New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-09-19
ANIMAL REPORT or THE CHIEF ENGf-
NELR or TIE FIRE DEPARTMENT. RI

c'at,s and twenty-one ycars OF age.
The rnne xed schedule states that there thirty
tIree engines in good order, seven ordinary, and
eioht building: fOrty-three hose carriages IN good
order 8. ven ordinary, and SIX building; nins hook
ard lsdder trucks in e cd order two orciuary and
one buildng The trucks supplied with al neecs-
ar, fundamental There j. in Use forty-t"o thousand
fv. hundred ard fifty feet OF good hose, and fourteen
thousand four hundred eet ord nary making hity-slx
thousand nj ne hundred and fifty feet which u insufn.
cent As 6ftvone thousand and two hundred feet VIII
be rsouire and the wants of the Department impere-
tv,ly demand thai at least t"enty-nve thousano tset
should he made Immediately There are forty eignt
fire conn anes ffty-seyen hose compares, fourteen
hook and ladder companies, and tour hydrans eompa-
mics. containing two thousand eight hundred men,.
Ii all the companies full. there would Dc tour
thousand five hundred and fifteen. There have been
three hundred and eeh,y-fve fires. with loss on
buildings eight hundred and twepty seven thous-
and and twelve dollars, and two millions seyesty-
three thousand two hundred and seventytwo dollars
on wares. There have been two hundred and twenty
/ one additional alarms, mostly caused by burning
chimneys, spirit gas explosions, &c., while for tho
residue real cause could be ascertaiDed
1h. loss is large oontrasted WITH former years,
but when consider the dreadful contiagrntioos that
have recently visited otherse of our country
should congratulate ourselves that have 50 foru-
natey escaped.
DoIhtess one-haf Of the free in this City are caused
by incepdaries and onequarier By carelessness. Mr.
I Peverelv VAS fortunately caught IN the very act,
while if he had applied the match all evidences OF
his guilt would have been destroyed. Oftentimes,
when fires are extingushed before they have MAIDS
much progress there is such palpable evidence of in
cerdiai M that the experienced hremen nvountarly
exclaim This place must be well insured, which u
almost invariably the Hence, ne or more ct-
zens Of energy and integrity should De legally Huof-
lied TO air,st and try all those suspected OF arson
The Board of Eng iaeers should be the Fire Wadens,
,;,h a comnetent salary whose practical knowledge
/ of what constitutes substantial edince ana their
great expeience and constant presence al nres pre-
! fminen,ly qualify them Fire Nafdens, whose ap.
/ nontment as such would impart more confidence aud
4 e, ont buildugS fire and also
be the means OF preserving much property. Ihoso
! daring who recently persisted at No 23l Broad
way, might still have been WIN US II the bnyaeers
/ had been the Fire Wardens, who should be legally
authorized to condemn and to legbly mark the front
| of every building which they consider oAngerous.
The Fire Wardcns should also be authorized to pro
bbit the erection of tenement houses OF great hight
which have but narrow entrance and winding
stairs Hundreds dwell in them, many Of whom must
perish in case Of fire commencing in the lower part OF
the building, there is no possible neans OF escape,
and as ladders Of sufficient length could not be used
! The Board of Engineers, in lsi9 constituted the
Beard of Fire Wardens which was an unpopular
measure with the Department But notwithstanding
this consider it my duty TO recommend their reap
pontent. and TO be invested with these powers.
The pan proposed by Capt Ditchett Of the Fourth
Ward Police should be adopted that policemen be
stationed with flags by day, and lighted signals at
night proper distances in the streets leading tn
fres and all persons passing, who persist in re-
naming within the lines, be arrested unless they have
business there. In adopting this will be necessary
by members at fires when not in fire dress and the
passage of law making it penal offense for any
person to wear the badge, or any other insignia OF
the Department, except the fremen, which would De
a salutarv check on rowdies and thieves proving
around fires and enable the troInen to discharge
their duties more efectually
Rowdes still attack the fremen, and the latter oc-
! casionaly have collisions with each other.
trust that when these cases are reported You VIII
act with promptitude and severity in the punishment
Of these offenders against the welibeing of the De-
partment. II instant and severe examples are MADE
of them IL would not only promote the morals and
efficiency Of the Department, but the public tranquil
lily. And companies should be held responsible for
the vilsny of those whom they permit to run win
their apparatus and to congregate around aud within
their houses. II is unjust that so many welldisposed
firemen should be degraded by association with
! insubordinate members, who should not be permit
ted to remain in the Department to demeralzs II aud
ss On. and nssR SGr % men 5S% 4.
and not paid system, which 1t would oppose almost
to a man a..
In response to resolution Of the Board Of Alder
! men. proposed on the 10th ofJanuary last that:
First ssss Engine Companies be SLOWED 60 nan
seconds Engine Companies be sowes 80 80 men
Iooh and Ladder COMPANIES w men.
sS:e II 10 %ea
also recommended in the same communication
las had done for years to your predecessors) that
there be an increased supply water, by placing ad-
ditiopal pipes on High Bridge. In document No. 81
Of The 22i of March last in answer TO resolution IRON
either Board Of your honorable body proposed tnas
s am be applied TO fire engines lin this connection
| will state that have been informed that oPeciA
Committee of the Board Of C0uncilmeD, OF which Mr..
/ Pinckney is Chairman has visited Cincinnati to ex-
smne the steam fire engines in use there, which also
learn will soon be in this City for exhibition although
| have seen DO official report from him announcing
this as one of the results OF their visit to CincinnatIl
also proposed that fire engines De placed on Terry
! beats 10 be operated by steam "a previously sug-
gested by Alderman Blunt. In connection WIN my
Teports of street fights during the present year. lhave
said that a majority of them occur between comps-
pies running out Of their districts, especially on Saur
day nights ard Sundays, and requested tue adopuon
designate The districts in which the companies should
] pertorIn duty | exceedingly regret that the above
/ Inropositons have not been adopted winch are 50
/ IS. entia TO the City welfare.
I The ordinance excluding minors ana aliens rom
the Department will have powerful moral effect,
/ whom found 10 be far more numerous than sup
nosed especially the latter. Even the foremen and As
sistan Foremen of Companies were oDiiged 70 oosan
them naturalization papers before they couid De re-
/ returnsd rs members Of their companies. But the
law should be amended by requiring the affidavit OF
/ he candidate himself, instead of the Foreman ana
Secretary presenting to the Chief Engineer cern-
icate OF membership from the officers OF hs company
the affidavit TO be- attached on its presentation:
would further suggest that the candidate DC rsque1
IN swear that he Intended 10 perform active dufy and
I 10 encourage subordination in the Department.
IL is pleasing duty 20 inform you anu the hremsn
J Of the fidelity of your Committees ON the fne DC
partment during the present year. The worthy heni-
bers Of the Department require no euoglum rom nae,
who are our reliance in peace, and would prove our
soldiers in war and cannot be too warmly ehershed
Z by the great body OF our people. o,, ,.,,-,v.
! Clisf Enetaeu's QGss, sept Is, lSoL
Tux CANALS rxDER RAILROAD CoMPIrrrIoS-The
a. /. fia fl