The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-19
The New York Firemen.


In looking over a Communication that appeared |
in the HERALD; of the 10Th inst. and the EirenIns
Journal, OF February 4th. signed by the Chief En-
gineer OF the New ork Fire Department, noticed
there were III men removed from Engine Co No A,
for manfestsg friendly feeling towards the Chief
Engineer. Now, this public state ment has q
tendency to impress the members OF the depart
mept with wrong idea it is but an act Of Justice
to the members OF Engine Co. Al, to state to the
department and the pu bic in gen that the above
assertion is untrue, which every person will admit,
when n.sde acquainted with the clandsstine amer
these men affected their entrance into the above
named company. To give full and correct &C.
count Of these now defln,t members, would occupy
too much space in your valuable paper 1t is enough
70 state that since their connection with Engine
20, AZ, they have, without any just cause, been
engaged IN regular crusade against the men,
bers OF tne company, aud particularly ag ainst me.
About May, 1850, these men managed to raise
serious disturba abou. our annual election for
ehcers, and after creating q broil in tho company
by turning our monthly meetings into regular
scene of disorder and confusion, and after q CON-
tinued succession Of quarres and personal aai.
mostly towards tho members of the company, aud
finding themselves in the minority, they concluded
to leave the company, thinking that their with
drawal would be the runation Of the company;
perienced a haplisr change. friendship, COED
feeling, and the harmony OF the company was once
more restored. Our monthly meetings were carried
on in harmony, and in the right spirit; and
what was still more surprising to these re-
signed members, the company appeared to be as
active in doing duty as they were before they left
the company in fast, their withdrawal proved to
be benefit instead OF the ruination of the compa-
ny, and the members congratulated themselves
upon getting clear of such auarrelsome set of
men, After their withdrawal, and in order to pre-
vent suck men from again entering the company, to
disturb the peace ana harmony that prevailed, the
company recommended and made an alteration in the
by laws TO this effect, namely that seven black
balls shall exclude any person from becoming
member Of this company, Uhe old law reading
msJority The above alterations were carried by
6 two third vote, III a,cordspce with our bylaws
and considered binding by every member of the
company. These men shortly after their with
drawa applied for and gained admission into Hose
Go 81, but their stay IN the above company was
very shovt-they were out Ct their proper element,
and sighed TO get back into Engine Co. Al,
TO commence their hoslities towards the com.
pany ana its head officer but the next i'm.
pedlment to their onward course OF the
ruiration OF the company was the seven black ball
system that appeared 10 be the sticking point, aud
long did they wait in vain for the repeal Of that
law until their patien,e was pretty near exhaust
ed, wnen, at meeting one night, a ray Ct hop,
the ompapy, who were formerly opposed to these
men, but through the harangue and contiaued san.
der of personal character allowed their minds to
be poisoned by these men, aud finally capped
the whole by inconsistency favoring the very
men they opposed but short time before
These couple of members that speak Of
seeing The above mentioned meeting thinly
attended by the members of the company, resolved
to repeal the seven black ball system, which is,
indeed, proper and right at all times, providing il
Is done in a proper manner, and in accordance with
the by laws, which was not the case in the above
instance. One of these men made q motion
that the "seven black ball system" be altered,
SO as to read, "a majority, Of black balls shall
exclude any person rom becoming mem Der
of the company The second Of these two men
seconded the motion; and. accordingly, serious
and exciting debate ensued, in which several mem
bers entirely disapproved of altering the law under
any consideration. The motion was put before the
meeting, and declared carried by voice. And here,
wish to be distinctly understood, that the atera-
ton of our bylaws required two-third vote,
which was not done in the above instance, being
merely carried by voice, in the absence Of my
self and several members Of the company. No
sooner had the motion been declared carried when
one of these men took frem his pocket list of
propositions, ten in number, being the very men
that lett the company before for the simple reason
that they could not rule in the minority. These
men were contrary to our bylaws, proposed and
bauottsd for on the same evening; and, to show
how far welcome and needful they were in the COM
pany, they received from seven, and eight, and
even as high eleven black balls; and that in the alb
Fence OF members who would have made an addition
to the above number, had they been present. The
department and the public can judge for themselves
how these men effected their entr ance into the
pany when they were unex pectedy pro posed, ballot
ted for, the return made cut and signed by the
assistant foreman which is contrary to law.
being in the city at the time return and money
handed in to the Chiefs flee on the following day,
and every thing done up compact to ensure their
membership in the company; and all this done in
facts Of the case, Immediately entered pro-
test against these men, on the grounds that
they came into the company in an illegal man
nsr: The company was sum nGnea, and the case
and these eleven men withdrew their charge.
and retired from the company 1t Is cur
rent report that these men were confirmed as
members by the Common Council. Such Is no.
the case. They were confirmed by the Board
Of Aldermen, il January. thereby being Illegally
confirmed. To give more plain view OF the
action Of these men, l will state that they had
no sooner gained admission into the company
than they commenced their usual hostlites towards
myself the re Q, 'n vacant IN
the attempt; and, accordingly, tried another
plan to remove me, for the innocent offence. Of
earning q livelihood for my family by being
tending that / could not &C. in the capacity
Of . fireman and policeman at one time. This
attempt also, like all others, proved failure; but
they were bound not TO give 1t up. They then
were in favor of new by laws, and drafted a copy,
and presented them to the company for adoption.
This being in June, and directly after our annual
election or they proposed in the new ss ~, ey
company be held on the first "Wednesday IN
July--thereby bringing the company under
two Sn S, IA also
One more attempt, and they began to grow sick.
They then attempted to impeach me upon cir
cumstances connected with the company, which
l explained to the entire satisfaction Of its mem.
bers This attempt to remove me, like all the
rest, proved of no avail. still they could not
rest here. The company passed resolution to
send the engine to the painters, AMI authorized
me to make the necessary arrangements, which
! accordingly did, when these men presented them
seives 10 Mr.. Carson, as an authorized comnit.ee
from the company, to countermend the painting Of
the engine, such not being the case ! submit
these remarks to'an i'm partial and unbiased public
70 decide for themselves whether these men were
removed from - Engine Company, for their friend
ship towards the Chief Engineer, and for the purpose
offiliug the company with anti Carson men. II is
fact that II Engine Company has had great deal
to contend with the past two ye ars, both from those
men, and some Others that ftand somewhat higher
in The department. But let every uninseres.ed
person inquire Who has caused the strife and con-
tenton? and echo will answer these men, whose
sole aim and object has been and is at present, the