The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-10-19

Hch eoihcuuIeb olscndIpe lnInc dlateiy; but theBc
areextreme cases, and only when the circumstances
Justify IT, as in the instance of tire discharge by
Alderman Morgans, and Their only upon security,
or promise to appear the next morning. They
nave appeared, and the reason of their hnal dis
charge has been either from the want Ut evidence
or The failure or unwillingness OF those whose ev
dence would detain them TO appear and testify in
the matter.
and OF their fearful ard horrible acts, and O.her
"murderous buicheries,' the Chiefs Imagination
has led him far away from the real truth.
These clubs are composed, in most instances, of
email boys, from the ages of ten 10 fourteen years.
and although they at one time, during the latter
part OF the previous and the first part OF The
year, seriously annoyed the firemen, and created
broils and fights among several companies of the
department, yet they never committed the muir
ders, nor were guilty Of the horrible" oura ges
charged on them by the Chief.
Your committee do not desire, in any way, to ex-
cuse those who have been guilty of wrong. nor to
palliale the outrages" of the various clubs men
TONED by him; nor do they think that our city,
whose name fer peace and good order has been
Justly praised, should be given a character for
clubs and bandittl, "butcheries and other horrible
outrsges," which il does not deserve, and which,
IN the language of the Chief threaten to " rock il
and !, perhaps this country, to its deep founda-
Your committee learn that at the time the
difficulties with these boys prevailed at its heighth,
the Chief Engineer and The Committee on the
Fire Department, of both Boards, consulted fire.
quently together in relation to the means necessary
10 prevent and quell their disturbances. The
Chief of Police was also consulted, and by
the vigilance Of himself, as well as of the menu
hers Of the police generally, they have been in a
great degree checked, and now little, if any
thing, is heard of them. The charges Of the
Chief in relation TO the Committee of the
ire Department, also grossly fals6ed, az
will be seen by reference 10 the statement
OF Alderman franklin, its chairman. Your
COMMITTEES have learned from him, that in the
first instance, after the reception of the paper
referred by the respective boards 10 this committee,
relative TO complaints against any of the COM
case, handed TO the chief, for the purpose
Of notifying the witnesses of the Department.
That in nearly every instance where he has
done so, the committee have investigated the
charges, often continuing in session for hours to-
gether, and examining number of witnesses,
without, in many cases, being able to de-
termine, from the evidence adduced, suffi-
Gent to either dsband, expel, or. suspend.
That whenever the evidence has, in any in
stance, sustained the charge, either made by the
Chief, or by any company, or has proved that
punishment IN some way within the power of the
Common Council, should be inflicted, they have
reported the same, with their reasons therefor to
the Board from which the paper was referred
That up TO the time of his report, there were but
few charges Enacted upon, and these in cases
where either from his neglect to notify witnesses,
or 10 follow up the matter, they Were allowed to
feman, not in eternal repose," but to such time
as he should be disposed to have action taken on
them. That in the actions and decisions, also, OF
the Committee Of the Fire Department, the Chief,
when present. has been invariably consulted, and
in most, If not every case, his opinion, his wish,
and his Judgment, have been adopted by them.
The records OF the proceedings of either Board
is ample proof that the Committee on the Fire
Department has not been inactive, or negligent of
its duties IL has been always, heretofore, as il is
now, considered by members of the Common
Council as the least desirable committee Of any on
its list On il have always been pl aced those who
were. have been. trPneu. and in ia nj IN he
supposed that where there is SO great an interest
ana feeling for the department, among those who
are honored ny being me nbcrs thereof, or who
have performed their respective terms in its SER
vice, they would be so negligent of its wants, and
so recre ant to it's best interests, charged by the
Chief Engineer.
Your committee have also learned that in the
che case, which he aludes to-that of Mr..
Iweed-the committee differed from him-dhiered
honesily-and not from any "poweriul mo,,ys ~
Other man theis own sss1se of right and wrong.
mat VI re trst examination of the matter they
concluded, not unanimously, TO expel him. and 10
suspend his company foI three months; bat at a
fnture meeting, not called expires in reference
70 he CAGE, the subject was reconside red and in
consideration oil his long and active service Cover
eleven years. in the department, of the good cha
Iac'er which he had sustained IN it, and Of his
stan ding as peaceable and well disposed CITIZEN
they changed their previous decision, and agreed
TO make his punishment the same as the members
OF his compaDy-three months suspension from the
department..
The Chiefs insinuation, toe, that th. Committee
on The Fire DEPARTING nj not at all notified al
THIS last meeting, is not only incorrect but grossly
unjust 10 ITS Chairman. Upon what is il founded J
On the Information of one OF the members that he
had not received his notice. This NAV be: an 4
yet the notices have been made out and served at
their usual places. They are always made out
ana served Tor every meeting, uncss through the
oversight oil the messenger who usually performs
that duty Absence from home, place of bus-
ness, or nom the city, may frequently be causes
why notices are not received.
Of that committee, five out of six sustained the
report OF The ommon Council-the Board of Al
deImen unanimously, the Board of Assistant Al
deimen, eleven 10 three-and does any one SUM-
pose, Tor one moment, that in matter Of this
kind, unfair or corrupt means were in any way
used 10 control the action OF either Of the Boards
OF The Common Council, or OF the Mayor, who APP
proved OF the paper
10 relation TO other matters in his report, which
infer ne elect on the part Of either the Committee
on the FIRE Department, or of the Common
Council, your committee viii state, that in respect
10 running the apparatus on the side walk
there ~ now, and has been for long period,
stringent ordnance OF the Common Council
In relation 10 the "report of the Board of Enri.
neers 81 the Fire Department, on Raging the bells
for the fire districts" the Chef Engineer although
present at near all the meetings. OF IN. committee
OF the Fire Department, has never urged or even
brought II TO their notice.
" the importance of policemen arresiiny those
Concerned ~ riots, instead OF end avorinR to OBJ
tam cfeoi, Tor extincuishing hires, the Common
Council has nothing TO do with the subject, Be-
sides, so fer as your committee have obtained in
formation IN re lation thereto the police have per-
formed their duty, and have frequently arrested
parties Tor rioting NJ fires.
With respect 10 the "lnquiry into the causes of
all hres the subject has been acted on long before
this; but nothing practical has resulted from the
investigation.
The enclosure and closing up Of hostways in
The city, was acted upon some time before the
report of the Chief Engineer was presented-im.
medately after the deceese Of the lamented CURE,
who fell victim TO the carslessness or omission in
the closing Of these ways
our committee have thus reviewed the extra.
ordinary report Of the Chief Engineer, 30 far as
contains charges both general and specific, direct
or implied, against the Mayor, the Common Coun-
c or ts nembers, or 60 ainst other official persons
tits evident, thereiron, that they no, founded
on facts, and that consequently they are entirely
untrue.
Admit, however, that there was truth ia the
cbargee-tbst he had Just cause TO make them
that public officers had been guilty Of great impro-
prieties and official misconduct-that the Common