The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-07

IL VIII depend entirely upon the
n no oseIs and the stipend paid for salaries
They viii state, how .sry for the service required
in the cities rents for aceount p Of Fire
item apr Boston and Albany, which includes every
the a <.yanrng thereto for one or two years under
system, ard closing herewith with a cores
'nang number Of years under the new and commencing
herewith they find that the expense under the new
city Of Albany, u the years isis and 1851 the former
.he I'd lispensation and the latter under the new
is pr ence o. expense was only $500 This difference
~aeased, however, by allowing for new hose and
The items Of REPAIRS oil and fuel in ls4s for the de-
Iartmcpt in Albany cost $50 So in 1852 and 49, the
expenditures for the items only $780, showing
that the saving of and tear to the apparaf
the new system would contribute largely to the in.
items of expenditure in the department under the new
system, which will bear corresponding dimnution from
number of engines &C. TO say nothing respecting the
time and money contributed by the members andci-
tizens at lage. towards furnishing the houses, &C.
from the Tribune May 81
There s one other important matter in the supple
ment to the verdict, OF which little has been said
publicly, but which has engaged the serious atten-
ton OF the people for long PERIOD and that is the
uses and abuses of the Fire Department ITSELF From
facts developed at this and other recent fires, the
conclusion is irresistible that great number of vaga-
bonds make pretended membership in the depart
ment cloak for theft and robbery if not ncendia-
rism. We desire to state that do not believe any
real flremen to be guilty Of any such crimnality.
We have always looked upon the New York Fire
Department Of the nobest Of institutions,
and upon its members as worthy citizens We know
hundreds Of names on the Register that stand fore
most in honor in all the city; and we cannot per-
sonally name one black sheep in the flock. We have
had cause to be grateful to the fremen for SER
vices in times OF peril that few would have volun-
teeIed, and remember them still with undimnished
feeling. Yet we must, in the main, agree with the
jury that the bona fde members OF the department.
are blameabe in many instances for allowing boys
andy DIV mn tn han
to drag their machines to usurp their badges and
to impose themselves upon the public as tiremen,
when not of the rascals could get vote in any
company in New York. Two or three Of these
scapegraces, hanging around the doors of an engine
house, insulting passers-by, instgating fights and
talking profanely and vugary will soon disgrace a
whole company Of honest men. Whenever any such
persons get into the department they are promptly
expelled by the Chief Engineer, and, if not rein
| stated by corrupt Common Council are no longer
/ fremen. But that is not enough The true firemen
I should hold no communion with them; they should
expel them from their houses, drive them from the
/ neghborhood, and by every honorable means show
the people that they have nothing to do with them
The jury say that several iremen examined before
them deprecate the doings of these runners but
could suggest no means of getting rid of them. But
let them summarily drive them away from the
houses, and lock up the first who appears in fire
mems dress, and the thing is done. They cannot
tolerate these incendiaries, thieves aAd ruffans
without in some degree endorsing their conduct, and
we trust they will take instant means to purge the
/ companies OF all such intruders. In that way only
can the imputations brought upon the department
in the of this investigation be removed. The
question concerns the public at large, but the fire.
men more than any other class of citizens and il
! is to be hoped that they will act promptly. They
may be of the support Of all men whose support
| is worth having.
| This does not involve the question whether the
organization OF the department is the best that could
be had, and whether corps Of paid and regu
larly drilled fremen would not be better adapted
to large city like New York. Our impression is
decidedly that such corps would be superior to the
present system, but that is matter to be thoroughly
discussed and deliberately acted upon, Meanwhile
we hope that the department will take every step
necessary to preserve that high esteem hitherto
awarded to it by the people Of New York.