Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-17
LOCAL HISTORIAN
MAKES "VAUX PASS"
Hence This Piece i'm Praise of a
Fine Old Gentleman,
Sometime Mayor

| the index of IT, NJ Iippincotts "Early
Philadelphia, It's People Life and Prog
teSS' Just ISSUED by the famous old publishing
mouse "f Iippincott, there are NO N's at all
| We employ an "astouisher" 10 bring NJ
inc rear OF our opening sentence because the
'a't recorded was shock to us. our very
| NNiuest Nlrslnal vcncration FOR our venerable
| Nlhasc had always found personfcaton in
Il capital '. the sight Of whom upon Chestnut
| street never failed TO carry US back TO old.
old umos. This most important V was
| ,NChdru \auN, sometime Mayor Of tho city,
but more. much more than that
Even within aNeW months OF his doal
| ana 'he was approaching his ciglticth ycar
| Whch he passed away in March. 1S?J-hC
was the handsomeSt old man We have ever
| seen. lie suggested and yet was unlike THE
LAST Lear immortalized IN rhyme by oliver
! wendell Holmes. l+c had been beau in his
tlhlc' hut there was no crack in his voice nor
"rick in his back We can close our eyes
now ana see him coming toward rs.
| MS tal slender figure was always sur
! mounted by silk hat and clothed in black
! hroadcloth cut after the fashion of an elder
day. lie wore a black stock aud affected low
| shoes they seemed to vs. to bc no moro than
| dancing pumus, aud they iuevitah, recalled
| the story told Of him. that he had danced
| win Queen Victoria at her coronation ball.
| And that was no idle story. for he was
| young StCfttlrN OF tho American Legation
| az the tinIo and was Commanded to take -
place IN the duadrllc with her Majesty"
| But he came back to his native city and he
| came an active Democrat. Think of that
| ct ms election as Mayor. aud subsequently
as Congressman. aud OF other honorable but
| unr"mantic things Nc have too little space
here TO gossip The man himself was bigger
| and moro Worth-whllc than any decoration
| that ever was. or ever could haN been,
pinned upon lis exterior. pr 30 We folt
| when NC met him
io never wore an overcoat, that was an
other quaint mark of the man. Il NAV have
been because ho was u child Of winter. "
| he were alive this very minute hc would he
| upon the point of actually rounding out his
| t6iSt wear. no Was born December IL. 1915.
| His head was lconine and so was his mano---.
| his gray haid and Dundrcary whiskors. Ills
voice was pleasing and in old ago mellow, as
Wc recolect It. lie WAS proud Of his town
! and Of his part IN its acttNitc.,
The Gentleman Fireman
In his youth lac "ran" with the Sluladcl.
| plia Hose Company. ii We mistake not, aud
| We tcel We had Il right to cN poet some men
| tion ot that in tho chapter devoted to Fire
! Protection in MIR. ldpplncotts book. or at
! least some word of lis father, Roberts NauA,
! who Was also most faithful fire laddi".
| Mr.. Lppncott. who makes 10 reference at
| all TO the Philadelphia Hose. credits the
| iIiberna. formed in 1sb2--very evidently u
| tN pogra phiCal crror--with having purchased
| in tho year 1898 thrco hundred feet Of q
| newly invented heather hose Of spiral strips
| Of leather rlNctcd together sold at 50 cents
| u foot"
IN an address delivered upou the ucca-
| sion OF the opening of the Philadelphia Hose
| Compauy'S new han on Seventh street. De
ccmDcr 10. 1870, Mr. ltiChard NauN dwc!L
| unon the feeling OF the citizens at the be-
| ginning Of the century that Inodc
| must bc devised in order to stay the desc
latIon Of ConilaEration."
| Let US Imagine for moment in those
early times, the alarm Of fire
| First-day, when, out Of each rcnt-
roof door in Front and Second streets aud
perhaps as high uptown AS tittu street, IN
Arch aud Market and Chestnut streets, the
| quiet Quaker in his plain. neat t'irst-day
| suit. his broad briu. his breeches and buckle
| shoes and yarn stockings. with three or four
| lire buckets either arm, proceeding at an
excited gait TO the nearest pump to stand in
| line TO pass on the water working With q
| he would be done by: and. after Ncighbor
| AS roof had been rid Of the fire, returning
| home with his buckets his arm. with
soak ked shoes and muddy stockings, conscious
| that lie had performed Il voluntary task
| made light by tho knowledge that lie Was
| one OF the many IN like condition. The pic
| ture is "a faithful one. lie was first OF that
| noble band of Philadelphia tlremcn.
Put the need for better fre-irlting an
| paratus was imperative. To the founder
| of the PHILADELPHIA Hose Company he
| longs the praise and honor of suggesting
| and effectuatiug this most hcnCNo aud
| ,Iilblic-spirited purpoSc. They re-
| auired 400 feet Of lloso and screws. esti-
| mated at 5000; Il machine for the hose To
| be carried OIL. TO cost s50 a hose house at
gave the company the use of the lot No z
| North Front street and. in connection with
| the Philadelphia Engine Company, Il house
| vas built So great was tho anxiety for