Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-02
'F|REMEN'S PARADE
.TOBE MADE ANNUAL
Great Success of Pageant
Leads Civic Heads to Plan
for Permanence.

With yesterdays firemen's parade a
memorable one in MANY ways, civic
leaders were laying plans today to insure
continuance of the pageant as a perma
nent Labor day institution in Washing
ton.
Yesterdays demonstration was notable
not only for its magnitude and bril-
lance. 1t was marked also by the toll
of heat victims taken by the blazing
September sun and high humidity.
Approximately IS men, women and
children were treated at hospitals for
heat prostration suffered while viewing
the monster procession, but the firemen
themselves proved their hardihood by
suffering but two casualties.
Civic Aid Promised.
Disclosure yesterday afternoon that
yesterdays celebration had been such a
financial burden on the firemen that
they despaired of repeating the parade
next year resulted promptly in assur-
ances that civic interests will aid in de-
fraying the cost hereafter.
1t was the consensus of leading citi-
zens today that the parade has become
such credit to the Capital that the
citizenry cannot afford to dispense
with it.
Most of the visiting firefighters and
the hosts of hometown rooters from
half a dozen States had departed for
their homes today. Many of the out
of-town f1remen carried back with them
handsome trophies and other prizes
awarded for striking appearance, excel
lence of apparatus, beauty of float en-
tered, novelty of portable exhibit and
for many other "bests"
Nearly a hundred awards were made
in all as result of decisions reached
by large group of judges seated In a
special reviewing stand on Pennsylva-
mia avenue.
First prize for the float best repre-
senttsag the ideals of f1refighting was
won by No. IL Engine Company, while
the prize for the most beautiful ID. G.
fire company float went to No. Engine
Company, Washington's only co1ored
company, for its pretentious Cleo
patra's Barge" float that excited APP
plause throughout the line of march.
Gov. Ritchie of Maryland and Gov.
Pollard of Virginia reviewed the parade
in company with the District Commits
sioners and other local officials. Later
the two Governors in a radio broadcast
from Station WJSV paid high compile
ment to the firemen for their success
full demonstration.
Ambulances, escorted by police motor
along the Avenue almost continuously
during the nearly three hours consumed
by the parade.
Most Casualties Slight.
Most of the casualties were of minor
nature and the patients were discharged
from the hospitals almost as rapidly as
they we're brought in for treatment.
Most of the cases were treated at Emer-
gency Hospital, but when that insti-
tuition suffered an overflow the ambu-
lanceS took the victims to Casualty Hos
pital.
Fortunately for the firemen, fires
were few and far between during the
afternoon, so that the skeletonized
force on duty had little difficulty in
keeping the situation well in hand. A
big fire would have necessitated par
tial disruption of the parading forces.
Although the motor population was
vastly increased for the day, with traf-
fic seriously congested, accidents were
few in number and of relatively incon-
seQuential Importance.
The big base ball game between the
f1remen and policemen, usually at aft
ernoon feature of the Labor day festivi-
ties, will be held next Saturday at
American League Park.