Evening star., 1911-08-12
OLD FIREMEN-1829-'3O'31-32.
By James Croggon.

The year 1929 found the Columbia and
Franklin fire companies in new brick
engine houses built by the government.
The Columbia engine house was erected
at the northwest corner of B street and
New Jersey avenue southeast, the site
being now within the Capitol grounds.
This was substantial two-story ana
basement brick house fronting on New
Jersey avenue. surmounted by belfry.
The apparatus was housed on level
with the street and run out OF the two
doors, whence 1t was drawn by
rope to the fires on the hill or iii the
eastern part Of the city.
II. however, the alarm came from
downtown it necessitated the descent OF
the hill. which was accomplished by the
apparatus being guided. while the gravity
was overcome by the firemen holding It
back with a rope. This was the case
after the roadway was improved. as be-
fore the men could often get It safely
over. the rough roadway.
The engine house Of the Franklin COM
pany was al the northeast corner of 14tn
and E streets northwest. In the reserva-
ton facing the municipal building, near
where stands the statue of Alexander K.
Shepherd and was similar in plan and
size, but the ground floor was level with
the grade The other engine houses ~efe
frame. that of the Washington company
on 7th street adjoining the gener al post
office, being a narrow building in winch
the apparatus was crowded. There was
second story to this. but its leisht
was so low that the Washington Gual ds.
their arms here, Lad to enter BY the
steps on the north side with unfixed
bayonets and fix them OF, entering the
room to place them in the racks.
Slight Frame Structures.
This engine. together with the repairs
to the same and to the house and yard
of the department. cost about $1,000
The houses of the Union, near the
West market. Phoenix of the third ward,
near the Center market, and Anacostia.
in the sixth ward near 9th and * streets
southeast, were slight frame structures
costing only a few hundred dolars-so
small that 1t was customary to hold the
meetings at other places than the fire
engine houses
At meeting of the Columbia Janu-
ary 6. 1929. several new members were
elected, including DR. Fred May. jr,
and William H. Campbell. long in busi-
ness as saddler: and the officers for
the year were reelected: J. G. Mac
Donald. John T. Frost, William Ingle
and William A. Bradley. president. vice
president. secretary and, treasurer. re-
spectively. with John Coyle. sr. James
Young. Alfred Dowson and Benja min
Sprisg, directors. The Anacostia
company met at the office OF Robert
and elected E. W. Clark. president; :;
Jonathan Frost. vice president; Will
liam Speiden. secretary. and Mathew
Wright. treasurer.
1879. the house of Mr.. Deshield, near
the corner Of New York avenue and
18th street. was discovered on fire, the
roof catching fire from the chimney
and it was entirely destroyed. water
being SO scarce in the neighborhood
some OF the engines were found to be
In a leaking condition.
In a communication from Andrew
Coyle to the young men OF the third
ward they were urged to form compa-
nes: and the fact that at the recent
fires the apparatus needed men to suf-
ficiently work the same was cited. On
April ) an act of the corporation
provided for the punishment of any
one making fire to cause an alarm
was published, which prescribed the
punishment a fine of SIS. or in case of
slave thirty-nine lashes. At meeting
March % Andrew Coyle resigned the
presidency. and the following officers
were e10Ct6O. JACOB A. B6nCer, pTeSl-
dent: Joseph H. Bradley. vice presi-
dent; A. G.. Gibbs. secretary, and An
drew Coyle, treasurer: John b. Martin,
captain of engineers. and Joseph
Bryan. captain of hosemen. Resolu
tions of thanks to Mr. Coyle for his
services as president were adopted.
Union Company Reorganized.
A notice published in the Tntelligencer
nf We hof mi Eiro
pany of the first ward is defunct and
calls meeting to organize new COM
pany. 1t arrears that such a meeting was
held and the Phoenix Fire Company of
that ward partially organized. The Frank
lin Fire Company. of which Mr. Duncan
son was secretary. as well as the WASH
ington Company. regularly met and fire.
quently exercised The Franklin Fire
Company, short time before. issued a
circular inviting the various companies to
elect delegates to a convention to me-
morialize Congress for authority to form
a fire association and also to exempt fire
men from militia duty in time of peace.
On January j. 1880, the Columbia Fire
Company elected as delegates to the fire
mems convention James Mccormick. Har-
lvey Cruttenden and c. RI. Dunn. Among
the eight members elected at this meet
ing were Thomas j. Barrett. James Gull.
afterward a magistrate. joseph Elgar,
David NJ. Wilson Officers were elected
as follows: Henry TimIns. president:
William j. Mccormick. vice president:
William Ingle. secretary. and H. Crut-
tenden. treasurer. On January II at a
meeting OF the company John p. Ingle
offered resolutions directing the treasurer
to pay all demands against the company
and the secretary to deliver to the COM
missioner of public buildings all books
and papers and the company be dis
solved.
After some debate the resolutions were
adopted, that on dissolution by vote of
IS to Is. Protest against this action
was filed by William Inglc. James Nc
Cormick and a dozen others. 1t appears
from the proceedings OF a meeting held
January 16 that the company could not
gain admission to the engine house be-
hands of Gen. Roger c. Weightman the
president of the newly organized COM
pany. the Columbian. and the members
met the same evening at DIR. Mccormick 5
apothecary shop. At this meeting resolu-
tions were adopted declaring the proceed
inss relating to the dissolution of the
company to be null and void and resolu-
ton was also adopted directing 4 COM
mittee to wait on Col Elgar, the COM
missioner Of public buildings, and ascer
tain upon what grounds he had dispos
sessed the company Of the engine house
dent of the United States. James McCor-
mick, William ,Ingle and Benjamin L.
Bailey were appointed a committee, and
fifteen new members were elected. TN
January 13 a meeting Of the delegates
from the fire company of the District
was held at the hall OF the Franklin Fire
Company. There were present delegates
from the Friendship. Sun. Relief, Star
and Hydraulon companies of Alexandria,
and the Washington conipa nies were rep-