New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-10-23
U The EGre Department nrd il. Chief En-

" Tie Fire Department and its Chief Eli
eineer.-REPORT or ENGINE COMPANY, No n
AT Regular Monthly Meeting OF Columbian Fire Eugine
Co No H. held At the Engine-Holse, on MONDAY, the
l4lh October 1880 the following Resolution adopted
Resorcd That Committee of Seven be appointed drl
Report OF tue Chief Engineer and report the this
Company ut their next meeting
The following persons were named as said Committee:
Henry B Yenn Jas P. Hopkins, Augustus II Tyler,
Chas a Booth, John Decker, En0cA Smith,
D. T. Pease.
The Company then adjourned.
Al an Adjourned Meeting OF said Company. held atthe
same place on MONDAY Tie 2sl inst HE Committee pre-
sened the following Report which unanimously adopt
ed and ordered to be published The views Of this Compa
ny. (Sgnedl
AUGUSTUS II. TYLER, Foreman.
CHAs. A. BooTH, Secretary.
REPOHT.-The members OF Columbian Fire Engine Co.
No. IL IN plncng before the Fire Department and the pub
lie Their opinion Of that extraordinary document.
Titled The Annual Report OF the Chief Engineer, only
exercise privilege wlgch they claim 10 be entitled To III
common with every other Company in the Department
How far their views may be entitled respect among
say AS Company, they well known throughout the
whole body and while they make pretensons superb
oriiy over any still 10 those not acquainted with the De-
parment they would say they hold themselves inferior to
none in point Of duty, efficiency character and intelligence
10 nose therefore, with whom they may happen 10 der,
they desire simply TO Observe, that III pncng upon the
ord their views. they actuated solely by desire 10 rep
resent the subject III true light before the public Being
honest III their opinions and having by their votes their IN
huence and their exerous contributed in small degree
oFHrd placing The present incumbent al Inc mead OF the
Department. they claim TINT personal considerations
prompt e but that they actuated solely by desire
TO arrive at the i unbiased, und with no intention or
wish to promote either the advancement or downfall OF any
individual.
Snch being our views our motives and orr desire do
not hesitate to say that Company, we most nnqaled-
ly condemn The Report Of the Chiet Engineer We con.
den for lis gross peTYersion Of tacs we condemn
for bcls The Institution of which members
for lis wholesale abuse Of Magistrates Judges Jures Pub
lie Authorities citizens and in OF every but him
whose appended 10 liz Close We condemn II
not the least for the infamous tone OF scurrhty slang,
abuse mixed with vain bonbast empty threats and high
sounding boasts, which peryade5 the whole document
throughout. The shallow preeXt of those who undertake
TO defend t. is that it is well known that Mr. Carson did
write lis Report but that it written BY person not
familiar with the operations OF the Department. and who
was compelled TO take the crude materials furnished him
by the Chief this say that bears the signature of
Mr. Carson and lie alone must be responsible tort The m
temperance OF language the spirit OF malice ana yndc'
tiveness which through must rest upon INN alone,
and the odium will tasten upon him let who may be the
author
been entered upon by the Common Council OF the charges
preferred in that report against lis nen0ers thut Wou
have been gone through with We think that me BOARD
investigation and to accomH they invited the Ere De
parmet to send like Committee 10 cooperate " lheii
In doing this we think the Board, however goou tie AZ
tenions stepped beyond their legitimate duties Iney
have not the power delegate TO n body entrey docoh
nected with them the right TO Try tieir own tipeIs or
charges of which, proved guilty. that body couId nave no
voice III nfcng punishment, or if Innocent IN pronothc
ing their acqutra AS well might Congress ueeShle 10
Committee Of citizens the right TO Tin Judgment over one
their members charges preferred against item Dy Inc
CoIictor Of th. Port Who would believe guilty Of
such an absurdy and WHO would not predict IL guilty Oh
1.-THE inevitable evil resulting frolnH Such result nus
already occurred between the two Committees OF the Com
mon Council and OF the Department. ana the od' II NOW
sought TO be thrown the former because they We're UNI
willing investigate the EVIL or good Vi system lisic"
of I specied charges against their MEMBERS with which
they especially charged mat there ore eNl5 III tc
system we are prepared admit but that the Chief Engi-
neer so utterly poweres and such mere cyper III me
matter OF the appointment OF the Ringers we most eiIha
An article recently appeared in OF our City Journals
written evidently by one familiar with the SUBJECT una
bearing the impress authority, giving names dates and
even Recommendations of Bell-Rngers over Nh Cnrsoms
own signature reutns concusyeiy his charge OF want OF
control over the Ringers 1t shown there that with
one exception etery BeRmger since the accession OF the
present Mayor had been appointed on the accommodation
IF Ar Carson nnd Ind tie investigation proceeded, not
only the Mnvor but others would have proved TINS under
oath and think that much credence W0ulu lhe oee
given their sworn evidence as TO e oc cbaeng him
to deny ithu the BelRingers are required 10 render 10
him every Monday written account OF every alarm SNel
by Them during The previous week, with the source ana
cause 0it it, therefore, comparison OF the returns ne
finds that Bell lus not been ng for an actual hre, or
nlse aarT has been given then il Is his night ana MS PRIV
ege inquire into The cause OF IT. ask ill nus ic
ever done this and has he ever been the Mayor and pro.
uced TO him te evidence eject incompetency
BellRnger and been refused hearing IN the matter
say ncYr; yet in This he also seeks TO shield his
own neglect by casting the bame upon others Is not the
province the duty Of the Mayor 10 travel rom bell 10 be
10 hunt M delnqient BellKngcrs, but 1t Is his duty
when complaints are properly made by the Chief
to give them herring and II wei! founded, 10 re-
move The incumbent; tlmt he has ever slrank from
La duty we have vet 10 Learn. There is question as TO
tie right oftle Common Council to delegate To me Ciei
EnpiIe, tic power 10 appoint Ringers any than for
linn To appoint irenru, but long his recommendations
acted upon lie should not complain blt II nose recoi
merdntints ur oun,yorlv men let him bear the RESPONSE
billy Mr. Carson charges tie superintendent buildings
with neglect ofiS duty nroercnce TO the apparatus ana
houses, and that from s ignorance ana ulIer niscolec
ton with the Department. lie does not take that interest III
the repairs cngme-houses that the Chlt Engineer
place business and HAT locks, hinges NC are ONT OF
order and cannot be repaired through MS neglect No%,
claim that tins is also gross peryersoi OF ial9' Nr
HINT
which he Is limited and 10 the extent OF Wlch ne huiior-
lied go without consultation with either tie ouperh-
endet Committee the Board, any other person;
that this viii the expenses OF al Ordinary re-
pairs 10 the engines and hose-carts he well knows and
vain for him 70 attempt cear MS skirts OF ne charge
in so shallow mnIer The important repars OF the en-
gines done by contract and by as skiHl nacllsts as
nroctrili . ,vort in he flld CornorIfi0n yard He
would seek convey the idea that all the houses are
OF repair The best reluallOn OF that Is found IN MS
account annexed to his Report OF the condition OF me
houses That the Superintendent IS not always TO be found
III his office. is hardly worth reitng were lie there al
WHY'S he would grossly neglect his duties throughout The
City He has always there, IN his absence, confidential
and faithful Clerk ready receive and communicate TO
Inn NIL orders for repairs. II Is not HIS duty but at OF the
Chief Engineer examine the enginelous.s and appaa-
tus and lit not for this the latter IS pad the liberal sa
" Of two thousand dollars per aInuH, the sooner ne i
placed upon footing with the Assistant Engineers me
Tie Report of the Chief aludes in strong 10 the
shflt OF rowdyism existing IN me Department a ,
OF Order as Conserynor OF the Public eHce as members
of Institution of which all should be proud mono more
than ourselves deplOre the existing state OF AFFAIRS IN e
Department. None more than we have Witnessed with me
most profound regret this great und abomnaog eva "cn
yeurs We desire not draw comparisons, but we al
Jude those longer among u.s. III because we simply
wish to speak the truth in sober eurnestness and expose me
cause why rowdyis1n rampant in the Department why
dsaect0n exists unongifs members why me unloh Wich
characterized its councils and operations 10 longer
,xi-s aud that party spirit selfish ends and Individual m
teres predominant wortier and higher objects we
know that in stating what IS honest conviction we axe
broad ground bur nevertheless shrink not rom IL and
know also that far from being alone III our COMIC
tons that many very many Fircmen think ourselves,
and that tie rejecting portion OF our ielow-chzens,
could they only b. familiar viii! the facts as we are would
bear Us ont in remarks. We say, them earessly and
boldly, and from personal feeling, but with a solemn
conviction of the tEuh OF what 'ye utter that yne pnncl.
ual The main cause OF the eys complained OF III that
part of the Chiefs Report, page il, and extending
inrong the close, well OF the other complaints 10
nlInhe 10 the ln OF tact abltY energV and eitc!en