Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-15
GOOD WILL FIRE COMPANY NO. Z,
HAS HAD INTERESTING RECORD
Protects One of the Largest Territories in the City;
Members Prominent in Official Lite

X. Eerbeke." The company vacated
their original premises, and moved
into their present commodious build
ing in 1878.
Verbeke First President
William X. Verbeke was the first
president of the company, and con-
tinued to hold the office until 1871.
when he relinquished the position un-
til 1874, on account of having been
elected Mayor of Harrisburg. on the
expiration of his mayoralty office he
was reelected president, and held the
office until the time of his death, Feb
ruary 23, 1898. The office of presi-
dent, except when Mr. Verbeke was
in that position was held successfully
by J. n. Blundin, William b. Olsen,
George w. Lutz, Charles w. Scout,
John Porter. James Cummings, Henry
C. Demming and j. II. Williamson,
the present incumbent.
The membership of the Good VIII
Company have been signally honored
as follows: Mayor. William Is. Ner-
beke. January 9, 1871, to January 13.
1873: chief of police, Charles A. Will
helm, 1918: chief engineer of the
fire department, Isaiah Reese, Jan
uary 6. 1874; George w. Lutz, chief
engineer, June 26. 1899. and subse-
quently reappointed; first assistant,
John Mcclure. January 6, 1879. and
reelected January 3, 1880; George
Mumma. January 8. 1883. second as
sstant engineer; John Geiger, jan
uary 6. 1873, and Lewis Filling, jan
uary 7, 1878. After the office of sec
ond assistant engineer had been abol-
ished, Harvey Dintaman was elected
assistant engineer in 1895.
Among other city-wide positions
held by members of the Good Will
Uirnf,naniG ITninn nf
Harrisburg. Christian u. Kramer.
president, in 1891; Colonel Henry G.
Demming, president, January 8, 1901.
and now serving his fourteenth term
as president, and fifteenth year as a
member. Charles w. Scout was elect
ed secretary soon after the organiza-
ton of the union and held that office
for several years.
Harrisburg Firemen's Beneficial
Association, Christian ID. Kramer,
president. He joined the Good Will
Fire Company April 2, 1855, and when
the Beneficial Association was organ
lied June 9, 1891, he was elected its
treasurer, serving two years and eight
months, and then was elected presi-
dent, and has held that position from
that day to this, now serving his
twenty first term.
The Harrisburg Firemen's Relief
Association mas ndu dS It's pItSlucH'
George w. Lutz and Christian ID.
Kramer. Colonel Demming serving a
number of years as auditor.
"The Good Will Company was in
corporated as The Good Will Steam
Fire Engine Company No. Z, of the
City of Harrisburg, June 10, 1889.
when William X. Nerbeke was presi-
dent. William r. Olsen, vice-president:
George w. Lutz, secretary, and James
II. Curry, treasurer.
At Many Big Blaze
THE service of this company was
conspicuous in every large fire in this
city since the organization, and was
the first company on the ground when
the car shops burned at 1886 o'clock
d. m, Thursday. April 25, 1872, where
the total loss was over 100000, the
largest in the history of Harrisburg.
except the burning of the State Cap
itol
During the car shops fire several
members nearly lost their lives, in
cluding Colonel Demming, who was
enyeloped with smoke and flying Gin
ders while attempting to remove the
most important account books of the
company from the company's office.
The present official list of the COM
pany is: President, John II. William
son; vice president Michael 70. Hoff-
man; recording secretary, William III.
Filling, Jr.; treasurer, Chas. Eckels.'