Evening star., 1934-02-05

the veteran nrenghter died
of heart ailment early yesterday
in the University Of Pennsylvania
Graduate Hospital. where he had been
confined less than a week for treat
ment of severe throat ailment which
had sporadically interfered with his
work for more than year.
In less than two months Watson
would have been So years old. More
than half of his life he had devoted
to the fire department, rising from
the ranks of the clerical force to be-
come its efficient leader.
Fought Criticism
Aside from his illness, Watson was
forced, in the last few months of his
life, to fight an attack on his admin
istration-the first serious criticism he
had met in the IA years of his lead
ership. He was accused of "czaristic"
rule, with being too strict in discip-
linary tactics. But the Commits
sioners ignored the charges. after a
preliminary investigation, and had
paved the way for the fire chief to
retire for physical disability. He was,
however, expected to ask for retire.
ment soon.
Watson. however, went to his death
with the knowledge that the Fire
Department was in better shape, more
efficient and more capable of coping
with serious conflagrations than it
was when he took command Sep
tember l, 1920. He knew the fire
loss had been cut down annually
a record that makes any fire chief
proud He knew that much of the
antiquated equipment had been re-
placed with modern flre-fghting ap-
paratus. And he knew, also, that
during mis- regime he had aided in
procuring for his men two raises in
pay, free uniforms, day off once
a week and a two-platoon system.
But his record does not stop there.
Called Smoke Eater"
Watson not only was an executive;
he was what a fireman describes as
a Smoke eater" There was not
fire of two alarms or more that did
not bring him to the scene If he was
physically able to respond, And he
took personal charge and responsible
ity. Often he risked his life in battle
against flames.
Files at the Fire Department con-
tain many testimonials and commen-
dations to Watson's heroism. His
work at the Knickerbocker Theater
disaster January %, 1922, was typical.
Among the first on the scene, he
crawled under the wreckage. he
helped carry out the dead, he aided
the injured.
In recognition Of his work there he
was awarded the Giles-Grifin medal,
presented for outstanding fire-fighting
activities of the year, but declined.
The Commissioners, however, COM
mended him and awarded him a blue
ribbon decoration.
A dozen times or more Watson was
injured in line Of duty and only once
did he make an official report of the
accident. That was when he sprained
his back in 1927 at a five-alarm blaze
in the Kensington Apartments at
Fourteenth and Euclid streets. There
he slipped and fell on the ice, but
stayed on the scene.
All of his other injuries he dis
missed as trivial. Even when he was
gassed during the eviction of the
bonus army he did not complain.
Among his proudest possessions for
fire fighting were letters of COM
mendation from two Presidents, Cool
idge and Hoover, for his work at the
Willard Hotel and White House fires.
Watsons philosophy was Never take
a chance on a fire." He adhered TO
that religiously. Often he called out
more apparatus than necessary to
fight blaze, especially in the down.
town high-value section, but he was
never criticized for letting a fire get
away from him.
Native Of Illinois.
Watson was a native of Cairo, III.
He was born there March 80, 1876.
He joined the District fire depart
ment July /, 1906, and was appointed
chief clerk. In 1917 he was made an
explosive licensing agent. When the
department needed a fire marshal in
1918 to fill a vacancy Watson was
given the job, and then September l.
1920, he was elevated to the highest
position in the department, that OF
chief engineer.
Watson was a member of the Asso-
citation of Oldest Inhabitants of the
District and the B. P. o. E. Surviv-
ing him are his widow, Mrs. Bessie
L. Watson and his mother, Mrs.
Jennie Watson.
The body arrived from Philadelphia
this morning. Funeral services will
be held at Watson's late residence,
1928 Fourteenth street tomorrow at
2:30 pm. Rev. George F. Dudley,
rector Of st. Stephens Episcopal
Church will off1ciate. Burial will be
in Rock Creek Cemetery.
The pallbearers will be Capt. Owen
r. Moxley, Capt. George Meeks, Henry
Stein, Fire Marshal G. G. LAUDER, Pvt.
B. H. Statz and Pvt. L. P. Whalley.
SUCCESSOR UNNAMED.