The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-15
Fifty Years Ago.
THE .BIG SIX" RECEPTION,

 ; The reception given by the mem bers of the Amerieus Hose Conpany' a4 their room, last evning, yeas g5aeide71v fine affair. His honor the krnavor and several members of the i r,ounrnon Council were in attendance. Addresses were given by Chief En-. i rineer HoIcornb, James E. Dunnam, EamueI B. Sumner and others A f1reman,s song was sung by Messrs- 1-rs sninning and others. The fol- lowing is a copy of poem renoerso by Mrs. Sumner: : rTr, Members of Americas Hose Co. We'll. Brother Bremen, how dye do!
 you1l be astonished some, To see me walk right in your midst
 and make myself at home; T3ut don't be shouting Put him out
 for I've obtained permission TO run with your machine, and can.
 show you my commission. You~ see, your worthy secretary sent
 a gracious note, { Conveying the intelligence, that by ,- hAttering vote had become a member of your
 famed association, With all the right and privilege per
 tainjpg to the station do not know the reason. but
 reckon, 'atWeen us, You must have thoughb by nature that I was "Americus!" So now, without ado, or further par take the hand of fellowship and
 join the .'Merricusses!, I'm not so green a fireman, as per
 faps you might suppose, For years piled the brakes and toted
 round inc hose. An: those were glorious times we
 had in Quitting out the fires, And wetting down the village streets,
 and washing off the spires! But. bless mel things have vastly
 changed, and now we throw a
 stream;
 Three times as big. and thrice as high.
 and do it all by steam; Old hand machines, in rural towns,
 perhaps don't come amiss, But they're gone by and all played
 out'' in our metropolis We don't insure against the flames in
 these enlightened days, We don't let fires progress enough to
 ripen into blaze; But water flies so lively and so law
 ishily around.
 That nowadays the danger. is-of -s--Es PSOpAC SCtCA4AG SAOFAC1- A fire don't stand a decent chance;
 sometimes wish it could, When some old rookery undertakes
 to burn down-as it should; But, whether there's a palace or a
 shed beneath the spout, You only see the same old foe, and
 faith, you put him out! felt a. conscious city pride, as
 through our streets today, Paraded our department in magnif-
 cent array;
 It was the proudest sight. since when,
 from Dixie's land afar, Our gallant boys came marching home
 in triumph from the war. saw the bone and hinew there, all
 leagued with one consent To save our habitations from the fiery
 element.
 saw the trim hose-carriages; [ saw
 the gray-decked steamers; I The floral wreatI1s, the rare bouquets.
 the banners and the streamers. The ..steriing,' the ''Protector,'' the
 .'Excelsior,'' were there. The little t'Seamstresss too, to swell
 the pageant, did her share; And then there came the Fountain
 Hose" and the Ladder Boys, g
 beside. All moving with united tread, and
 with martial stride. And lastly-'Stand from under! Clear
 the track! Keep back the crowd! !'' The atm mosphere is ringing with ap-
 p1auses long and loud; The people all are frantic. and re-
 doubling cheer on cheer, For the couchant Tiger and Big
 Six" are bringing up the rear! Oht who wouldn't be a Tiger" me
 thought as I beheld, While the Iive1iest emotions within
 my bosom swelled;i And I deemed it no slight privilege to
 fraternize and mix with the boys that bear the enb1ems
 and the badges of Big Six!" I know I'm not a giant. nor of Anax'
 tribe a son.
 But, I tell you. when Pm downright
 mad, weigh about a, ton; And somstinaes feel, when pitted
 against half dozen .swhoppers, 7