New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-10-05
The MAYORS Message.

The Mayors Message
The Message which was communicated to tn
City Council Tuesday evening BY the Mayor is
dooument il very considerable local Importance
Il touches upon at least, two topics that closely
afreot Tie welfare Of our citizens and the inter
ests of our city, and that deserve to be care
fully and coolly considered before they are acted
upon We refer to the recommendations for re-
modelling the Fire and Police Departments
The recommendations are in both instances
radical, and the changes advised of character
that would abrogate all existing arrangements
and replace them with new.
The Message says that g the system on which
our Fire Department is based is defective, and
there is no reason why the lives and property q
sur citizens should DO in the hands Of an ire.
sponsible department, composed Of volunteers
The absence Of proper control and di-
reetion of the Fire Department was glaringlJ
manifest, on the occasion Of the late (August,
ire Much valuable labor was thrown away
useiessly on that occasion from the want q
proper direction and combined action, showing
the necessity for the creation Of q competent
and skillfal person as Chief Director of the De-
partment.'
The Message assumes three things concerning
the Fire Department.: first, that it is defective
as it Isl secondly, that o regularly organized
ana paid body would be an adequate remedy /;
and lastly, that Chief Director il needed IN
either case. We do not feel altogether satisfied
of the correctness of the first opinion There
are errors, faults and defects appertaining to
the Fire Department, beyond doubt, but
2a6lf .T
I whether they aFe not such as can be pruned
from ii without all entire roofing out is matter
for deliberatiun. Our fremen are certainly
prompt in their appearance when summoned to-
duty. and no one can contest their courage and
activity when engaged There are defects in
sident to ell such organizations defects that
none. Of ali the arrangements tried by other
cities have been able to eradicate. w suffer
81 little from them as amy place. We seldom
hare fremens fights; people are not insulted
in passing engine houses, and the proportion of
boys running with the machines is very small
and might be reduced to nothing. paid de
partment could undoubtedly be enlisted, but isy
The city in condition to pay it5 With some
millions Of dollars Of bonds going o begging
with heavy debts and heavy taxes, are we pre-.
pared to incur any expenses not Immediately
and absolutely necessary! 1t is a practical
question, and one that, to our thinking, should
determine the whole subject. The recommended
ton Of Chief Director Of the Department we
consider eminently proper and expedient. AS
it is, Companies are left to their own Judgment
in choice Of place and time of playing ON the
Ere, which ought to be remedied
We agree with the Mayor also in his remarks
concerning q steam fire engine. It has been
tried and approved in Cincinnati; 81 Louis has
ordered one, and other cities taken measures to
secure them. They would probably be more
available and of greater use here than else
where. There are no activities to be sur
mounted, and during the hot weather there is
sun which willis men like weeds, but would be
Intellectual upon machinery. Let the proposal
be examined
The Mayor holds the following language with
regard to oar city police
In order that the police of city should be efficient
is essentially necessary that 1t constitute one body
directly under one head and control and amenabe 10
present organized the police force d this city Is
divided and local There does not exist in It's compost
ton that consolidated and uniform spirit obedience to
its constituted head which vitality necessary for the
proper of body Of men the spirit insub
inevitably exist to greater less degree long
present system Of appointment is preserved The police
should be organized different footing altogether 1t
should be thepolice Of consolidated city and not dis
rfct there should be but head who should
pc held responsible for ts acts the rank and the Be
should be better paid, and stringent formalities
required from parties DESTROYS Of beeoming members
The propristyi also, under certain exgencies. of
armpg the force, merits due consideration at present
the Law forbids their being armed In cases like those
which have recently occurred It hardly fair require
nnarmed men to march up and quell mob or riot an
IN he hand ~
their opponents
We are inclined to agree more entirely with
The Mayors recommendation and opinions CON
corning the Police than concerning the Fire
Depar tment. The late riots, as well as many
other occurrences, have sufficiently proved the
incompetency and inadequacy Of our present
arrangements. Let US, even at an increased
cost, have capable and vigilant police, respon-
sible and well-oficered Let us have police
that will arrest murderers, detect robbers and
defend peaceable citizens. fhigher salaries are
needed to that end, let them be paid.
The-Mayor's message is an important paper,
and deserves the careful consideration Of the
City Council We do not refer to the portion !
relative TO the Board Of Health as it is now IN
seasonable; nor to those having reference TO
many minor matters, but trust that all will be
candidly and thoroughly examined, and what is
best for the city adopted. x
DEATH or 4 PRMTER. weregret to announce
the death Of Mr.. Leon H. Durocher. d printer of
this Office, who died at 8 o'clock yesterday Of
yellow fever Mr.. Durocher was about 2e wears
OF age; he was born in Paris, but had passed
the greater portion of his life in Canada and the
United States, He excelled in his nrofession
anu was person Of pleasing manners and cor.
rect morals and department
Mr.. J Gideon, purser Of the Steamship Ca