Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-02-03

rY-REoRGANIzATIoN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
We stated on Saturday, that the only business
transacted the day before, by the public meeting at
the Merchants Exchange to appoint commit
tee of 81 PERSONS meet the Mayors office on Sa-
turday night, to devise some plans for preventing
and extinguishing fires, superior TO those now in
operation.
Although this committee was five times too large
for all useful purposes yet their was, and is
clear, if they choose 10 go the right way to work
They met on Saturday, appointed, at the Mayors
Office; but they did not go hastily at once into the
work before them. There was too much form and
ceremony too much talk, and bother, and nonsense.
The meeting numerous. Mr. c. w. Lawrence
was made Chairman, with Prosper Nj. Wetmore for
Secretary. Then there nearly two hours con-
sumed in proposing sub-committees to wait on
s. His Honor the Mayor" and on - the Honorable
the Common Council" and 4" the Right Honorable
the Fire Department" and half dozen more
Then G.. w. Bruen to make the whole politi-
cal question, and his suggestions were laid on or
under the table. Then Mr.. Sam. Stevens wished
for long discussion of all the merits of the
Then the Fire Department sent in communication
and the Common Council sent in one, and the May
or sent in one, and he followed it soon, and
did committee of iiremen, appointed by whom
know not The only sensible piece of work done
the whole evening, was by Mr.. j. Stevens who of
fered this resolution:
Resolved, That this committee recommend the
establishment OF paid Fire Department in this city.
Then some fireman opposed this, and made poor
speech and concluded by Offering nostrum of
his own for patching up the present FIRE Department
Then Charles A. Davis presented bantling of his
to remodel the matter. Finally Mr. Stevens's reso-
luton was adopted, and the following committee APP
pointed to make report thereon:-C. w Lawrence,
Sam Stevens ID. 4. Cushman, John Haggerty, j. II.
Willis and j. Boorman. Then p. l. Nevins, G. w.
Lawrence Stephen Allen, J. p. Stage, U. C.. De
Rbam. J. d. p. Ogden, j. q. Pierson, and j. ID. Wolf,
were appointed committee to have talk with the
Common Council, the Firemcn, and the Insurance
Offices in relation to the paid system. Then Mr.
Pierson offered the following, which were referred
TO the last named committee =
Resolved, That a sub committee be appointed.
with authority to select three experienced Archi-
tects to confer together and submit one or more
plans and models of fire proof buildings with esti
mates of the costs, to be constructed to com
bine security and economy.
Resolved That the sums of dollars be col
ected and appropriated to that object.
Resolved, That the cooperation of the Insurance
Companies be invited to carry into effect the object
proposed by the preceding resolutions.
All the rignarole propositions for new plans were
referred to Stevens's committee, and the meeting
broke up subject to the future call of the Chairman.
The only course for this unwieldly committee to
adopt, is TO follow out the plan of the paid system;
leave off talking, and FORMS and ceremonies, and go
to work; draft the plan of paid fire department,
similar that of London Paris, and go resoutely
TO work to have it adopted OF course, the present
inefficient fire department will object to it, for yari
Gus reasons. OF course on the other hand all the
soaplocks and thieves and rowdes viii object it,
because it will stop their plunderin, of course the
Common Council will object 10 it, because it will
take away their political patronage. And the
insurance companies will probably object to it,
from a mistaken notion that it will be more ex-
pensive to them. This, howeSor, is falacy,
for there were 100 fires in New York in 1889. and
the loss of property estimated TO have been S3,09
500-S2, sSs 54i ip goods, and S5i0,756 in buildings.
set down for the Cedar street fire, when il is known
that the loss was equal 70 Sj0OO0O. This year there
have been 10 fires, and property to the value Of So
5OO, OC0 destroyed.
What it is then, TO object to the paid sys
TEN on account Of expense Pass this plan, and the
Insurance Offices will money; the Corporation
will save money; the citizens generally will save
money by the operation. We shall not have
fourth as many fires as We now have, and they viii
not be one tenth part destructive. Continue the
present system and the city becomes the prey of
rufans, thieves, and rioters Of the very worst des
crpton and, before the year out, twenty millions
Of property will be destroyed.