The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-05-23
Brought the Gun Home.

DTOukUt tIlC Oup AAOuACs
g America and Relief Fire Compani
q were represented in the fremen's parat
!. at Collingswood, Saturday, each con
pany taking 40 men and America ha'
e ing its fine chemical apparatus in ii
! line. Both organizations were loud
3 applauded all along the line. The Fout
| of the parade was very long, GOVERN
nearly eight miles, but all of the fir'
men stuck until the end. At the cor
clusion of the parade the visitors wer
given nice lunch by the ladies of Co
lingswood. 1t was fine affair and tn
citizens of the town are entitled to grea
credit for the manner in which they re
ceived and entertained the visitors, VIII
numbered over 1000.
Numerous prizes were offered. Their
was a cup for the oldest company in lint
and this was awarded to Relief Fir
Company, of Mount Holly. The bronz'
Cup was brought home Saturday even
ing. Haddon Fire Company, of Had
donfield, was competitor for this cup
and is naturally somewhat peeved al
not getting it. Haddon company claims
life from 1854. Relief was instituted al
Britannia, of Bridgetown, July IL, 1852
In 1867 a record on the minute book
shows that the name was changed to
Mount Holly. and in 1905 the name was
again changed to Relief. The original
minute book is in the vault of the Union
National Bank, and it shows an unin.
terrupted existence from the first date.
So sore is the Haddon company that
it has rushed into print and signified
the intention of fighting the award. In
the Philadelphia Record the following
has been printed:
"Haddon Fire Company No. l, insti-
tuted March 8, 1884, is up in arms over
the decision of the Board Of Judges in
the parade at Collingswood Saturday.
Haddon's part in the parade centered
around their most cherished possession,
the original minute book of the COM
panY, which was carried through the en-
tire parade and guarded by two of the
towns police, fitting honor for so
priceless relic,
"Haddon claims the distinction of
being the oldest company present for the
reason that it had the evidence for any
one to see" said member. 1.-THE arti-
Giles on which the company was founded
are framed and hang on the wall of their
parlor and the minute book is kept in
the safe. The first is always on display,
and q request will unlock the safe. But
these possessions are not 30 priceless that
the members of the company are I'M
willing to take them away from home
when they parade. This they did yes
terday, and any one of the thousands of
persons present could have closely in
spected the minute book had they cared
to.
Mount Holly's evidence is SO sacred
that they refuse to produce it, but in
stead brought in their pocket an affida-
Wit signed by some one not yet disclosed,
who claimed that the evidence Of their
claim had been seen. Haddon's minute
book was submitted to the judges and
Mount Holly was awarded the prize for
Oldest company in line. A member of
the Board Of Judges before the parade
was over had the affidavit in his pocket,
and he seemed to know then that Mount
Holly would win.
Holly's claim if they can and will pro-
duce proof to substantiate it. In fact,
we will be very glad to bow to them and
step aside; but the proof must be bona
fide without recourse to afhdavits or like
doubtful papers. The big question being
asked is Have thejudges seen the proof
II they have, well and good. If they
have not, it was not right, but positive
ly wrong for them to award the prize to
Mount Holly. Haddon intends to fight
the issue to onCe-and-for-all finish
The above is good reading but there
are some parts which show the writer
was either ignorant or wilfully mis-stat-
ed facts. The remark that an affidavit
was signed by some one not yet dis
closed, who claimed that evidence had
been seen" is away off. The affidavit
was signed and sworn to by the presi-
dent of the company and he did not
"claim that the evidence had been seen"
but gave verbatim extracts from the
of the company. The original
book is sacred" and is not to be
toted around even under the care and
of two of 1.-THE finest" The
proof presented to the judges was in &C.
cord with the written statement from
Collingswood that sworn statement Of
the contents Of the minute book would
be sufficient. And the president of the
company. who took the affidavit, is will
ing to measure reputation for truthful
ness with any member of Haddon No. l.
Right here it may be said that there was
q rumor, on Saturday, that Haddon had
at one time, been out of existence for
quite little time. Relief can show an
life since July, 1852.
Another part of the item in the Record
was gratutious insult to the gentlemen
who acted as judges in the contest. The
article read that IA member of the
board of judges before the parade was
over had the affidavit in his pocket and
he seemed to know then that Mount
Holly would win" AS soon as Relief
Collingswood one Of its mem
bers handed the affidavit to one of the
local committee and asked him to see
that it reached the proper person. This
was all that Relief knew about the mat
ter until the prize was awarded. What
there was wrong in putting the proper
scented is not clear. The insinuation
against the integrity Of the Ceilings
wood judges Is unfair, ungentlemanly,
and possibly contemplate. Unless we
were wrongly informed, the judges are
gentlemen whose character in every re-
spect will stand the test of comparison
with that of the citizens of any other
place, and will not lose anything by the
mean insinuations cast upon it by the
men who are so peeved at losing the
prize and at not being able to sustain
the claim of being the Oldest company
in liue.
Relief was not only the oldest COM
pany in the line, but it claims to be the
oldest volunteer fire company in the
United States and it challenges any
similar organization to produce records
that will show continuous, longer
existence, with regular, uninterrupted
meetings from the date of institution.
The original minute book from which
the sworn extracts were taken, with all
the other records to date, may be seen
by calling at Mount Holly. If the judges
who made the award desire to still fur
ther strengthen their position, Relief
company will gladly pay their expenses
to Mount Holly or will take all the
books to Collingswood at any time that
may be set.
Haddon Company has made formal
protest against the award Of the judges
and the president of the latter body has
- Asx-4 too 10,