The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-09

panies now do. T. ere would be no time lost
at fires in bringing the eng mes to bear on the
proper spots; nor would the re ,ular iremen |
waste their energies in wrang ing with the po-
lice. We hould n t hear, as we now DO, sort |
of riot in the street whenever an alarm of fire |
is given, and with less clamor, o d less fuss, a
vast deal more work would be done. On the
other hand, il must be obvious to every one
that 50 far as the practical business of fremen
is concerned, greater skill and efficiency would
be obtained from men whose special and sole
duty it was to prosecute that business, than
from men who by day were shoemakers brick
layers and merchants, and whose labors with
the engine were merely sort of pastine.
Whatever spirit and energy the latter might
possess, the superior discipline and practice of
the former could not but give them an immense
pense of paid fire department wesild be
f,rievous addition to our present burthens.
This is very absurd. Our present fire depart
ment costs us little less than Sl25,0Oe a
year. We are not sure that it would be
necessary to add $4,000 q year to this
to support an entire fire brigade Of such
force as we require. But if we had to
spend $3.50, 900 instead of Sl25 900, and in return
one-fourth Of the present fires were prevented
or checked, who would complain? Not the peo-
pie of New York assuredly; for, robbed and
plundered as they have been by their city gov
ernments they are still after all the most
lightly taxed inhabitants of any city in the
North, and can afford 10 pay handsomely for
safety, comfort, and peace of mind. If the Fire
Brigade were to cost us half q million per an
num- we should still advocate its adoption.
1t must always be remembered that this is no
new experiment We ase proposing. London,
Paris, and many other continental cities have
all had volunteer systems of fremen, and aban-
doned them when tkeir growth required it.
Boston has done the same, and is great gain
er by the change. Newark has had the matter
under consideration, and has decided in favor
of paid system. Sohas Cincinnati. No where
has the volunteer system found single advo-
cate. Abroad and at home every one who has
compared the two plans has unhesitatingly de-
cded in favor of the paid one for large city.
If the committee Of the Common Council to
whom the matter is referred report any other
scheme than this they will stand alone in their
sentiment, and will by implication cast CEN
sure on the practice, both of the soundest mu-
nicipal bodies of Europe and Of the only well
governed cities in the Union.
We trust they will take no position of this
kind. We have right to expect fairness, i'm
Partially and disinterestedness at their hands.
The task upon which they have entered is of
moment to all of US, and we are entitled to
hope that whatever their conscience may die
tate they will perform regardless of any enmi-
ties they may excite or jealousies they may
arouse. They have it in their power to hasten
an inevitable reform, or to prolong costly
and fatal abuse: it is of more Importance to
them than to us that they decide rightly be-
tween the Two alternatives.