1857 'Fireman's Parade' broadside Philadelphia

May 11, 2022

Lot 87

1857 'Fireman's Parade' broadside Philadelphia

Estimate: $350 - $500

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About this Lot

Description

[FIRE-FIGHTERS actions combat anti-Irish Sentment]. – Robert Taylor CONRAD (1810-1858) and Philip Spotswood WHITE (1808-1868).

Fireman’s Parade. Presentation of two silver fire horns to the Hibernia engine Company, No. 1. Philadelphia, October 5th, 1857.

Philadelphia: published by Wm. Smith, [undated but 1857] Folio broadside, 14" x 17". Printed in three columns: the first, the 'Address of Hon. R.T. Conrad'; the second, 'Fireman's Address. Written at the request of the Association for the Relief of Disabled Firemen. By Hon. Robert T. Conrad'; the third, the 'Address of Philip S. White, Esq.'

An interesting and quite rare boardside(OCLC records 4 locations), marking an occasion where the parade and presentation ceremony was used as an attempt to heal the rift between old school Philadelphia and the Irish Catholics. The ceremony was overseen by Judge, ex-Mayor of Philadelphia (and poet), Robert T. Conrad who is responsible for the first two columns. The final column (the speech given as the actual presentation of the ‘Silve Fire Horns’ was made), is by a leading temperance advocate, Col. Philip S. White, who intriguingly is described as “a man of much force of character and possessed a number of eccentricities of manner and deportment. He was very genial and social, and a great reputation for story telling.”

White notes that the Hibernia Fire Company was responsible for an area of "importance": "In that area may be found all the Exchange …-- all the printing offices-- all the newspapers of the city – all the bonded warehouses., the Post-Office and the Custom House – all the express ofices – all the steamboat landings-- all the banks save two, and nearly all the insurance offices." He ends with a bad pun: “Go on then, gentlemen, … and constitute for yourselves what your gallant President has already become, a valuable page in the history of our common country”. White then handed the horns to Col. James Page (1795-1875), the company President.

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