The Washington times., 1917-02-19
Engine House of No. 13 Com
pany Transformed Weekly
Into Chapel.
SLEEPING QUARTERS USED
Daughters Of Captain Egloff
Play and Sing-Work in
Progress Four Years.

Down in southwest Washington,
near the line Of oyster wharves which
line the bank OF the Potomac, where
in winter a heavy fog floats up from
the river and spreads q blanket Of
misty vapor over the city. there
stands a fire engine house, a square,
red brick building, and through the
glass doors in the front, the passer-
by catches a glimpse of shining brass
rails and a cleaning engine.
II the passer-by should happen to
be walking down Tenth street. at
G, any Sunday night, he would hear
floating from the house OF No. 13 En-
gine company the sound of mems
voices, singing hymns. And IL, i'm
pelled by curiosity, he should walk
into the house, a smiling fireman
would walk forward and welcome
the visitor, and then lead him up q
fight OF stairs and into the sleeping
quarters of the fireboys of Engine
Company No. 13.
Seated in the space between the
rows of white enameled beds, which
are covered with spick and span
counterpanes, are a score or more of
firemen, with a number Of young men
and women who live in the vicinity.
Seated at the piano is a brownhaired
young girl, and either talking to his
audience or leading in a simple prayer
is a young man of earnest appearance.
Services Held -Four Years.
For down at Engine Company No.
IS, every Sunday night a service of
one hour is held. All the firemen at
tend, as do friends and neighbors
of the fireboys. About four years
ago, a movement was started by the
Y. NJ. c. A. to hold services in the
city's fire engine houses. Direction
of services was left to the boys"
and those OF Engine Company No. 13,
have been keeping up the custom
since.
Captain Egloff. Of Engine Company
No. IL, with Lieut.. ]. H. Newton, are
the leading spirits in the services.
Captain Egloffs daughter Elsie, plays
the piano and his nine-year-old girl
sings. Her solo is always looked
forward to by the firemen. The
little girl stands by the piano, and
devoid of seIf-consciousness, in a
clear, sweet voice, sings one OF the
old hymns Lieutenant Newton's
little daughter also sings. She is
but five years old, and can't reach
some of the lower notes in brighten
the Corner Where You Are" but as
she stands on the table and sings the
old hymn, she resorts to the very
simple expedient OF leaving them off
| AS the firemen are seated in the
room, below is heard the champing
and stamping of horses. The odor
of fresh straw imparts a pleasing at
mosphere to the make-shift chapel.
EnIists Special Speakers.
Sylvester Smallwood. who directs
the services, tries to have a special
speaker address the audience each
Sunday. Last night Howard Banks,
private secretary to Secretary OF the
Navy Daniels. spoke. Postmaster
Chance has been invited to speak
next Sunday.
No. Is Engine Company holds the
record for Sunday service attendance
over all other engine companies In
the city, and the firemen are proud
of that fact. Last night there were
present seventy-three, and the Sun
day before about $50. The firemen
look forward to the services each
Sunday evening, when they can
gather in the room "up stairs" and
hear their captains daughters play
and sing.
The success of the services is plain
ly seen in the rapt expression OF in.
terest with which the husky fireboys
listen to the short talk at each meet
ing, followed by a brief prayer fol
their safety in the dangers which
they face every minute while on duty