The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-02-24
OLD FIRE FIGHTERS
MARCH TO REUNION
81 Veterans Of the Uniformed
Company Again Decorate
Washington Statue.
GOVERNOR AT ROLLCALL
Greets Survivors Of Volunteer
Corps at Annual Muster
Review in Brooklyn.

|
muster Of the Old Volunteer Firemen
yesterday was their last BY the trumpet
Of. Bill Tweed. who was ripsnorting
good firehghter. whatever else he may
have been. mol BY the helmet OF
Uzziah Wenman, no THE SUN AND
NEW YORK HERALD Is authorized to level
hose upon that absurd spark OF mendac-
| ity and extingulsh II with swift flow OF
truth.
However their shoulders may droop
under the burden OF years, however their
old feet may falter there will be a
Washingtons Birthday parade from the
old headquarters at 10 Greenwich avenue
to Union Square, ceremony Of decorat-
! ing the statue OF Washington with
! wreath and a muster and collation. at
the headquarters as long as there are
two pairs OF old legs to keep step and
two minds TO recall the glory Of old New
York
So they declare with the heat OF youth
| And as the Governor said in his little
talk to them yesterday, as he observed
| the persistent virility OF the ancient
combatants of the devils OF fire II: IL have
no sincerer hope than that a score OF
years from now there will be some Of you
gentlemen of the Uniformed Company
hereabout TO reflect for the coming gen.
Grafton that glow of loyalty and duty
that shines within your faithful hearts"
| o. March in Parade.
Time. the relentless, has summoned
one and another. thinning their once
numerous corps but in the early after
noon OF yesterday there were still fifty
four. nevertheless TO march with ban
ners and the strange apparatus OF old
time Gone little Are engine inscribed
1S42), fire fighting tools that were won
derful inventions when William F. Have
meyer and Andrew II. Mickle were
Mayors Of New York in the forties Silas
Wright, John Young and Hamilton Fish
were Governors Of the State, and James
X. Polk was President OF the United
States.
As they departed with dignity, with
that singular detachment from all other
interests or affairs except the ceremony
which linked them with their honorable
past. their procession was noted with
astonishment by thousands in the streets
between jefferson Market and the pavil-
ion in Union Square--thousands who OBJ
viously did not know what to make Of
the little close marching company Of very
4 old men, These were passersby Of but
few years who were not aware of their
history. To these 1t must have seemed
as II forgotten page of dusty chron-
icle of the city was oddly opened before
their gaze.
| Sturdily. heads up, shoulders squared.
eXempts and volunteers trod the half
mile as II marching to music, every old
gentleman as neat as old lace in his
square cut buff cap, his long bum coat
sweeping to the knees and showing far
ing lapels, his brilliant flannel shirt
showing scarlet at collar and wrist
band, knotted tie of black silk and
boots polished till they CLEANED. And
some noted with considerable pleasure
that most Of them carried color in their
cheeks and pretty lively spirit in
their eyes,
| When they arrived at the pavilion in
Union Square at John Deyine made
brief work of the ceremony of deposit
ing the Washington's Birthday wreath
after John r. Voorhs had talked to
them, because the Governor was to join
them at their own headquarters and,
besides, the weather was much too in
clement to warrant a prolonged affair.
So, after the band of the Recruit played
The Star Spangled Banner" they re-
traced their steps and found the Gov
ernor waiting for them with ready
hand outstretched. He met them one
by one. There was James Y. Watkins,
nearly SO and hale enough, If you
please Watkins, who remembers the
great fire of 1885 and who was very
much among those present when MI
Barnum's Museum was wiped out In
1856; who recalls, indeed, the days
! when darkeys danced for eels to the
great glee OF the fire lads to be found
around Catharine Market, ready for
fight or a frollc.
Good Liquor An Those Days.
There was Jack Harris, turned 90.
who confided to the Governor that fire.
fighting in the old days brought more
than one kind of reward to the right
sort of man, for II tell you, Governor.
that in those days they weren't ashamed
to have little good liquor around TO
warm the insides OF a man weary and
as cold as a mackerel from an all night
job"
They called the roll for the Governors
appreciation John Mulligan. president
of the board of trustees, so; George w.
Collier, president of the association, 7s;
Daniel L. Mott, foreman of the uni
formed company (the ancient designa-
tlon). 81: Frederick kassel 80; Angus
tus Collier, so; George Baker. IS; Will
lam Spear, So Dietrich G.. Gale, 80;
William o. Hearn, 70; Cornelius Law
renee, 79; Edward Westeryelt, S0-a
fine lot of old New York names.
And before and after he made his
short talk to them they displayed with
pride their museum of trophies, the
trumpet that William NJ. Tweed beloved
his orders through when as foreman
of Big Six he went out to fight f1Fes
In Isl; the helmet, reverently pre-
served in a glass case, that UZziah Wen
man wore when he was foreman OF the
Franklin Engine Company No. 80 more
than 102 years ago; the charters In
scribed upon parchment and framed In
old fashioned gilt or black walnut, and
! the lurid and cherished Autographs
picturing the great fires OF three-duarters
Of a century ago.
The Governor told them how much
they deserve the respect and the affec-
tion of the city, and that men who knew
the truth were perfectly aware that the
LOYALTY and dependability and corps
, spirit OF the big. modern fire fighting
: force Of the city rest upon foundation
, that they laid so many years In the past.
. He said too, that he hoped to have the
pleasure of appearing at many future
muster. He went away. tremendously
, sped, and the old f1remen sat down with
, their womenfoIk. served by grandchild-
rem and great grandchildren, and turned
their minds in steady and grateful flow
back upon the years when their bodies
were younger but their hearts no higher
than now.
Over In Brooklyn the exempts who
, fought fires there when the borough was
a city also held their twenty-ninth an
4. I.antInNIlnd q