Carolina.
the president pro tem of the Senate, was
in the chair, the business was far behind.
several appropriation bills had not come
over from the House and noon of March
4, 1915. approached. Senator Mansum
asked Capt. Bassett If he could turn tine
hands of the clock, and the latter. ever
faithful In the performance of his duties,
slipped over and turned back the hands.
While Capt. Bassett lived no one else
ever performed that duty in the Senate.
Only once was attention ever called to the
fact Senator Hill of Georgia saw Capt.
Bassett in the act one day and, rising in
his place on the floor, asked why the
hands Of the clock were turned back. The
presiding officer smiled. but no one made
reply and the matter was dropped.
One OF Capt. Bassett's duties was in
service Of SENATOR D. II. Lewis of Ken
lucky. The senator weighed Owe; 100
pounds and Capt. Bassett was stationed
near his chair to fan him. On account
of his size, Senator Lewis had special
chair made for him on the Senate floor,
and among the pictures presented by MIR.
Hall last evening was one OF this chair.
Capt. Bassett also provided snuff for
the members of the Senate keeping sew
era boxes of it on window sills IN the
chamber. Capt. Bassett wrote reminis-
censes of his days in the Senate, but.
for fear of offending some one he never
published them. He was honOred again
with many gifts and being granted
81 600 year extra salary. But up to the
time of his death he was ever fearful
that he would lose his position.
The association voted its thanks to Mr.
Hall for the pictures.
John MahOney announced that William
Pritchard had promised to give to the as
ISOLATION of the first copies of the
Evening Star. marked volume ]. No. L.
Members OF the association who have
not done so were urged to go to the
F. street, at once and have their pictures
taken m he included in the large group