Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-12

Island 1910 to 1916. Tenth street and Mary
land avenue southwest.
Weston Hose. 1855 to 1864. near Twenty
sixth and K streets.
metropolitan hook and ladder, 1855 to 1864,
site Of No. 6 engine. Massachusetts, avenue be-
tween Fourth and Fifth streets northwest.
American hook and ladder. 1855 to 1864.
Georgetown companies: Union, 1913 to 1919;
Potomac, 1913 to 1919: Columbia, 1913 to 1919;
Sun. 1913 to 1919: Vigilant, 1877 to 1867; Me-
chanical, 1919 to 1926: Columbia, 1927 to 1887;
Eagle 1927 to 1890; Western Star, 1881 to 1851;
Potomac hose, 1864 to 1857"
A /EEN representatives Of the Union Com
w pany. the Perseverance. the Northern
Liberties the Metropolitan hook and ladder
and the American Hook and Ladder Company
met in 1857 to decide which was the oldest
company in the city first place was given to
the Columbia Company Of Capitol Hill, because
of its continuous existence from 1904 To this
decision, however, the Anacostia Company did
not agree but could not at that time submit
sufficient evidence to change the minds Of the
representatives
So far as continuous service is concerned, the
Anacostia Company really did have grounds to
justify its claim-but no doubt the Columbia's
evidence was convincing.
The Anacostia Company was organized on
December 16 1873 in accordance with the fol-
lowing notice appearing in the intelligence OF
that Date
"Fire company-The citizens of the fourth
ward are particularly requested to meet at the
tavern Of Lawson Pearson on Wednesday gve-
ming 10th instant, at o'clock for the purpose
of organizing a fire company agreeable to law"
Subsequently meeting was called for Janu-
airy 6. 1919, for the election of officers. but the
time evidently postponed until February
9, when the following officers we:e elected at
Hemsworths tavern: DR.. Alexander McWil-
liams, president: John w. Brashears. secretary:
Robert Desher, treasurer; Thomas Halliday di-
rector Of engineers: Robert Clark and Colmore
Bean, ak men; James Friend, director Of ladder
men, George Adams. director Of sentinels; Will
liam Prout, director of furniture men, and Ed
ward w. Clarke, director Of line or linemen.
At first this company was located near the
Branch Market. south of K street, between
Fifth and Sixth streets and afterward ON the
west side of Ninth street southeast. between &
street and Virginia avenue, where No. Is Engine
Company is now located. In 1868, shortly be-
fore it went out Of existence, its president waS
Thomas w. Cook Caleb Burgess was vice preSi~
dent william H. Cross secretary, James A.
Gordon treasurer and A. D. Shaw steward.
AN incident Of unusual judgment and braV.
cry, which occurred back in 1s43 Is told
OF two members of the Anacostia Company.
Some powder in the Navy Yard exploded.@
some buildings, among which was the powder
house. AS soon as 1t was noticed that the pow
der house fire q general scramble took
place to get to q place of safety. But among
the crowd were at least two cool heads, Messrs.
John F. Tucker and John Goss. both members
Of the Anacostia Fire Company. Instead Of
running with the rest Of the crowd. they set 10
work to extinguish the flames. They grabbed
the Anacostia pipe. broke open the door of the
powder house ana flooded the contents. thus
preventing another explosion and saving thouA
sands of dollars to the Government and more
than likely terrible loss OF life. Their actioA
was highly commended by the superintendent
OF the yards, and the Secretary of the NavN
in q most complimentary order. published tho
fact, and returned the thanks of the Governs
ment to the two men named. This was q
heroic act at any moment a spark was
likely to drop en- some powder and blow them
to atoms"
To many persons of the Navy Yard seceaos
.lt4 .tt 's .f'.rs re s.....
Continued on Fourteenth Page