New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1855-12-12
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Of New Orleans, to their Fellow-Citizens.

Il
The duty we ourelvssthe respect we have ever
entertained for public opinion and proper regard for
the truth Of history, ipels to lay before our fellow
citizens impartial relation of the causes which have
at the time to set forth history of wrongs and
grievances entaied upon by the Common Council Of
New Orleans, as burthensoms In their nature as they
have been cruel and ungrateul in their infiction.
In the performance Of duties voluntarily assumed by
involving weghty responsibility as perhaps ever
fell the lot Of any body of banded together for
the public goodhat of protecting lin this large ejyl
the lives and property Of citizans-We have
labored with unremittng zeal-devoted time-ars-
y expended our money-impaired our health and sacr
feed valuable gesall without stint Ease and comfort
we're without place in vocabulary and mans
usual hours OF repose were passed by weary watch
| fulness Ours mental service-we were not the
paid mercanaries of e1ptmeniaiistswe were NO hired
soldisryno! we abored in field whose only fruit was
the public veal and we claimed but reward-the good
opinion Of our fellow-citizens.
The responsibilities assumed by las grave as they
were had no desire to evade but asked (and we
think demands reasonably to be placed in pos
session Of the necessary appliances to enabled at
and on every OCCASION to successfully discharge
those responsibilities. The Government or the General
which would send army to the battle field inecentiy
armed against an enemy proverbia for his prowess would
censure and the municipal body which would expeet
volunteer organization the successful batting
of the most dangerous enemy known to man, and yet
negecs 70 place in its hands the necessary do
battle with cannot fail to receive, even by ingenious
legislation, q full share of popular execration.
The responsibility of our dissolution with the Couu
Gill; and not with ourselves this responsibility be
shifted We aware that to certain extent We placed
ourselves in false position in the memorial submitted
to the Council but this was the offspring Of natu
feeling, engendered by the long neglect and studied
Indifference of the Council than any want of respect
mted the Council the 3Gth of October and il urred
propisty Of immediate action the members Of tbe
department no longer desired to remain in position
which, from its very nature continually subjecting
them to public censure. What course did the Council
pursue? Did it go to work and examine and ascertain
the complaints set forth were just and the demanda
invite the appointment Of from our body IA
measures which, carried out would resulted in the
satisfactory adjustment of all difficulties Did they man
est In any by any act the slightest desire to
do us Justice Mo- for such desire existed the memo
birth to measure which conceived by members Of
another Board and simply incubated in the of ex
perimental reform radical change uncaled for BY
public opinion not treated of discussed by the public
press, (he presumed exponent of public opinion3 was
thus secretly cococted and abruptly ushered upon the
community ana every principle Of justice, respect and
tramped under feet 1t must be in mind that we
claimed nothing from the Council oaseiues We did not
ask them to bestow upon US office, offices for
u.s. The public crib, from whose ample stores so MANY
enriched, did not desire demand to enter We
simply asked that our sen sacrificing labors be relieved
those burdens which were gripping usefulness and
the removal Of which would enable labor the more
efficiently in the public service
But let us here set FORTH before proceeding farther
some few OF the grievances under which (for time
past) we have iabored.
Chief Engineer elected by the Council and placed
over the Department. without consultation with it--in
direct defiance with its Wishes and without permitting ii
have say voice in the selection of said ocsr-an act
repugnant to the fifteen hundred members the De-
psrten il contrary the very genius and spirit
Of our institutions. republican government may ap
point and place its officers the paid regulars Of
standing army but volunteer soldiers should be permit
ted to elect their immediate commanders. By such
legislation be made to bear the neicency OF the
Ghief-the very nature Of his Office to certain exten
shaping dutesand yet have voice In his election
We're not against THE reasonable
The quarterly appropriations absolutely necessary for
fbar nf roataa hara kao,.
paid. This evil in the knowledge Of many members Of
the Council seriously impariDg usefulness forcing
many US to advance money and contract debts
to have been one of those abuses which the bosom
form not to reach.
The annua supply Of hose 200 feet for which warrants
issued in January many of the companies have not
yet received. In many instances have been fur
nished for two years We shall show presently that in
1854 the yesr much harped upon for it's ex
pendture for the support of the Fire Department that
the amount Of srteen hundred srtv dollars
665 paid for hose 1t is thus that the article
second In Importance to water only hose is doled out in
apothecsries' doses to the companies.
We have complained time and again. of the insufficient
supply Of water Has any remedy been applied, any
fireman. and to every citizen who has taken the
trouble to examine the subject that all large dis
asrons eongrstons have been occasioned from an
inadequate supply Of water than from any other cause
And ii there is charge serious than another
which be successfully maintained against our Coun
ellis it is their tame and extraordinary submission to this
evil And here let refer to three of the large
fires which have taken place in the last years and
show with what justice
The great fire in Tehouptoulas street in August 1854
has been frequently adyerted to and cited instance
OF inslciency Now we contend that the Fire Depart
ent that OCCASION did all that any human organiza
ton could have accomplished under similar circumstances
Despite the intense heat of the day 1.-THE thermomster9
deg In the shade the combusble character Of the mate
rial lquors) among which the fire originated the nex
cuabe delay in giving general alarm and the rapidly
with which the flames spread the fire. with these
serious disadvantages could have been checked with the
destruction of two three buildings, but one
fohn,abe dicultyfor fifteen twenty minutes after
the fire broke cut most of the engines tcout ,car
and at period during the confagration there an
adequate supply This was fact we'll known to every
one at the time Upon whom them should have
faen Certainly not upon the Fire Department They have
control the Waterworks and they have not vet
learned to extinguish fire aco ,oate The Commercial
Water works Company the parties to be censured
and il the Council had done its duty, they should have
instituted proceedings against said Company for for
feiture of its charter
The FIRE On Magazine street, in March, 1854 gained
Roadway and became for time unmanageable from tive
insufficient ALARM and an inadequate supply
Of water.
The fire in Chartres street could have been easily
checked, and possibly confined to the building which
originated had the Department time had in their
possession sufficient supply Of hose, and had not what
laas brought into requison by the first companies
rived on the ground proved weress as soon as the
gines attempted to force through them.
The peculiar construction Of the Verandah the diff
Guilty Of leading hose through the building the usual
inadequate supply Of water, battled all efforts to
save it.
We have thus hastily and briefly adyertsd to these fires
show how poweress the Department has been in many
cases. Let again to enumerate other abuses
which we have complained.
We have frequently called the attention of the Council
TO the gross of the fire alarm bells and
we have asked matter Of public usefulness and me-
eeesty well important junct to organ
zation for the erection of central foire from which an
alarm could easily be heard throughout the city Our
petitions have sumbsred in the surfeted portfolio Of
committee and fires have been permitted burn before
alarms have been given, until their very smoke had
almost suocated the sleepy watchman whose duty was
ring out the peais Of danger The Council urge
reason for refusing to furnish the necessary
slarm that the city had exhausted treasury for if
half Of tina amount squandered upon the steam engine
had been devoted to this object should have perms
instead Of an exceedingly doubtful experiment.
That they stand In need of it, is evidenced by the report
he Council. That officer stated that il would take
$500 to place the houses in good condition To this
request unwilling has been turned
And while upon this subject let refer to the manner
which these repairs made under the contract sys
ON. In many contracts sold to irresponsible
,arties the work is half badly DONE and where
he Surveyor has refused to approve the work. the con-
ractor has succeeded in obtaining bis money the
Iouncil In this way large amount of money sauan-
ersd, and debited up against the Fire Depar tment
But let turn from this branch Of tie subject
although it is by means exhausted) and refer to
mother.
1t is commended by the advocates Of paid Fire Depart
nen that large amount Of money will be saved to the
ity by its adoption and that the volunteer department
eXtravagRBtly conducted These assertions cam