The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-06-19
Iccx, wArrERs

.,oe,,n, A tho Oh amberisius ONCE yesterday at
tarroon Al O'CLOCK. Present. Messrs. McCance,
ayres, Sinton. Stesrns, Crutchneld, hicnsrds Tai
,ot, Fry. snead Butler. Scott, Quarles, Saunders,
~" orenai.in1. The President being absent, on
notion, Mr.. McCalce was requested to act a.
Chairman.
M;nmtes The minutes of the last meeting were
read and approved.
Suspeadiag the Rule-On motion of Mr. Scott
he ru,e was suspended, 90 a. to enable the report
If auo,her special committee to be presented.
Preventing the Mdnafac Of Soap and Can
lies Mr. David J. Saunders, from special com.
ni,tee appointed the subject, reported that the
manufacture Of soap and candles on Frankie
street, between Bell Tavern Alley and Shockoe
Greek, was nuisance to the neighborhood and an
injury to the property, and offered the following re-
solution:
Pesolred. That the permission granted Mr.. Ed
yard McAdam to conduct sosp and candle man
factory on F. or Franklin street, on 22d August,
1912, be revoked.
Mr. Scot. proposed to amend the resolution OF
he committee by adding the words IRON and
,ter the 18Th of July next"
The aues,ion being take1 on the amendment. 1t
was adopted-so that the resolution revoking per-
uission to Mr.. McAdam to conduct a soap and can
lie mandatory, will go into effect on the 18Th OF
July next
llecnaaics' Tastitufe.-A memorial from Mr.. jar.
4 Cowardiu. A. III Bailey and others, committee
IF the Bosrd of Managers of the Virginia Mechan-
les Institute, asking the Council to supply the In
stute with a suitable Hall for it's meetings, library
and annual exhibitions, was read and referred to
the Committee Public Buildings.
LigM-The Con m ee en- Light recommended
The appointment of Mr. THOMAS II. WYNNE, (Su-
periGtendeLt of the Gas Works.) Engineer ior the
Enlargement of the IS Works. believing him fully
competent to discharge the duties OF completing
the works, at salary of $1,000, to commence from
the l3 b OF April last.
On motion, the report and resolution were adopt
SPECIAL Bu.1sEss.-Dr. snead, from the special
committee to enquire into the ''causes of the fire..
auent fires aud false alarms presented long re-
oori, 10 which fv, causes are given
LIST To reveoge for wrongs or suppose wrtnge,
s perhaps, to be ascribed the origin of many OF
our most destructive Tres. The tobacco factories
are instances of this class.
ID We regret to say that there 10 reason 70
link, In some instances. property has been burned
that the Insurance money on the same might De
collected from the insurance companies.
80. Some fires have undoubtedly been kiudled
to cover up the previous burglsrious acts
4'h. A fruitful source Of fires and of false alarms
IF ire was ascribed by those before us, to the
listing rivalry among the different fire companies,
growing mainly out of the existence OF class In
connection with the companies, called "Runners"
This class is represented to be numerous in pro-
portion to the authorised hremen, and they being
full of the zeal and energy of thoughtless youth,
spd delghting in the excitement incident to fires
sstance of small boys, lay hold of and are off
With the fire apparatus before the officers,
The authorised tiremen can reach the engine
houses. They have great ambition that the ap
paratus with which they run, may be first at the
fire. and to accomplish this, they lounge until
late hour of night, In and about the engine houses
And rather than be disappointed in their fun, it Is
feared they will sometimes secure at least false
alarm 10 be given. IL is stated that they are per.
IN itted to vote In matters affecting the interests of
the companies to which they severaliy attached,
and that their vote 10 sometimes controlling one
a thing your committee deem to be highly impro-
per and unw1se.
5Ih The last and most fruitful source of fires
We shall speak Of is to be ascribed to the acts of
thou htess, wicked and mschievous boys The
committee is panied to say, that Notwithstanding
the existence OF rigid laws forb bidding il, small
boys, white and black, are net only permitted to
take part In the removal of the fire apparatus from
the engine houses, but unfrequently they alone
lake out the apparatus and run with the same
through the streets. Like the class called "ruu.
ners" crowds OF these small boys may be seen
often in the day. and almost every night, lettering
Ia and about the engine houses; and rather than
not have fire or false alarm, they will make one.
To this class may be attributed most of the fires
which occur In stables, cow houses and carpenter
shops. They are wicked enough to do mischief
the enormity of which they do not possess the
mental or moral quality to estimate This class
Of persons fined iD.eveIy fire or alarm Of fire,
Joyous pastime-a season of excited and loved de
light No fireman or runner, has a greater desire
that bis apparatus shall be the first at fire. or that
he best fre-plug shall be secured, than do these
boys; and that this end may be attained, there
cannot be doubt that they arrange the firing
of the selected premises, that tho information can
os given at the companys engine house, with
which conpany's engine they intend to rum before
any others know IT, and thus secure the start of
all the other companies. Your committee have
reason to believe that this conduct IL often and to
an alarming extent INDUCED 10. A stop should
be put to It,
There is another practice INDUCED In, which
your committee cannot but condemn in the most
unqualified terms. 1t is that negroes, others than
tohse connected with the fire department, are al.
lowed to go to fires there to engage in merriment
snd frolic even stated, to the of ddIing
snd Dancing Thsis prohibiied-it ought to be pre-.
vented.
The committee then propose the following RENE
dies.
LIST. strict and rigid enforcement of the existing
laws in regard to boys, and all other unauthorized
persons who accompany the fire apparatus to and
during fires. who may be found oitsrns in and
about the engine houses.
charge of the engine houses, have placed on tho
doors thereof safe and sufficient fastenings to pre-
vent any unauthorized person from entering the
Sd. In regard to the class called Runners vour
| committee must say that while they are unwilling
20 approve of and recommend its continuance stIII
they do not find it easy to give 1t an uponsI6a al
censure IL the system is to be continued il shonld
be subjected to additional and wholesome restric
tions. -e'S
9TH Ii negroes are continued to be emplovsd to
WORK the engines, and we doubt if their services
can be nlspsnsed with, the laws reeulating ths;r
going to and from fires, and their saton ad
amendment. LAWN
9th. regulation should be enacted providing for
the wearing about the person of every fireman Iun,
ner or other person authorized to take part in n.;
the ire apparatus on the occasions of fire. token o1
badge ' "''Aon VI
6th. The remedy your committee deem most ef-
hclent will be the establishment of a Fire poics r.
consist OF SIX men, that being the number of sine
houses. We propose that six persons Re snuointed
each one living in the immediate neig hborhood nj
the engine house. the special poiics of which he
shall be- These individuals to be clothed by oroi-
nance with ali The :esssry police power vet to he
exercised as such only for the time of the exstencs
Oh hres or the alarms of res aud until the fir. snos
ratus is safely returned and deposited in their nyc
per places At ell other times such persons tn h.
;.es 10 pursue the avocations of their chocs Make
tne outy OF this police to be promptly Al the ire
speetve ene1ne houses the occasion "a svnrv g..
oI aiarm OF hre whose duty it shall h, in ths ar
sehee OF the authorized fremsa to nrsvsnt III in
proper persons from entering the enigma han.as ~
III any msnner interfering with the an g;na. ~ a..
apparatus; ana TO arrest any or all person. - ~
ne ieund violating the city ordinances ana oth Ley
preserving order Ii may be made the H. w .tS
Poiiee 10 accompany the engines to the fra @
WIN tnem There, return with them and rsmsin -.
The engine houses until the apparatus ia sfI a.
awaY-aher which they will be at Iibertv 70 40 pu.
tneir private business We believe snch egG 9
VIII NOT Do very expensive, and that 1t NAV ~. NC
dered very efficient and highly useful ' 10 IGN
On motion of DR.. Spead, the report MA. thu -,