Evening journal., 1910-12-16
CITY FIREMEN
LAUD SERVICE
Volunteers Enjoy Dinner and
After Speech by Noodles
Pagan
GOLD MEDALS FOR
ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

Members Of the Wilmington Fire /
mems Association. Mayor Spruance,
members Of Council, Noodles" Fagan /
and other invited guests sat down 20
one of the most enjoyable dinners
ever held in this city in German Hall /
last night.
The banquet last night was prac-
tically the winding up of the o-gani-
zation which was instituted mainly 70
arrange for the parade and demon
stration IN October last. but from re-
marks made by some OF the speakers
last night It IS likely that a perma-
nent organization will be formed
Preceding the dinner there was
reception and it was $50 o'clock be-
fore the diners proceeded to the bau-
Quet hall In the absence OF Dennis
S. Shields, chairman of the dinner
committee. who was unable to be
present because OF death in his fam
ily. William j. Lutz. treasurer OF the
association offlciated as toastmasto.
and the following responded TO
toasts. Mayor Sp-uance, "Our City
Of Wilmington" President OF Council
Banning, Our City Council;" Robert
c. Porter president. of the Volunteer
Firomen's Association, "Our Associa-
tion;' Fire Chief Simon r. Moran
Our Fire Department and Edward
r Kane. chief marshal of the parade
IN October. Volunteer Firemen'
There was one guest missing. lie
was First Assistant Fire Chief Ja w
Porter. who is a patient at the Homeo-
pathic Hospital, having been injured
I'm a fell from his wagon while re-
He was not forgotten, however, His
dinner of turkey and other good
things was taken to the hospital by
Edward Curren.
a pleasant feature of the evening
was the presence Of Noodles" Fagan,
who is known to almost evesy news
boy from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coast 'Noodles.n or the Hon moo
dies Fagau as Toastmaster Lutz,
who had vainly tried to learn his
first name, referred 10 him, is the
king Of newsboys and the iiremeu eX-
pressed a wish 10 have him with
them. He was seen by James Nc
Mahon, a member of the dinner COM
mittee, afte- his act at Dockstador's
theatre and not being a late diner
Noodles at first demurred about ac-
cepting the Invitation TO address the
firemen, but as he is a newsboy and
all newsboys love iiremcn, he con-
scnted ~ after the banquet was over
he said he never met q finer body OF
meu In all his travels and was -eally
glad that he came Noodles" proved
delightful entertainer and follow
ing the speechmaking he kept the
firemcn In an up-oar Of laughter for
more than an hour.
Mayor Spruanco. in his address
spoke of Wilmington as q great manu
featuring city and said that It's pro
ducts could be seen the world over
He was proud. he said, to be mayo
OF Wilmington, and he would Away
have a kindly word TO say for Il ane
its people no matter the time OF
place
Mr.. Banning, in paying a high com.
pliment TO the iiremen. related sew
eral interesting. incidents of the fire.
men OF the past when he was DO,
which greatly amused his hearers. Ht
said that Council was doing It's best
under conditions which made II a de
facto body. by q decision of the court
In banc. but that Council would al.
ways be ready to extend a helping
hand to the fremen.
Lauds City Firemen.
Mr. Porter referred to the organiza.
ton OF the Wilmington Firomen's As
sociation and the. work It had don,
70 give this city the biggest firemens
parade Il ever saw. lie felt proud, h,
said. TO have been the head of IN,
organization which made this possible
He expressed the hope that Il woul.
not be the last iiremens parade VII
mington will have and added tha
there was now a movement on foo
10 make tho Volunteer Firomen's As
sociation a permanent organization
His remarks We're greeted with ap
plause
Fire Chief Moran made "a happy ad
dress and caught the diners rign
where 81 most pleased He said IN
felt honored 10 hold the position O
chief of the Wilmington Fire Depar,
ment. and laid particular stress oi
the fact that every company is doin
good service and he had not yet re
ceiyed one complaint. He though
the iiremen did not get one half th
credit due them. He considered tina
within six months time. after tn
Water Witch had received it's automo
bile apparatus. that the Wilmingto
Fire Department would be eQuippe
second TO none In the country VI
concluded his remarks By saying tha
AZ one time he had been superinter
dent OF shop, but ho would rathe
be superintendent of the Wilmingto
Fire Department than any shop
existence.
Mr.. Kane proved to be the oratS
Of the evening, and he handled h