Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-06
5000 WILL MARCH
IN FIRE PARADE
BIGGEST Assembly in Events
History Draws Nine
State Entries.

Washington's fremen and approx
nlately 5000 others from nine States
will march down Pennsylvania avenue
tomorrow in what promises to be the
largest Labor day flremen'S parade since
the Inauguration of the annual demon
Stration nine years ago.
Under the guidance Of Sergt. A. j.
Bargagni, director and marshal. and
Sergt. H. F. Harding, his assistant, gilt
tering fire apparatus, flowers and floats,
clowns and testers, soldiers and bands
are being assembled and will be ready
to move out from Peace Monument at
1890 o'clock tomorrow morning.
The parade will follow Pennsylvania
avenue to the Treasury, passing in rear
of the Treasury and onto the Ellipse,
where 1t will disband.
Praises Trade Board.
Sergt. Bargagni attributes the un-
usually successful development of his
plans this year to the assistance rem
dered by the washington Board of
Trade, which contributed $4,000 and is
cooperating through a special ccm-
mittee. The judges also were selected
by the trade body from its member
ship.
The thousands OF District residents
who ordinarily turn out for the annual
affair are expected to be swelled by
other thousands of Labor day visitors.
The first contingent of the visiting
paraders arrived at O'Clock yesterday
morning by train from Sunbury, Pa:
The group consisted of 80 members of
the Sunbury Fire Police Patrol.
Nearly 800 volunteer firemen from Sun
bury were expected to arrive today. All
yesterday and last night. flremen from
as far north as New York, as far west
Carolina, poured into the city.
100 Enter Contests.
Entries have been received from 100
companies from outside of the city, and
sergt Bargagni predicted this number
would be increased by half when the
parade starts. Many nearby fire organ
1zations do not send In entry blanks,
he explained, but register when they
arrive.
Careful plans have been made for
the orderly formation of the parade in
the vicinity of Peace Monument. No.
3 Engine House at New Jersey avenue
and E street has been designated as
headquarters. Here Capt George MeekS
of No. Engine Company will register
all organizations. The ladies auxiliary
serve approximately 5000 lunches at
Gov. Albert c. Ritchie Of Maryland,
accompanied by the District Commits
sioners, will review the parade from a
stand erected in front of the District
Building
Police to Lead Parade.
A motorcycle police escort will lead
the column, followed by the Quantico
Marine Band. Then will come the off,
elal contingent, composed OF Gov
N.tchie, the District Commissioners,
C6ell S. Smith and Joseph A. Burkart
representing the Board of Trade; Sergt
Bargagni and an escort of cars carrying
associations and the District of Columbia
Firemens' Association. They will leave
the column at the reviewing stand
The Sixth Marine Band. the Sixth
Marine Brigade, 1900 strong, and the
District Fire Department drum ard
bugle corps will follow in order.
A float bearing mammoth gold key
symbolic of the welcome accorded the
visiting firemen, will be the vehicle OF,
which Miss Mildred Bargagni, daughter
of Sergt. Bargagni, the official hostess,
will ride.
Old Columbia Out.
An ancient engine, "Old Columbia, !"
drawn by 80 veteran fire fighters of
the Association of Oldest Inhabitants,
is to be a feature Of the parade. I'M
mediately after it will come Barney
Gene and Tom, old fire horses, long
since retired to a farm at Blue
Plains, D. G.
The main section Of the parade will
follow. The column, miles long, with
brilliant floats, glistening fire engines
and fun makers, will take approx
retely three hours to pass given point.
The order of march of this section is
subject to last-minute changes, but is
tentatively arranged with the Delaware
volunteer fire departments leading.
Plans call for contingents from New
York, Ohio. North Carolina, New Jer-
sey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Mary
land and Virginia, following in the
order named Forty District fire depart
ment floats will be included along the
line.
Judging Of the best equipped appa-
ratus will take place in the Ellipse at
Q o'clock. A band and drum corps
contest will be held there at 8 o'clock.
Twenty-four prizes will be awarded on
the Ellipse at 7:30 o'clock in the eve
ming.
At $3.50 o'clock the annual f1renlen-
police base ball game will be played at
Griffith Stadium.
Highlights Of the parade will be
broadcast from the reviewing stand by
Station WJSV. This station also will
broadcast the base ball game.