The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-07
nroof i snrped Of the coru alton Of others besides

himself And then comes N the question Of incen-
darsm and the motives of the incendaries. How
far are these unwof'h. members, or these hangers
on TO some OF tne companies, responsble FOR one
half of the lres Fiat occuri And do these men who
10 fires Tor the sake of stealing themselves cause
the fires IN order to obtain an opportunity for
stealing
We confess that the whole subject is an unpleasant
one for public discussion. We know so many young
members Of the department whose characters are
unmpeachable we know, too that this may be said
OF the overwhelming majority Of the members and
with this knowledge, and the recollection of their
dsinterested and perilous labors il is exceedingly
painful thus to speak of the department in general
terms. But the majority Of the members are even
more deeply interested in having the truth plainly
spoken-the sore efcctualy probed-than any other
part of the community. And revelations now
made which demand the application of radical reme-
dies. The thing must be grappled with as it is The
evilmu be looked in the face The reputation of
the worthy majority Of the members, as we'll as pub
lie security, requires that all super-sensitveness be
put aside, and that all bend themselves calmly and
earnestly to the task of removing this stain from the
force and preserving it from again becoming liable
TO such deterioration.
And, first, provision should be made by law
against the wearing of the firemans uniform or in
sigma by persons not enrolled members of the
lorce rms ~ uue 20 the department. Inc po' d
are thus protected and why should mol tne ie .aea
be The temptation to personate ar.seinah. is al
least great it is TO personate ayoicemal> And
~.
control or the Common Council, just as the police
DEPARTMENT is. II is in evder &c that when unwor-
thy members have been Expelled, the Common
Council has renstated tnem. Besides, however
much disposed the Comm on Council may be to do
Justice and preserve the department pure and free
from abuses the multi plciy Of business before that
body makes them Inefficient for that purpose. Com.
paints sleep in committee, and are Enacted upon
for weeks and months. Then there is always q
temptation for those whose Office depends on the
popular voice to curry favor with so numerous and
influential body az the New York tiremen, which
Is alone sufficient reason for placing the department
beyond the Common Councils jurisdiction.
Now, both these remedies were provided for in the
bill re-organizing the department, which passed the
Legislature, and is now in the Governors hands.
IL is understood that Governor Seymour hesiatcs to
aitx his signature TO it, because the Board Of Coun
cilmen bad formally demonstrated against it. This
being known to the Board, they asked to re-
scnd their resolution, but last evening refused to do
by vote Of AZ to 49, and the probability is that
the Governor will therefore decline to sign the bill
Tire matter, however, cannot rest here. The whole
department is bearing the odum of the deeds of q
few unworthy members; and what is even worse
citizens will live in continual suspicion and dread oil
the very men upon whom they have been wont to
rely their protectors We are not prepared to say
that the Governor should disregard the expressive
action Of the Board of Councimen. 1t is undeniaby
matter in which the people of this city have q
right to be heard, and unless there be very strong
proof to the contrary the executive must assume
that the voice of the Common Council is the voice OF
the people.
If the bill fails to become law for lack OF the
Governors signature, it will be for the members of
the department, and citizens generally, to renew
the discussion of the matter and either make de-
cided expression in favor of such q measure prior
to the next meeting of the Legislature, or devise
some other plan of organization. The Courier and
Enquire. of this morning makes forcible argu-
ment IN favor OF paid fire brigade similar to that
OF London. That would be great change, and in
many respects beneficial one. We should scarcely
have felt justified in expressing it but for Mr.. Car
sons testimony; but we have long suspected that
with paid and less numerous fire police we should
have fewer fires. There is something exciting in
the present mode OF extinguishng fire, that to a
certain class of boys and young the temptation
to make fire is very strong But the proposed
Jealous Of matipIynr such police ae ,r
Still we anticipate that paid fire brigade will even
tually take the place Of 6f present voluntary sys
TEN: and the question is with more one OF time
or expedency than Of principle. Whe.n tbe Hresen;
system snail be modified with reference to the
substitution hereafter. or whether we shall reach
the change by single bound is matter for dis
cussion.
[from the Courier and Enquirer, May Al
While W. write, the fire alarm bell is sounding.
II sounded before, within twelve hours: 50 it did
yesterday: so il did the day before aud the day he
fore that and so it will sound until the crack OF
doom, ii the present organization OF the Fire De.
lartment continue.
| 1t is not many months since we began 10 point
out the radical defects in our present volunteer
! systepl--f system it must be called--showing how
inadequate It is to our needs, and how unfavoraby
| y compares with any of those which have beel
adopted IN the other great cities OF tire world: but
! in the short time which has passed we have been
Joined in our EFFORT by nearly every journal of posi-
ton in the city. It was inevitable that it should b.
So Tor me mere direction OF any intelligent mind T.
the subject was enough TO ensure reprobaiiol OF
TIE voluntary system, however great its'respec, or
even its friendly admiration OF the volunteers But,
wslateverwas the position OF the question to the
need OF a radical reorganization Of the depart
snent fortnight since The history of the recent
disastrous fire in Broadway, and the develope-
ments made by the Subsequent investigation,
| have removed all reasonable doubt "a to the
absolute necessity for change. The change,
too must be not modification, not purgation not
| reform; it must lie substtution---a replacing OF
that which is rottcn by that which is sound The
Fire Depatmen Is farther gone toward destruction
nan sodom: for whereas ten righteous men might
Rave saved that city, the department. consisting al
most entirely OF honorable, brave, self-sacrihcng
spirits is doomed, because it has been shown that
there are those who viii use the fair fame OF the
joEity of its members a cloak TO hide their mis-
deeds and shield to protect them from the conse-
| quenees OF their crimes. We do not wonder at the
Indignation with which the respectable members OF
the department repe the charges heretofore made
but now most clearly and lamentaby proved, against
| the integrity of some who degrade its noble organ
cation to vile uses. Thronged its ranks are to-
day with respectable intelligent, and generous Young
men, what parent who is tender of the reputation q
his family would, after to-day, willingly see his son
| enter into IN association which, however uniustiy
| might subject him to degrading suspicious, and al
most certainly expose him to debasng example!
| The system of voluntary association in the Fire
| Department will do well in villages where every
| man knows every other man: and when villages
grow into towns, though these voluntary combina-
tlons become less efficient and more obnoxious to
abuse, they can hardly perhaps, he done away with
for the want of neediul means for more compact
anu sys;enntized organization. But when towns
grow into populous and wealthy cities, when coRi-
81 If pfel,
the volunteers for such peculiar service as that of
eXtingushing fires, which occur nj any and every
hour OF night or day, is inevitable thai the bem,-
yosent AMI heroic character of such q service MIL
make i sought ~ screen by thieves aud bond OF
union among buies. II, indeed, is owing only { !,
peculiar circumstances that the Fire Department al
New OH - long preserved the respect of the com
MUMMY Tor IT. chafacer-adniiration for its hcrosn
y ever has and ever viii Command Thirty years
ago 7he nepa tment numbered among its members
not oa,ly men OF responsibility. as il does BOW but
men ~ soeia and professional clninence. Soon
aiter Tie Close e the last war it was much the
IN hionto be fireman or q member of n military