Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-05
OLD FIREMEN, 1925 TO
1929.
By James Croggon.

By James Croggon.
Notwithstanding the lack of fires in the
year 1924, the various fire companies kept
up their regular meetings and organiza-
, lions. The Columbia Fire Company on
Capitol Hill, January 4. 1925. reelected
| its old officers: Maj. Mcdonald. secretary
| of the Senate's Office, president; John c..
Frost Of the clerks Office of the House of
Representatives, vice president; William
1ngle, secretary, and John Pic, treasurer.
The directors were Messrs. Young, Ra-
pine Middleton and Spriggs, the latter be-
ing clerk at the House end of the Cap
itol. Among the dozen members elected
at this meeting were Eleazer Lindsay of
the firm of Ingle & Lindsay; John Under
wood and John Coyle of the first auditor S
office; William Hickey, then a clerk in
the pension bureau, and later executive
clerk of the Senate; John Williams. a
shoemaker, who was prominent in this
company, and who. in 1910, was one Of
the organizers of the Northern Liberty
company; Hugh, Alexander and George
Mccormick, Simeon Bassett. Alfred Thurs
ton and William A Bradley, who. aft
erward was mayor of Washington and
city postmaster.
The Union Fire Company reelected
most of its officers: John A. Moulder. a
Treasury clerk, who for many years was
in the city councils from the first and
third wards: Thomas Sanderford, carpen-
ter and builder, and Henry n. Steiner, q
Treasury clerk and an alderman, vice
presidents; William Ford, carpenter
secretary, and Matthew Hines of the old
Hines family of that section, treasurer.
At the same time the fire buckets were
being examined and the law enforced.
February Z, 1926, meeting was held
at the house of Solomon Drew, near the
navy yard gate. for the purpose of form
ing two companies for the navy yard en-
gines. A committee was appointed con-
sisting of John Davis, master plumber;
Marmeduke Dove, sailing master, and
James Bury, foreman smith, to take the
names Of those employed in the yard for
that purpose. a second meeting was held
at which Thomas Lyndall, master joiner.
presided, and companies Nos. l and =
were formed In this year Congress made
a small appropriation to repair the en-
gines owned by the government. The
Alert Fire Company was meeting at the
Lancasterian School house. Henry Odds,
at 14th and G streets northwest. and they
were using the Treasury engine. The
Union company was meeting at the town
hall over the West Market: the Wash
fngton Fire Company met at the engine
house on 7th street adjoining the city
post ONCE, anu bcCeillDSI lO VI IHdt y Coi
it met to inspect and exercise the en-
CINE, hydraulion and hose. At the same
time Andrew Coyle, chief clerk of the
Post Office Department and president OF
the company, made an appeal for efficient
men. especially mechanics, to become
members. it was at a season when
they might be expected to be called into
service and it was for the cause OF hu-
mainly that there should be an efficient
company.
Fire in Library Of Congress.
The Intelligencer of December "a. 1925.
under the heading Of Fire at the Capt.
to-" says: About ~ o'clock Thursday
night. the 22d instant. - Vincent, ser
geant of the guard on duty at the Capt.
toll, being appraised of an unusual light
in the apartment of the Library of Con-
gress, alarmed the librarian, who instant
ly came to the spot and on opening the
doors perceived part OF the gallery OF
wood, which runs around the apartment,
to be on fire. He Immediately removed the
books to the alcove adjoining, and the
alarm being spread the citizens prompt
ly assembled. An engine and hose were
brought and by very active exertions OF
bers of Congress. who WED with one an
other in their exertions to save the
Library, the flames were extinguished In
less than an hour.
Very few books and those OF little val
ue, were consumed. Some others. OF
course. were injured by the wet and by
their hasty removal: but the loss was
trifling to what might be expected.
The ceiling of the saloon is partly de-
stroyed and one of the alcoves Of this
beautiful apartment. 1t is believed that
the fire originated from a candle left
in the gallery by a gentleman who was
reading there until a late hour and which
being upstairs was not noticed when the
library was closed. The unusual light was
perceived by Mr.. Edward Everett of the
House Of Representatives. who was re-
turning to his lodging from an evening
party, and who indicated it to the guard.
Among the earliest reused and most &C
tive were Mr.. Houston. Mr.. Webster.
Mr.. Dwight and Mr.. Wickliff. Mr.. Ward
of New York narrowly escaped injury
from falling plaster. Few Of the citizens
were aroused and members of Congress
are entitled to much of the credit for
having saved the library and all the per-
ishable part of the building"
The late John p. 1ngle, In letter to
the Intelligencer. published January 3.
1926 says that the engines and hose re-
ferred to belonged to the Columbia COM
pany whose engine was at the fire. The
engine house was where the statue of
Washington was afterward located. This
Is the only fire noted in the public press
in that year.
At the annual meeting of the Columbia
January 3, 1926. the old officers were
elected with the exception that Alfred
Dowson of the noted Dowson's row of
| boarding houses on A street north be-
came a director in place of Mr.. Middle
| ton and Griffith Coombe took the place
! of ex-Mayor Rapine. At this meeting the
| commissioner of public buildings was
asked for additional hose, etc. August
the city council made an appropriation
| to pay the claim of William c.. Hume
man of Boston for an engine. 1t ap-
pears that the corporation had bought
such an engine for the Union company
| in the first ward, but 1t did not give salts
| faction and was returned to Thomas Bull
| finch. commission merchant at 10th and
the Avenue, and treasurer of the Poto-