The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-15
THE COMMON COUNCIL AND THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Terrible uproAr among the City Fathers
Resignation OF Alderman Wesley Saiith,
and Withdrawal or the Resignation.
IRON Our SPECIAL REPORTER.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN, !
Tuesday. July IL. 1852

luesuay, July Id, iSoS
Alderman DENMAN, of the Sixteenth ward, pro-
sented the following preamble and resolution, which
he said be presented at the request of several men,
bers Of the department, and desired that they
might be read, which was accordingly done by the
Clerk, amid profound silence
Whereas The forcmen of the engine, hose hook and
ladder and ny companies asse"nea IN rlremeas
immediate divorce between the Fire Department. and
the Common Council; and whereas the forcmen cons-
deriDg themselves greatly sighted by the burial OF Their
respt petitions divorce in the special and stand
ing committees Of the Common Council, the enemies oil
the measure asserting within ana w.hou. Lns aepars
mended by the forcmcn was not majority vote, and
grossly illegal throughout and inasmuch as several poll
teal fire companies or companies under the imme-
date influence Of the leaders Of the wing and democra
tic parties, demonstrated against such divorce, they
the foremen reassembled in Firemens Hall on the 18th
Of February 1852 ut OF the largest meetings ever
known in Fremen's Hall and passed the following by
the overwhelming majority Of 65 ayes to "a nays
Whereas This body has been informed that certain
ordinances based upon the report in favor of reorgan
Saton of the Fire Department adopted ut amectng held
Oct H. 1851 avoraby reported to the late Board
Aldermen at it's session in November last by special
committee to whom the subject of reorganization NC.
had been REFEREED and whereas this body s further in
formed that said ordinances and accompanying docu-
nents have been referred to special committee OF the
present Board Of Aldermen action having been taken
thereon by the late Common Council; therefore
Resolved That this body hereby rellirms its adhe-
the plan OF reorganization contained in the
port adopted in October last and being firm in the
belief that the passage of the alluded wond
Greatly promote the interest and prosperity OF the Fire
Department it respectfully and earnestly requests the
Special Committee Of the Board of Aldermen to report in
favor thereof with az little delay as possible.
Resolved. That copy of the foregoing preamble and
re- olutions with extract from the minutes be signed
sy the Sri Of this m ta and n o % sa
requ, ted 10 init 1t to the Board when they make
their report.
The following is the classification Of the various fire
muanies in adopting the above
AyEs-Engines-l, 4, s, So, TO- IL; y; 49, IT,
- % q % % 81 2? 4! y ~ g. m y 90 II &
4O Al A. AZ a. As 46, AZ. 40 so, 81. Hook and Ind
DER, 3 8, 8, 8. IL Hydraas--i 2 3-65 votes
NAys-Engipes-6 H. II, 81, "a, 25, IS. 81 3d. IS,
"a votes
And whereas. The Report Of the Commissioner of Re-
pairs and Supplies printed and our desks in
forms that there has been expended and ordered to be
expended from the first of January Of the present
to May following period Of four months. chiefly the
recommendation of the Fire Department Committee
the Common Conno composed OF Messrs Smith, Bard,
and Ward the enormous sum OF one hundred and four
thou and dollars for the Fire Department expenditures
which exceeds the annual appropriation in four month
expenditure thirtyour thousand dollars leaving
eight months to which may bring the annual cxpen
dill ure to between and three hundred thousand dol
lars-an extravaganza Of appropriation which startled
not only the Fire Department ITSELF but the payers
Of the whole city and ELECTS naturally the inquiry
for what extraordinary purpose could so large nut
OF money have beeen appropriated, when it IL known
throughout the department that there is large number
of companies who apply in vain to the Common Council
through the fire Department Committee OF the Board Of
Aldermen for the most necessary appropriations and
of them for proper shelter for their apparatus
And whereas the present mode Of trial Of the insber
dnate members Of the depar ment by the Fire Depart
ment Committee Is in effect no trial at al, and is
sidcrcd by intelligent and worthy members Of the de-
partment as a mere sham trial and one of the
leading sources Of rowdysm in our CITY, from the loose
and prOcrastinated manncrin which the Fire Department
Committee and let loose the insubordinae
bers Of the DEPARTING ut TO enable them TO engage in
their attacks on worthy remen Of which the depart
me ia uoSpt And 1Una fha
Department consider themselves shamefuy treated in
the unparalleled and unexpected delay of the Special
Committee and especially Of the Fire Department Com
mtee which have had the consideration Of their two
respectful petitions (thc Fire Department Committee
has them now locked up for divorce since October
1851 without manifespg the slightest disposition
report thereonono Of the members OF the Fire
Department Committee, in the Board Of Aldermen
having been a member Of that committee for two
three successive years and ts present chairman having
been q member Of tho Fire Department Committed
in the Board q Assistants during the last year,
which enabled them to know ali that has transpiret
in the department, and the strongly expressed de-
sires Of the Department in reference TO its mme-
date divorce from the Common Council: and where
as the disinteesed services, pers sacrifices courage
and indispensable usefulness OF the remen city,
too well known and appreciated by mertorous
citizens to require formal cuogun from any source;
ard conceiyng that the rcuen themselves the bost
judges Of the evils that have long existed still
list to alarming degree aud the necessity mme-
date reorganization Of the department the Common
Council, as hitherto, to retain its veto all their acts
therefore,
which recommended for adoption in 1851, by q spc-
cia committee Of which Alderman Griffin Chairman,
and which has been twice recommended for adoption
by the foremen, twice assembled in Firemen's Hail. AMI
which is the recommendation Of the foreman printed
by the Board, comma for comma and word for word:-
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The Mayor 3i5eMen and Commonaiy Of he city af Nec
York, IN Common Council conrened do ordiin fo,-
iors:-
Sec There sha be- in lien of the present Board of
Engineers and Forcmen Of the Fire Department. two
separate and distinct to consist Of the
engineers and to be styled the Board Of Engineers of
the New York Fire Department. the other to consist of
the foremen Of the engine hose hook and ladder and
hydnnt companies and to be styled the Board Of Fore
men Of the New York Fire Department. the Chief En-
gineer to be member Of and the presiding officer of each
board the said Board Of Foremcn to exercise all the
powers regards the election Of engineers OF the depart
ment heretofore granted to the Board of Engineers and
Foremen and shall have the power to make such laws
may he necessary for their government and 70 per-
form the duties assigned to them herein.
Sec 2-There shall be Judiciary Committee Of FIVE
members to be styled the Commissioners of the New
York Fire Department" to be chosen from exempt
men, who eha have been active or certificate mem.
bers Of the department during the year Immediately pre-
cediDg their appointment and who shall not the time
Of said appointment nor while serving as such commits
soners hold any other Office connected with the dcpnr.
ment said commissioners to be elected foil ,wsAt
regular quarterly meeting Of the Board Of Forepen the
mittee OF ive whose duty 1t shall be to nominate fifteen
exempt fremen (cligble as before provided cand-
dates for commissioners their acquescence TO
such having been first obtained, and report said nomna
ton the Board OF Foremen ut its quarterly meet
ing and at which meeting the Board shall GO into
election for commissioners the five of said commission
receiving the highest number Of votes constitute
said Commissioners of the New York Fire Department.
for the term ofthree years next ensuing the sad
missioners to be confirmed by the Common Council and
affirmed faithfully to discharge their trusts In
Of the death, resignation election appointment
to any other office In or connected with the department.
the re election o certificate member of company
Of Of said commits toner's the vacancy to be filed in
similar manner NJ above mentioned.
Sec 3.-1he duty Of said commissioners shall be, to
inO I'm darg hal cnao
to do by the Chief Engineer, to hear oil complaints
against members Of the department companies, that
shall be laid before them by that officer to investigate
such complaints examine witnesses under oath affirm
alton, and render decisions in accordance with the est
mony given; said commissioners to recommend the
pension expulsion Of individuals and the suspension
or dsbandiDg Of companies the nature OF the offences
may require according to their Judgment but suspen-
sion shall not be for less period than three months
greater than year. the commissioners shall keep
full record Of their proceedings and a the evidence pro-
duced before them and from which they shall prepare
written reports Of their proceedings TO be signed by
least three of the said commissioners and submit the
Common Council with little delay as noegibe for con-