Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-08-27
EcHoEs or THE lONvkNT1oN.

were watched with interest by larS,
gathering of old and young: maze an.
female. The races were IN progress
when the Gazette was put to press. a.
was stated Luray won the first prize %
800. and Woodstock the second soo;
Tn the second race which was open 10 al
corners, Harrisonburg and Wooustock
tied both teams making the distance
in 81 4-5 seconds. When the tie was
run off Woodstock made it in 81 90
seconds and Harrisonburg in 50 10
seconds. Under the rules OF the as
ISOLATION. the first prize 500, was award
ed Woodstock, and the second prize
$50 went to Harrisonburg
Two relays of judges were on hand,
owing to the length OF time required
for the contest, and they were as fol-
lows: Timekeepers, Floyd Saunders,
Edmund Wildt and Charles De Mol;
starters, Kenneth Ogden and R. E.
Groanu; judges Of contest, DIR. w. NJ.
Smith. A. Sidney Mankin, William
Cleveland, P. T. Harrington and Lu-
clan Duffcy, and Chief G. W. Pettcy,
master of ceremonies.
A feature yesterday afternoon dur
ing the progress Of the contest was a
tinpan band gotten up by the Luray
boys.
From the time the races ended until
nearly midnight the visiting firemen
were engaged-i in preparing for depart.
ing for their homes and taking leave OF
their hosts.
The parade OF the Eagle Band and
their musical march from Mr.. John
Riley's hostelry on Fairfax street,
where they had been handsomely en-
tertained, up Fairfax to Cameron, out
Cameron to Royal, down Royal to
King. down King TO the wharf, where
they took the Norfolk steamer for their
home, was fine and was greatly enjoyed.
Later the band and the companies
from Newport News, Phoebus and
Hampton boarded the steamer South.
land and when the steamer started
down the river the band struck up
Home, Sweet Home"
The Charlottesville Drum Corps en-
livened the occasion last night by DIS
coursng music while parading King
street. The company left on 4 late tram.
While King street was not as densely
thronged last night as on Thursday
night, there were many people on that
thornughfare, and the scenes Of the
previous night were re-enactcd. Showers
of confetti were in the air. while
whistles, buglcs, tin horns, rattles,
catcalls, etc, were operated nd llbitim.
Several fire balloons assembled from
upper King street during the night.
All the companies save the Shenan-
doah left Yesterday and last night, and
the latter departed for their home at
$50 this afternoon. Thus ended the
Oath annual meeting OF the State Fire
mems Convention as we'll as the festivi-
ties connected Herewith.
It was learned yesterday that New
port News, which was selected Wcdnes-
day night rs the next meeting place OF
the convention, had declined the honor
and that arrangements had been made.
with the delegates from Lexington to
entertain the association in 1911. As
Lexington is a town OF less than 5000
population, it was intimated last night
that there was doubt whether the
citizens OF that place would sustain the
action Of the representatives OF their
volunteer firemen, experience having
shown that conventions OF the size OF
the Virginia volunteer tiremen should
be held in the larger cities.
The situation as it stands is some
what complicated. 1t has been the
custom Of the association since its or
ganization to elect president each
year from among the volunteer tircmen
of the city chosen as the next meeting
place. j. P. Fraley. of Newport News,
was elected president, and if the con-
vention goes to Lexington the situation
will be somewhat awkward.
1t is understood that after Newport
News had been selected as the next
meeting place Of the convention, Mr.J.R.
N. Curtin, OF this city, the retiring
president of the association, received q
telegram from that city requesting that
the convention be called in special ses-
sion to select some other place. This,
it is understood, Mr.. Curtin declined to
do, saying that the convention would
meet next year in Newport News even
if the members had to hire a hall
themselves and pay their own expenses.
A dispatch from Newport News to
the Richmond Times Dispatch says:
Chief w. X. Stow, of the local fire dc:
partment, gave out statement last
night in which he said that the State
Firemen's Association had voted to
hold its next annual meeting in New
port News in spite OF opposition on the
part of himself and majority of the
volunteers here. The chief thinks the
convention should meet somewhere in
the weSternI part OF the State next year
having been entertained here and in
Hampton within three years. 1t is
said that Chief Stow, through local
delegates, declined to accept the presl-
dency this year because it is customary
to elect the president from the town in
which the next convention Is to be
held.
Some of the firemen returning from
the convention at Alexandria intimate
that none of the western cities or towns
would agree to entertain the conven-
ton. They suggest, too, thatit is pos.
sible that the State Association has held
its last meeting O.