Evening journal., 1922-05-22
CHRISTIANA fire
engine HOUSED
Dinner, Addresses, Parade
Feature Gala Day With
Rural Folk
WILMINGTONIANS
ENJOY EXERCISES

,
Christiana assumed gala appear
ance on Saturday. when thousands
of residents of rural New Castle
county Joined with officials of VIII
mingtOn and residents Of Chris
tiana in housing exercises of the
new fire apparatus of the Christlana
Fire Company. The highways of the
old town, that once held a place in
the maritime marts of America.
were crowded with spectators as
hremen from eight rural towns of
| this county and those from Elkton,
Nd, paraded In two divisions with
, each section headed by a band.
The marching fircmen were not
alone. however. as members of the
| Women's Auxiliary of the Chris
tiana Fire Company, dressed in
white with white hats paraded over
the route Of parade. The housing
exercises were in charge of the
Aetna Fire Company. Of Newark
who as one speaker at the exercises
stated, had responded TO nine
alarms of fire in the historic town
since 1915.
Prior to the firemen's exercises
the guests were entertained al
chicken dinner by the Women's (
Auxiliary on the lawn of the home /
of j. Thompson Eastburn an oiii- ,
cial Of the fire company. T. Duncan !
lust. president of the Chrlstiana
CLAY Products Company, was the
host. and BENJAMIN. A. Groves, an
other official. of the company and
resident OF Christiana, was toast
master.
Addresses were made by Mayor
Harvey of this city, former Mayor
Taylor. President of city Council /
Ward. city Councilman j. Edward
NcNabb. Mrs. Donald Ashbrook
Mrs. Jane Penuewil, MaFtin Il.
Smith. former Levy Court Commits
sioner: Charles NJ. Grubb, county en-
gineer. and others.
Mr.. Groves referred to the his
tory of Christlana. its founding by
the early Swedish settlers. the camp
ing OF 1900 soldiers under Lafayette
on its banks prior to their advance
into Maryland in 1776 and the port
of Christiana from which grains
were shipped to all parts OF the
world.
All Of the speakers predicted that
with the government about to make
a survey of the Christiana rivec
from it's mouth to the town OF Chris
tiana the old town would again take
its place in the world mart.
Following the addresses the fire
men formed into line and paraded
through the town, returning to the
Eastburn lawn where the fire appa-
ratus was housed
These exercises were featured by
OF flowers to the presi
dent OF the fire company. George
and to Mrs. Appleby. presi-
dent of the Women's Auxiliary. gifts
from the Elsmere Fire Company.
Richard w. Crook presented the
flowers to Mr.. Groves.
The Singerly. Md, firemen pre-
sented the Good VIII Fire Company
of New Castle with a framed photo
graph OF their fire house and mem
bers. The New Castle firemen
housed the Singerly engine few 4
years ago. The picture was received
by City Councilman McNabb, Of this
city a charter member of the Good
viii Company who had paraded
with the firemen.
The Newark hremen through Pro-
fessor c. A. Short OF the University
Of Delaware presented the Christlana
nremen a silver lorn. II was re-
ceRed in behalf OF the firemen by
Mr.. Groves.
County Engineer Charles NJ.
Grubb. was the last speaker at the
housing exercises He spoke of the
road building program as now plan
ned by the county for the coming
year.
At the close Of the exercises the
new pumping engine OF the Chris
tiana Fire Company was taken to
the river and given a builders test =
which proved satisfactory in every .
way The fremen. after stretching
heir hose lines into the town prop
,r. played streams on the ruins
buildings that had been destroyed
~ fire during the past few years.
The Auxiliary members served
upper to the hremen at o'clock.
The remainder of the evening was
ipent in dancing in the dance pa
'aillon and in the historic Lewden
Iouse, now occupied by Mr.. and
Mrs. J. Thompson Eastburn.
Among those w,.o enjoyed the din
Ter that featured the opening OF the
celebration were:
Mayor Leroy Harvey. benjamin A.
iroNes. master Of ceremonies; A. L.