The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-07
FROM the Courier 1 Enquirer, Nav 5. I,

The verdict Of the Coroner's Jury on the Broadway
disaster is what such document should be-suc |
cinct direct and just The investigation preceding
it lasted six days. and conducted throughout with
great and patience. Every means was taken to
bring light every important fact bearing upon the
causes OF the catastrophe, and with entire success SO
far relates to the bad construction OF the budn9
but without obtaining any sure clue to the a. encv
by which the fire was communicated. The nrv have
done well in combining their verdict co ascertained
facts and indisputable concusfons for the admission
OF uncertainties or mere plausibilites would have
simply detracted from the effect of discoveries in
themselves sufficiently consequential and depis
bic. The building Is declared to have b. IRA
ter, and the responsibility i D co I'd the carpen
TO the culpable parties O. -rred straight home
architect who drew tbe .,srles H. Mountain, the
the work, n B. Fro - plans and superintendent
lessees, job abs VINO did the frame work, and tie
alterrrrlons wera ana james Bagley, for whom the
before thjs conm mac o, are the men who stand
Of of hei die as ~w and sesiy exposing the lives
Whether ~ ~ men to most fearful destruction.
be visitr e penalty which the law prescribes shall
ened ,aupon them or not, the guilt has been fast
re- upon them, and with it the stigma of public
iiotation. No man OF right feeling will seek to
abate 1t. Public adherence, however hard it may
te to bear, is the punishment with which nature it
self vindcates outraged humanity.
Our municipal authorities, too, are visited with
condemnation They deserve it. Had they respect
ed and enforced the laws, this destruction OF life
WOuiu nave never occurred. Inelr DEFAULT ld3 III
effect nulifed all the official acts of the Fire War
dens, and left the city totally without the protec-
ton which the appointment OF such officers was
designed to secure 1t is useless, however, to dwell
upon this dereliction, since it is only of the
minor forms in which the misgovernment OF the last
few years has manifested itself, for the remedy OF
which our present Common Council was specifically
elected. Ii there is any meaning TO the most solemn
professions, present city Legislature is pledged
TO the removal OF all these evils
TIE Coioners jury very properly confined their
of present systems. They could not have de-
vsod new plans without encroaching upon the
functions OF the legislator. But however ready
We are to approve all Of their suggestions as tend
ing in some respects to make bad system
less bad, our conviction remains unchanged,
that an entire abolition of volunteer organiza-
tions of iremen is indispensable to the proper pro-
lection of the property in this city. The late events
have furnished terrible commentary upon the
views nave, within the last few months, again
and again advanced upon the necessity OF establish
ing paid fire department, shaped after the models
Of those in the great European cities. We have
taken great pains to gather and present all the ma
terial facts pertaining to the plan and the working
of the European systems; we have shown, too, that
the difference between the expenses OF paid and OF
Involuntary fire department is comparatively trifing
No respectable man, who has given any attention to
the subject dare deny the superiority of the Eu-
ropean organizations. 1t is superiority as palpa-
Bile as is the difference in the insurance on house
property between one and ive The truth in this
matter is hid from no one who cares to see it; and
we have no concern that it will not in the end be
universally regarded An organization like our
present Fire Department, is indeed strong; but pub
lie opinion, stimulated by the of selfinterest
is yet stronger, and must sooner or later prevail
The superiority OF paid to volunteer fire orgai "a
tons is engaging general attention throuel the
cities and large towns of our country. city the
immediate vicinity of our own has already takea the
preliminary steps towards effecting change Our
thrifty neighbor Newark some weeks since appoint
ed committee to investigate the whole sub iect.
This committee visited the cities OF Boston, Ployi-.
dence and Albany, where the extnguishment Of
fires is confded exclusively to paid fire departments
and particular in their inquiries for the causes
Of making the change, and the effects which follow
| Cd II. The canses were found to be various-the
frequent dsagreeMents between the city authorities
and the volunteer department-the mischieyous OK.
orcise of the privilege of electng its o~-. ,nnrcet
the want Of direct control inc mart Of the city au
thoiities over the department, and the consequent
inability to enforce strict discipinehe discussions
and QuarreIs of the various companies among them
| selyes-the rowdyism and rufliansm of many Of the
| members OF the organization-the disorderly and
dcmoralizng scenes constantly recurring in the
engine houses--the constant dissertation OF the Sab
| batl-the training OF boys to vasrant and tlrDu-
lent habitsthe uneasy Consciousness that the pre-
selvation Of property depends upon the uncertain
disposition OF firemen to discharge their self-as-
sumed duty when at variance with the city govern
ment-the alarming frequency OF fires-thc provok-
ing recurrence OF false alarms, and the wear and
tear Of public property, and expenses incident
thereto The committee most emphatically recon-
and speak follows OF its singuarly successful
effects in the cities which they visited
The beneficial effects upon the cities where The paid
system has been adopted have been iingly graft
tying ard have surpassed the most sang inc expecta.
lions. Tie system is the praise and admiration every
man save II may lie few reckless spirits who still gloat
their old haunt of revelry, and brood their
persisted exciiements and blasted nlulgences No man
return 10 the old system. large majority of the old
fremen who were TO any change yielding 10 the
superior Judgment of their opposers have come into
The Arrangement, ana il their most hearty
| operation
manner in which the iremen conduct themselves on
all ions. No loud noises halloong hootng pro-
family gasconaae heard either in going TO or
returning from fresno red shirts, heavy box coats
blue CAPS, and turned up trowserlegs, swag
geEing through the streets but, the contrary
feeling Themselves men, desiring TO be accredited
snch-thc most Of them honest and indus
chanics who do not consider reman duty be their
sole business but rather field of usefulness tary
to some legitimate trade occupation The
further in the reforma ton of the morals of the
muniy and especially of The youth of the city, TAe old
excitements have been taken away-they have been
cared Tor in other ways and their attentions haze been
turned to more useful and rational amusements. Mr.
Greenwood the Chief Engineer of the city Of Cincinnati
in report presented TO the City Council in 1853 says
.,i. cann9i but Congratulate the City Council and the
crowned their efforts In carving out the reforu o- OF
the fire department which the safety of property the
peace and good order of society and the morals Of
the youth OF city, mperatiycly demanded. This
great Undertaking carried onward against the opposition
and hostility of certain portion of the volunteer fire
men as well as some others who derive position and
influence by their connection with them longer
problem involving doubt Of its success and useful
ness Nor Is the Transforming effect 1t necessary.
produce upon the morals Of the youth of city its
least recommendation, which other good was at
tanned by the change is of itself sufficient to command
the gratitude of of the fathers mo our
city Tbeothcr results growing out of the change
SUCH as peace and good order in the streets the entire
submission TO law ard silence quiet resnng
engine houses all of which to be aud judged Of
ana to WHICH yourselves bear Witness needs com
men, from me-an clearly showing that law 40 order
can pe mace 10 triumph msrule. Since the gani-
xaon Of the present department the utmost harmony
mas among the entire comp az It.
ana 81 have so conducted themselves deserve tho
| = - - " ..
eoncurrng sentmcrt t. assured 10 the Committee
hy Tie chief engineers Of the cities visited Nv them who
an ascattd Tat rnost-f not all the causes dssas
'acton which had be- urged against the old system,
we're now away v: III.
one TACT was brought to the notice Of the Committee
gentleman IN albany, who cited the Chief Engineer
as bis au;lorts, tha~during the year ls4s be. the