Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-24
ALEXANDRIA FIRE ENGINE
HIT OF PAGEANT PARADE
Reminiscent Of Brigade of
Which George Washing
ton Was Member.
: DRAWN DY EInErIGurEns
Friendship Company, In Crimson
Bi"uscs aud nIack Helmets. Cyno-
surc of All Eyes ns Colonial Cnyni-
rndc Threads Way Through streets.

The Friendship Fire Engine Com
pany, OF Alexandria. which bears the
distinction OF having had George
Washington on it's membership roll.
when tho Father of His Country was
a mere youth, comes down into his
tory with a most remarkable career.
pride,
In the good old days when AicNan-
dria was II metropolis. and when
Washington, and Fairfax and Mason
and all those old spirits held forth
a, pohick Church and in Christ
Church. the Friendship Engine Com
pany was the miracle OF the time,
With the engine was an old reel.
used as an auxiliary upon which 20
carry the hose, and whenever Il fire
started. the first nan-and every man
in the community was a member OF
the company-to reach the engine
house. rang the old bell. and pcalcd
forth on the old brass trumpet, thus
gers OF cOnnagration
George Washington was one OF the
members. on even footing with all tn"
others Because he happened TO be
the scion OF "A big land owner, who
came over IN the early days from
England. and lived at the palatiai
Noun, Vernon homestead. seven miles
below Alexandria. in Fairfax Coun-
~. MAS no reason for the other Alex
andrians to look upon him as any
sort OF super man.
All AicNnndrians Look Alike.
All AleXandrians looked alike in
those days. AS they do In these. Tn"
old town was then one big family. as
IL is now And George liked il. He
lk ed II so much that he attended
Christ Church, Alexandria, although
still holding his membership. II is
said, in the vcstry OF luhick parish.
For many years the Friendship Eu-
gine Company kept old Alexandria
from POSSIBLE destruction Ivy tire
Then modern invention crcpt into the
town and another Old hand engine,
with modern" improvements. was i'm
troduccd. and another company was
formed. The veterans Of old Friend
ship went over" TO IN" ether com
pamy Ia run In the members on the
intricacics of the mechanism OF IN"
improved engine. The second com
pany, Old inhabitants say, was kuSwn
for some wears as THE Sun" Com
pany Many water battles, in some
OF which. II is said, George Washing
ton, George Mason md others Of that
Xix, engaged, took place between the
two companies, Historians OF the
town say the Friendship Company al
ways won out.
Introduce steam Engines.
Then. as years passed, steam fire
engines were introduced. and during
the three decades following the war.
the hand engines We're placed in glnss.
cases, heurativcly. and two pieces at
steam apparatus known as tue
columbia" aud the "Hydrauliom"
engine companies added themselves
10 the city's IRE lighting forces As
in the old antebc!lum days. tics,
two companies. following almost
every ire. engaged IN water arnts.
the Columbia com?arr. beng rnudy
w OF descendants u the uricIna!
members al the Friendship Company
II Is snid, won the mciorl,y III vic.
tories
Alexandria is proul of ,n.. Fricna-
ship Company. Aa rroul as PIMA.
6e!phia is 81 the Libcr'v HcN ur
as Richmond is OF ITS Colonial anu
Revolutionary possessions
Members o: the COMPANY from prac-
tically An exclusive set. The legend
Is tina, in order Ia get on thc mem
oershtp rolls the applicant mus, prove
mat ms ancestors ".rc m.ilbcr, hc-
fore him. And 81 already stated
Alexandria being an old family it
SET, the waiting list is always long
The Friendship Company amt inc
hre- iaHd!"s that Manipulated il In
III" hiE rara"" yesterday proved "a
zeal feature II The procession Thc
'nf."v "iii be here several days. -
""S SAID by members Of tho company
last night.