History of Worcester and its people . night after the l)urning of the Stowell weaving shop, but it isbelieved that the work of organization began before the fire. At thismeeting a clerk was elected, indicating that the by-laws had been formedprior to that time. It was proijosed to call the organization the Wor-cester Fire Company, and that name is inscribed on the old record book,but from 1793 its name has been the Worcester Fire Society. It wasmodeled after other companies in Boston and elsewhere. The recordsindicate that the town then owned a fire engine, for Samuel Bridges with-drew because
History of Worcester and its people . night after the l)urning of the Stowell weaving shop, but it isbelieved that the work of organization began before the fire. At thismeeting a clerk was elected, indicating that the by-laws had been formedprior to that time. It was proijosed to call the organization the Wor-cester Fire Company, and that name is inscribed on the old record book,but from 1793 its name has been the Worcester Fire Society. It wasmodeled after other companies in Boston and elsewhere. The recordsindicate that the town then owned a fire engine, for Samuel Bridges with-drew because his membership interfered with his duties as member of theengine company. In 1795 this society provided runners for the the beginning, the society was composed of the foremost men ofthe town ; it was perhaps really aristocratic in its origin. It was notonly a fire company, but the principal social club, and it indulged in theannual oration that was popular in its early days. The first oration was 412 HISTORY OF WORCESTER. AND ITS PEOPLE 413 by Charles Allen in 1846. and at the same meeting a poem was readby Benjamin F. Thomas; next year Pliny Merrick was orator, and Sam-uel F. Hapen. poet; in 1848, 1S4!I and in ISoO, there were orations orpoems, and in KSriG Gov. Bullock gave an historical address From 1860tintil after 1900 the custom of having an annual dinner with an oratiotiand poem was observed with occasional lapses. During the first luuKlred years tile membership was limited tothirty. From time to time pamphlets have been published giving bio-graphical notices of deceased nieml)ers. In 18(;2 Le^?i Lincoln prepareda pamphlet containing reminiscences of the original members, the by-laws and roll of membershi)); in 18T7 a pamphlet was published contain-ing memoirs of fourteen members, and the annual address by BenjaminF. Thomas in ]S72. and in the same year another pamphlet containingsketches of fifteen members, Ijv Isaac Davis. In 18!)!) another pamphlet,contai
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