Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-03-10

| planned the purpose of the gathar .lg
:ay!ng the company was organized
so years ago to protect limb, life and
property ard that the men wer always
,cnay to respond to the call.
i'rring the ever ing spce:h"s we,e
made in their order by the following:
E. S. Leadbeater, treasurer of the
company; Fire Chief Kenneth w.
Ogden, Corporation Attorney H. Noel
Garner, Representative r. Walton
Moore, Capt. George H. Evans,
business manager Of the chamber Of
commerce; H. r. Blrke, president of
common council; Councilman Claude
w. Fletcher, vice president of the
Reliance Company,
The banquet was served by COM
mittee of ladies of the Second Pres
bvterian Church assisted by mothers,
wives, sisters and swecthcarts Of the
/ members Of the Columbia Company
and they were highly praised for the
successful manner in which"tle ban
quct was handled.
An interesting history of the Co.
| lumba Company since its organlZa-
ton was given by F. S. Leadbeater.
who said most of the data was conf
! piled from the Fireman's Standard
! This was practically the same as
published in the Gazette March I.
| Mr.. Leadbeate.' then delved into the
record of the company in later years
continuing to the present time, pay
ing tribute to the former employees
CT the company, including the enei-
nccrs. drivers and fire chiefs calling
them by name. Their names were
Justify applauded by the fremen. The
speaker told of the bond existing be-
twen the late William A. Smoot, for
many years president and the late
Henry Posey, for 40 years driver OF
the Columbia engine. The speaker
also scored the self appointed critics
of the fire department. Concluding
| his remarks Mr.. Leadbeater said:
"Be true to the record of the past
and make it your ideal for the fu
turc.'
Fire Chief Kenneth W. Ogden
spoke on "Thc Progress of the Alex
andria Fire Department. He traced
from the very beginning fighting fires
with utensils and then equipment and
I finally apparatus at the present time
For seventeen and one-half years the
speaker said he has been actively
| identified with the fire department
and had made every effort to maintain
high standard Of efficiency. In
proportion to its size the local de-
partment ne said is equal to any in
! the United States.
Over l25 men are standing ready
at any time to respond to the call for
help. a number Of the firemen ne
declared haze made the supreme sacrl-
fee through illness contracted while
attending fires. The speaker said ne
| felt confident he could modestly claim
a small part OF the progress achieved,
adding that to the men go 50 per
cent Of the achievements.
| Chief Ogden thanked the city for
the splendid apparatus which they
have Purchased for the hremcn.
/ In conclusion he said he recently
t'received s4l0 for, the department
which had been distributed today
among the 3 fire companies. OF this
amount he said 5000 came from resi-
dents of Arlington county; SO from
residents of the town of Potomac,
500 from the Old Dominion Glass
Company, s25 from W. H Lickett
and $40 from John W. Herndon, and
/ afterward Mr.. Leadbeater announced
an additional contribution of 50 from
Irwin ,Diener, of D. Bendheim's.
Each company Chief Ogden said re-
ceived s166 66. -...-a4a-.
CORPORATION Attorney. H. Noel
Garner praised the Columbia Com.
pany for the entertainment provided
and SAID Alexandria is proud OF. the
sE,4r /. r = - ~