Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-11
ALEXANDR|AF|
UNIT HOLDS FETE
Columbia Engine 0rganiza-
ton Celebrates seth Birth
day Anniversary.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, March 11.-Co-
lumbia Engine and Motor Company,
No. 4, of the local Fire Department,
celebrated the flfty-ninth anniversary
of its founding with a banquet held
in the Westminster Building here last
night. Prominent State, city and FIRE
oh1cia1s and about 200 COMPANY mem
bers and guests were present.
Paul Morton, former city manager
here and now serving in similar ca
pacity at Petersburg, Va, proved to be
the principal speaker of the evening.
Loyalty His keynote.
Loyalty to present town officials was
the keynote of Morton's talk He also
urged Red Cross first aid training and
training in fire prevention and salvage
work for the local department and told
OF the fire situation at Petersburg and
the particular problems he had to face
there. He declared that Alexandria
had the "snappieSt, quickest fire de-
partment in the State of Virginia.
State Senator Frank L. Ball in a
short, informal talk spoke briefly of the
annexation fight between the city and
county for the recently annexed terri
tory and said that there should be no
feeling on anybody's part concerning
time has come" the Senator said, when
Alexandria and Arlington County should
forget animosity and get together and
build on this side of the Potomac a city
that will rival Washington"
City Manager Wallace Lawrence
spoke of the first aid, salvage and fire
prevention work referred to by Former
City Manager Morton, and stated that
Alexandria was going to get these
things in the near future. Fire Chief
James M. Duncan, jr in his greeting to
the company and congratulations on
the anniversary and the affair, further
stated that his next request of city
council would be for a first-aid wagon
and proper equipment for the work re-
ferred to.
Tells Of d. C. Drill School.
Sergt. A. j. Bargagni, representing the
Washington Fire Department, spoke of
his work at the d. c. f1remen's drill
school and said that he was urging the
heads of his department to open the
school to volunteer firemen of the sur
rounding territory, which he character
lied as the second line of defense for
Washington.
Other talks were made by State Del
egate j. Fred Birrell, Councilman j. E.
w. Timberman, Councilman Edmund F.
1IceT anu PRESIDENT Il. w. McHugn OF
Potomac Truck and Engine Co. No. g.
Norman Roberts, president of Column
bia Company, acted as POSTMASTER and
made short address Of welcome and
closing remarks.
A feature of the occasion was the
presence of George S. French, only
surviving charter member of the COM
pany.
A varied program of entertainment
intersperSed the speakers.
The company was presented with a
four-tier birthday cake by Mrs. Stuart
Jones, chairman of the ladies serving
the banquet. on behalf of her group.
Charles B. Cook, chairman of the af-
fair, was given a present in appreciation
OF his work. and the ladies serving and
on the entertainment program also re-
ceived presents.
Rev. George j. Hooker, pastor of the
Methodist Protestant Church, opened
the affair with invocation, and Rev.
Father Hugh McFadden, assistant pas
tor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, pro-
nounced the benediction.