Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-10-31
FIREMEN HONOR
CITY MANAGER.
AT BANQUET.
Given BY Motor Companies
Nos. 4 an0 5 Last
Night
FIREMEN COMMENDED
Addresses BY Rev. Robert Browne,
Norman Roberts, Manager Rich,
Rev. L. F. Kelly and Mr.. Lamm.

-@~--
A banquet was given last night al
the engine house of Motor Company
No. 5 BY the members of Companies
No. 4 and 5 and was attended by q
large gathering of firemen. The ban.
quet was in honor of City Manager
Wilder M. Rich.
The first speaker Of the evening
was Rev. Robert Browne, pastor of
the Methodist Protestant church
whose subject was "Our Boys" In
his opening remarks he stated that
the guest beside him, the Rev. l.. =.
Kelly, assistant pastor of st. Mary'S
Church, attended the same school,
played in the same streets of their
old home town in Ireland and he ex-
pressed pleasure at the company OF
Rev. Father Kelly, at the banquet.
The speaker laid great stress on the
responsibility of the firemen. He de-
clared that they must be red-blooded
men who can stand the strain placed
upon them. adding that the best man
to lead, as chief, should hold office
and that in that man the tiredepart
ment had Chief Edward J. McDer-
mott.
In the opinion of DR.. Browne, the
day is no far distant when harmony
and peace will reign in every depart
ment of the city. He said that the
present city counsel is composed Of
able men who are willing to sacri-
flee their business for the city's well
fare. He urged all to stand by them
and tnd then. he said, they will stand
BY the fremen. Concluding he said:
."Be four square in duty, death, grave
and eternity"
Norman Roberts, president of Col
umbia Engine and Motor Company
No. A, spoke on "Our Department. "
The efficiency of the department to-
day. he declared, makes it stand Sec
ond to none. The speaker told OF
the willingness of the fremen to do
and serve for the protection of life
and property He pledged the sup
port of the firemen to the city mana
Ger and city council. A paid depart
ment. Mr.. Roberts said, would cost
the city approximately $4,000 a year
whereas all it costs for the volur-
teers at the present time is $3.50 a
year.
Citv Manager Wilder NJ. Rich de-
clared that the city appreciates the
efforts of the men upon the FIRE
grounds and their splendid work He
told of the plans Of the new govern
ment and how it functions and eX-
pressed qualification at the splendid
and efficient manner in which the
firemen handled the reent fire aboard
the Alanthus at the plant OF the VIZ
ginia Shipbuilding Corporation.
Mr.. Rich told Of the spirit that pre-
vailed among the men when he offered
them nav for their services after Md
night. they saying that they were
only volunteers and refusing compen-
sation. -.
moss of the fire engine houses and
also the condition of the apparatus
upon his first inspection. He pledged
his cooperation as far as possible,
A short talk was made by Mr'
I.amm of the Western Salvage Com~
panv who said that company appre-
c;ated the efforts of the firemen at
tbe recent fire they had at the ship
vard in the burning of the ship Alan
thus. He praised the fremen Tor
their wonderful organization.
Rev. L. F. Kelly, assistant pastor
of St. Mary's Catholic Church IN ms
address stated that all should coop,
crate in making the fire department.
a big success. He said it was pleas
ure for him to be with them on this
occasion, The speaker gave des-
cription of the frefghting equlpmeilt
he found in Constantinople on the
occasion of his visit to the Holy Lana.
The apparatus in these places ne de-
clared was not capable of meeting up
to date fire needs. The speaker de-
Clared that love is the key word to
success, that all things are accomp-
lished through love-love of home,
love of relatives, love of peighborss
love of township and love for God.
With these all things he declared,
are possible. Rev Father Kelly gave
benediction which concluded the af-
Letters from Joseph L. Crupper,
receiver for the Virginia Shipbuild-
ing Corporation. and J. n. Barde,
general manager of the Western Sal
vage Company. complimenting the
frenen on the manner in which they
handled the recent fire at the ship
ward aboard the Atlanthus were read,