New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-02-11
THE CINCINNATI FIRE DEPARTMENT.

rowdyism. Riots and brawls of daily and nightly
occurrence and the public the conclusion that
means must be taken to extnguish an element which
was more destructive to the community than that Of
which il assumed 10 be the antdote. An ordnance
was prepared and after great opposition finally passed
by the city council, providing for the formation of
paid fire establishment This ordinance provided for
the organization Of twelve engine and hose companies
under the supervision Of chief engineer four assistant
engineers and clerk or secretary Esch engine
| pany to include captain and lieutenant, five
| denompated pipemen and drivers, who were to give
theiI whole time to the service and twenty five men,
bers" For their services the captains to be al
lowed $50, and the lieuenants 500 per year; the
pipenen and drivers 81 y per day, and the members
| tCO each per annhm. Officers and members absent
from fires were TO be fined, and the amount of such
fines deducted from their salaries. This ordinance,
with some notifications in regard to pay and other
details is yet in force In addition TO the twelve hand
| companies was one steam ire-engine, estimated
| equal in power to six hand engines.
To Miles Greenw Cd one of the most wealthy aud
public spirited citizens Of Cincinnati, was intrused
the task OF bringing the new Department into working
order; and notwithstanding the resulting from
bis own extensive busness operations, he accepted the
Office of Chief Engneer with salary Of 81 900, which
sum- with characteristic iberahty, he presented to the
Mechanics Institute. After six months trial of the
new plan, Mr.. Greenwood made report 70 the Com
mon Council, in which the following passage occurs:
"The CLiefEn gineer cannot but congratulate the
Civ Council and the citizens at large upon the ri-
umphant which has crowned their efforts in
carry ing out the reformation in the Fire Department
which the safety property the peace and good order
of society and the morals of the youths of our city go
mperatlvely demanded. This great undertaking,
carried onward against the opposition and hostility of
certain portion of the volunteer emen, as well az
some others who desired position and influence by
their connection with them, Is no longer problem IN
volviDg doubt Of its success and usefulness.
In the same report Mr.. Greenwood speaks of the
steam fire engine having removed all doubts as to
the practcabity of using seampower in putting out
fires. lie recommends the invention, not only as
means of greater security and protection to property,
but also as being worthy of especial attention on the
point of economy. He therefore urged the building of
several steam-engnes believing that the expenses Of
the Department would be thereby greatly reduced.
At the expiration of year, the Chief Engineer pre-
sented the first regular Annual Report made under the
organization, in which he spoke more conf
IDENTIFY of the advantages accrung from the new sys-
TEN. We quote:
Under the present control the epgine-houses are
no longer nurseries where the youth of the city are
trained up in vice, yugarity and debauchery and
Sabbath day is longer desecrated by the yells and
fierce conflicts Of rival fire companiee who formerly
sought the occasion offered by false alarms often got
ten up for the purpose, for making brutal assaults
upon each other; our citizens male and female, pass
our engine houses without being nsuted by the coarse
vulgares Of the persons collected around them.
The safety and security OF our citizens are no longer
trampled under foot by claiming under the license
of the name of fremen to commit all manner OF ex-
cesses with impunity."
Mr.. Greenwood, in this report, again alluded in the
most favorable terms, to the new steam engine which
had then been in for more than sixteen months.
In April, 1867 Mr.. Greenwood, in his second annual
report called the attention Of the Council to the fact
that the lingering opposition to the new organization
MI ch year previously was existing in the minds OF
many Of the old volunteer remen, had entirely disap
peared, and that the present system met with their
hearty support and generally sidered by them
as better adapted to the protection of the property OF
their fellow.czens than the old to which they had
been so firmly attached. The order and quiet eigning
in the city on the occasion of alarm of fire. and the
excellent moral condition Of the whole Department,
which was stated, for the sobnety and moral depor
ment Of its members to stand superior to any other
Department of the City Government" were also alla-
ded to in terms of justifable pride.
After filing the post of Chief Engineer for two years,
and by bis tact and judgment contributing very essen
tally the of the Organzatio Mr. Green
wood retired, and was succeeded by Mr. F. Clements,
who, in his frat report to the Council took occasion
to say that every days experience convinced him that
the change from the DID, independent organization was
calculated to give more efficiency to the Fire Depart
ment and afford certain protection to the citizens
although he himself in common With many hremen,
bad foremerly been much attached to the volunteer
system. lie aso stated that during the three years
which had elapsed since the reorganization OF tue
Department, the utmost harmony and good feeling
had prevailed among the members of the different
companies, that not single complaint had been made
to the Chief Engineer of any man in the employ OF
the city in his department having failed to perform h'
duty nor from persons residing in the vicinity OF engine
houses of improper or disordery conduct on the par
of men belonging to any of the companies. During oil
this time the facilities for extinguishing fires had oeen
gradually augmented and Apn l, 1856, the Guy na'
in service three rst class doublecynder and doaoe-
pump steam engines, and four smaller ones, wofAps
each single pump only, with capacity for throwing
1880 gallons Of water per hour At the same ''ie
there were in service fourteen hand companies WIN
twenty eight engines the greatest capacity OF WHICH,
when worked up 10 the full power, was l2l 2l2 ga'n'
per hour-57,3is gallons less than the seven s'''"
engines.
BY this brief synopsis of the various steps .AAe
in bringing the Fire Department oil 'ino'""N-
from most disreputsble condition up to ELL
which causes il to be cited throughout tue un'n %
model OF efficacy il will be seen that although s'e.
fire engines have been gradually ntroducea un.i 'n'y
have nearly superseded the old hand engines, '"0 gu
ihorites laid the foundation of their structure " ""'
i.hir the volunteer system, and by paying hfethen