The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-01

'e''ei "aapseu n the age and the condition OF
society. Thu volunteer system Of Gremen
WIZ s,'o " ~ to another better suited to
ciy INC .t,4 York, and to an era like the
present Unlike other public bodies we could
ineh.o A. les corporate existence will determine,
NOV .oua any radical vice in ITSELF or from any
u.f ,encTacy among its members; but simply be-
= .use, in city counting six or seven hundred
thousand inhabitants, and filed every year with
I the outpourings Of the large cities Of Europe,
no possible volunteer fire department could
work as efficiently as a regular paid lire bri-
gade With the honorable antecedents they have
to look back on, the New York iremen can
afford to admit that their continued existence
could not but be fraught with danger TO the
interests they are the most deeply concerned in
guarding. They will be the first TO perceive
the mischiefs arising from the necessary an
tagonism between the police force and them
selves. Nor can they now be blind to the tre-
mendous evils lurking under the present system
Of runners and scouts Practices that have long
| been suspected have now been established be-
yond the probability Of a doubt blythe evidence
at the inquest now sitting it Is proved that in
one instance at lenst, individuals whose pre-
tended connection with the Ere department gave
them access to places from whence the public
was excluded awaited themselves Of that facility
to steal clothes Nor is it possible by any vigi-
lance to defeat the schemes Of these mscreants,
so long as the fremen are volunteer body. A
| spirit Of rivalry win always prevent their abln-
doning the employment of runners; and activity
will always be higher qualification thanhonesty
among this class Of men. Captains Of en- engine
hurrying in breathless haste to fire, will never
refuse the assistance Of volunteer who offers
to lend hand at the rope; or prevent an ap-
parsntly jealous spectator from helping to
work the engine. 1t is in fact impossible to
hinder strangers from mixing with the firemen
under our present system We doubt even
whether under certain circumstances it would
not be possible for man Of bad character and
| criminal designs to obtain admission into a
regular fire company as q member. Such cases,
if any exist, are obviously very rare; but if a
shrewd thief set his wits to work to attain this
distinction, he might possibly succeed.
We need not point out the extent to which
{ re dangers flowing from this source might be
carried. If one man has been detected with
stolen clothes in his possession, how many
others may have escaped? Who can tell what
proportion of the property missing after one Of
our large fires may have been stolen, and what
burnt? Even if we are guilty Of exaggerating
the extent Of the practice, is not feeling of
security worth attaining at any cost?
Weare glad to hear that the fremen are en-
gagged in endeavoring to identify the man who
was killed with Jennings clothes in his posses
sion. We have no doubt that it will be disco
vered he had no real connection with any fire
company. The inquiry should lead them to
another theme. The abolition Of our present
fire system is inevitable; from no one could a
suggestion to that effect come with such good
grace as from the fremen themselves. We who
owe them debt of gratitude might experience
some reluctance in resorting to such measure
without ascertaining their views: if they tool,
the initiative, they would act noble and al
equally wise part. Volunteer fire systems have
had their day in New York; let the task of sug-
costing a fitting substitute devolve upon the
volunteer firemen themselves