The Washington times., 1919-01-31

- AlOshdll' burned TO the ground
Iast saturday through lack of an
adequate mems fire department. 1t
starts as monument to one Woma ms
! indignation. That women is Mrs
Mary. Beall Strauss the, nearest
neighbor TO the HoshalIs, who was
forced TO see her neighbor's pretty
nome burn. to the ground beca,tss
she had never had any training A..
operating fire house or a chemical
apparatus.
MIS- Strauss EdId never again." or
words II that effect, and determined
| ma H the men Of The town couldn't
or "ouIdut save homes and property,
/ lhe Wrmcu can AID All. Then she
%. busy on fer telephone. She voiced
her ia1isnation and EeI plans to all
he- women trends.
And So Twas OrganIEed.
The women were for it and the men
were not "agin" it. Therefore at the
next meeting of the Clarendon Citi-
zcns' Association all precedent was
thrown TO the winds, and for the first
time in history women were admitted
TO the association as the first step
toward the wOmen's fire department.
Mrs$Strauss, as originator OF the
icea, automatically becomes the chief,
assistants all the best-known women
residents of the town.
The first fire drill will be held at the
fire house tonight at O'Clock sharp.
and thereafter every week until the
women are entirely proficient CIar-
CndOn's fire apparatus consists of one
motor chemical wagon and one motor
truck. Two of the women will be de-
tailed as drivers, with alternates, and
the remainder will operate the hose
and fire apparatus.
Probably Wear OyeraIIs.
The question of uniform is the
burning one Of the moment. It be-
came evident from the first that skirts
will never do. 1t is also evident that
no woman will have time to leave her
dishes or her ironing board and stop
10 don the conventional blue with
brass buttons before responding to
the fire alarm. The vote seems, there
fore to abe for some sort Of overalls
which, while neat, will not be gaudy.
The question of headgear is moro
of a problem. The women's hair
must be protected from sparks, yet
the conventional fire helmet does not
appeal. II has been suggested that
POSSIBLY trench helmets direct from
Later on q dress uniform of blue,
with puttces and brass buttons. suit
able for firewOmcn's mustcrs and
similar momcntOus occasions may be
devised.
The men Of the town are in a
state bordering on sulking. They
are not proud of the fact that the
HOshall house burned to the ground
and they are smarting under the
criticism Of the women Still they
are so thoroughly in agreement with
the need OF better fire protection
that they dare not antagonize the
women hy resenting their criticism
They are, therefore, entrenChed be-
hind the dignity Of silence.
Town Not Incorporated.
Clarendon, they point out has
never been incorporated. Its fire
department is, therefore, necessarily
a volunteer affair. It's chief, Frank
Schneider, works at the Rosslyn
Packing House, therefore he doesn't
know whether there's been fire in
Clarendon. until he comes home from
work and someone tells him about it. |
Fire fighting is a side issue for the !
flremen. also. Such were the causes
for there not being more men on the |
job last Saturday when the Hoshall |
home caught fire from a defective |
flUc.
Tells of BIunders.
The same thing could happen any
day in the week" Mrs. Strauss de-
clares, Indignantly. ITS a case
where the women have simply got to
take hold. If the women had been
trained they could have done much to
save the HoshaIl home. AS II was
no one knew how to attach hose or
operate a chemical The man who
opened the first tank let it run out