New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-11
nov THEY PUT OUT FIRES At BERLIN.

from Our Own Correspondent.
BERLIN, Sept. -, 1875.
Some five years siace the Americans here had
hearty laugh apOn the parade-ground Just Ou.-
aide the BrandenbUrgh Gate. Not at the de-
struction Of Kroll's magnifcent pleasure-resOrt,
which was on fire, nor at the poor fellow Of a
BO..obian whose panorama of the Ohio and Mis-
sis,ipi went with the building, bat at tbs fire.
companies, their apparatus aud their mode Of
working. G JOd old "Phllis.ors,' many Of
them stif With years and sedentsry employ
nents," were filling miserable old sqlirts Of
engines with water ladled with buckets from
open tons brought upon wheels or sieds, and
leisurely throwing it, if not on, yet toward
the fire. When tunful Of water was ex-
bausted they waited until another came. Po-
hceme on foot AID policemen on horseback;
officers Of the army riding about and giving all
sorts of orders which nobody seemed to obey;
other officers stIut,ing about like turkey ocks
and ordering the thousands who had come To-
getber 10 see the rare sight here OF burning
building to stand back, when they were already
three tunes as far from krOll as their most pow
eriul squirt could throw water ia fact all the in
where people never think for themselves but are
governed, and never do or effect anything out of
the daily routine VI less made machines OF, We're
there to put out the fire; but the ire would not
be- put out. Generals who had conquered the
people q couple Of years before had TO look on and
see the fire god play merry wi hOut the slightest
regard 10 ,bem and their unifUrns and the murder
ribbons and medals which the King had graciou-y
allowed them 10 tag to their breasts.
The whole affair was the most RIDICULOUS in the
world few dozen short wlnicd shOemakers aud
bOokbinders aid yegetable-venders and the like
honorable citizens and masters free of the guilds
working away at crazy old engine, until a
hoeshead Of water was squlrted somewhere, and
then stopping to talk the matter over until another
like an old hen, lay AZ egg and then cackle
This fire and that Of the building in which the
First Chamber held its sttiDgs, which followed
few months later, urged the negotiations between
the Royal and the city governments for reOrganiza
tioD Of the fire department, which had been goiug
on since its nehiciency was proved at the burning
Of the Opera house, in 1912 1 think. The city was
unwilling to bear all the expense of such change
and rightly as it draws little or no revenue from
the vast collection OF buildings, palaces offices of
the departments, barracks, hospitals, and nobody
knows what all, belonging to the Government.
The difficulty was TO divide the expense Justly,
both of the establishment and maintenance of the
system. In 1851 this matter was at length aa-
600 thalers 1886 O0O) to the city. the City author
ties appropriated l05255t thaers about SO, O0O)
for the object.
Tie plan had long been decided on after care
full examination Of the systems of Paris, 6am-
burg London an6 other European cities-the
American systems not being considered worthy Of
notice, and naturally enough too, as the papers
seldom had any reference 10 American hre-depart
ments except in connection with accounts of fire.
mems riots and of enormous destruction of prop
erty. i notice that Hinckeldey, President Of Pc
hce, has the credit Of deyieing the system here,
though judge he is about as much entitled to il
as f. Pierce, Esq. is to that of opening the Sault
Ste Marie Canal Whoever devised it, certain
Scabell carried 1t into operation.
One of the first objects that attracted my atten-
ton when came back TO Berlin last year was
set Of men whom often met in the streets uni
formed much like the soldiery, though the frock.
coat was reduced to rather long jacket, the he'll
met replaced by stout leather cap with q broad
Zap behind, and the musket by an ak. Until y
lew weeks since supposed these men TO belong
TO the corps OF military pioneers. But one day
we had that most rare occurrence, an alarm of
fIe-an alarm however only made known by the
appearance OF the engines. happened TO be at
the corner of the next street when "machine
drawn by two fine, powerful horses came thunder
ing along with bells juggling, and horses gsllopng
in 4 manner 10 Put one ideas of Dutch slow
came long vehicle like an American haywsgon.
in which, on two long seats, were about twenty
Of those mysterious individuals whose appearance
had so mnch puzzled NE. Oh no, so these are
the new frsnen Another and another engine,
another and another load of men; large tubs or
tups. sw uDg to axles, Tiled with water, came at
full sPeed-splash. splash-and nobody but the
by-stsnders stopped TO pick up an unlucky child
that had run out and was run over Other wagons
laden with ALI serts Of tools followed and ladders at
tached to machinery to raise them, with apparatus
for the rescue Of individuals from the top stories
of houses and other high places-an came whirl-
ing along as though the aainal-politeiy speaking
was behind them. AL was the work Of i've or
ten minutes; but as the alarm proved false or not
much better all was soon quiet again, and had
no opportunity of seeing the new companies at
work
Now, comparing this state of things with wha;
/ saw at krols, il was clear there was oA,ething
10 be inquired into. There has been treat
change and no change takes place in Pruss;s
without the most careful consideration and exsmi-
nafjop, and when made is a good and thorough