The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-19

The first step towards thorough reform in on
present system of eXtnguishng fires, has been
TAKEN The Steam Fire Engine has arrived here
has been exhibited to admiring crowds in Mouu-
ment Square, has been photographed. and has been
drawn in triumphal procession through orr streets
escorted by bands Of music, and companies of fire
men. We have already expressed our satisfaction
at the introduction, i'll this city, of this useful and
peaceable auxiliary to the Fire Department We
have freely commented upon the great advantages
10 be derived from the general substitution of
Steam Fire Engines for hand ENGINES and of sloan,
and horse power, for men, in drawing and work
ing the engines. We have given full credit ia
The philosophical Company, under whose aus
pces, inns valuable invention has been introduced
INTO our city, and to the whole Fire Department.
Tor the friendly interest which it has manifested in
the success of the experiment. We will now 90
one step farther. We will suggest, that in order
10 carry out The REFORM thus bravcly and han
Py initiated, must abolish the Volunteer Fire
Department altogether. The invention of the Steam
flre Engine mas removed the only obstacle in the
way OF the successful prosecution of this measure and
there now only needs little honesty and pluck ON
the part of our City Councilmen, to aceompsh the
change. While the old-tnshioned hand-cneines
were the only means in use for the extinouishment
of fires, the necessity for employing LARGE force in
order 10 work them, was serious obstacle in the
way of paid fire department That obstacle is
now removed. With steam ire-engnes, pair OF
horses, and half dozen men, will do the work
which fifty or a hundred men could not have ac-
comphshed before. Let us then by all means
have Fire Brigade, paid by the city,
and under the immediate control of the city au-
thorties. A volunteer Fire Department may an
swer well enough in a village, where the whole
population turns out in a body, to extingush fire
whose spread might lay the entire neighborhood
in ashes, but in great city like Baltimore, such
system is as much out of place as would he the
leather fre-buckets of our forefathers. 1t is the
iawiessness and ruflianism, however, which
experience has demonstrated to be insepara-
ble from the volunteer SYSTEM that constitutes the
greatest argument intavor of paid department.
For one respectable orderly company at present in
this city, there are three whose very appearance in
the streets is enough at any time to breed a riot
The majority of cngne-houses are but nurseries of
vice and crime, and it is in the bunk-rooms of the
engine-houses that half of the fires that occur
are deliberately planned, and boys are trained up
to be incendiaries and thieves. The constant COLI
sions which take place between rival companies
and the bitter feuds which exist among them
lead to more riots and murders, than can be
ascrbed to any other single cause, politics
and whiskey excepted, which can he mentioned -
To enlarge, however, upon the abuses and evils
which flow from volunteer fire department. is use
less. Everybody admits them. Nobody denies
them. The only reason why they have so long
been tolerated, is that the petty politicians who
control our municipal affairs, are afraid to do any,
thing to offend powerful body like the Fire De-
partment. They are unwilling to risk their perso
nal popularity by advocating the substitution of a
paid system. They rather avoid the subject, and
as general rule, by no means like to have press
ed upon their attention. Yet it is one which emil
nently deserves and requires their attention We
are glad, therefore, that the Steam Fire Engine has
opPortunely come TO their aid, and, by dispensing
with the services of the fremen happily paved the
way for an entire reformation of this important de-
partment OF municipal police.