The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-21
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
ST. LorE, Nov. !, 1858.
residence in this city Of few months has enabled the
writer to witness 10 a certain extent, the practical work
ngs is department for the extnguishmcnt and
Il the progress Of fires. Having. from long residence,
the volunteer Of the New York Fire
department. and been accustomed to regard is orglnzi
ton a. complete Il with no little interest, ami with
doubts q their efficacy, that the operations Of paid
department, with steam apparatus, were at first oh.
served Any doubt Of this nature has been long
dlspeled.
The recent reception o. the Philadelphia Hose Company
with their apparatus instance Of the prejudice
which exists this matter, and which the company in
question has had the independence well foresight,
and II rs not strange that this preu.
dice should system that has grown up become
time .honored viii not be sGrrerdercd at once On
the other hand in those Western cities which
have arisen with such rapid growth, this mat.
ter has been. from the .xieencies Of the case,
forced uion their consideration Win no old preudiccs
old organzliians-wh all their collateral ends, Ter
sonal, political social benevolent, &c,0 influence tucr
ndc cndcIt acton they have wisely considered the duy
the MUNICH al government protecting the property
is citizens from the rayagcs u ore 70 be as mpcrous
and clear that Of guarding against the dcpreiaons u
thieves and other public evils They therefore, regarded
this object worth iaying quite a. much Tor, proper.
ton, and. VIII be sccn, With equally satisfactory re.
suits What city u may be asked, would trust ~ police
dlty a. be- performed by volunteer assoc ationss
The history q the paid Fire Department u Cincinnati
commcucer With March, 1858. Although the circum-
that led abandonment Of the volunteer
cations stated 10 be those evils which have fire.
quenty characterised them and elsewhere vet the
suggestion and instant adoption Of steam the working
rover seemed 20 he the practical and
luton of question o. mechanical difficulty. We not
able r. speak from observation ~ any change In the
rails u the city consequent upon H. but must accept the
official rel ois Of the officers uf the DEPARTMENT From
these there be doubt that the alteration
great The engine houses under the volunteer system
hal degcnerate nurseries vice and the re- sorts Of
men who represented any other great prescrvavc
department OF a city. There seemed a. b. little choice
between the destruction Of property by IRE and the injury
the morals OF so large number a. TIE volunteer sys
tenn entaiicd
Whatever may be said OF the expense attending PRO.
csed change any civil organization, there doubt
that where has dcgeneraed such gross abuses and
come the objects Of IT, organization IN secondary
light i u wise economy 10 substitute a once sys
tom any cost.
Mr. Miles Greenwood. citizen a great responsibility
acted Chief Engineer for two years and his reports
Of great value with this whole subject He
succeeded by Mr. ~ Clements, from whose reports
enabled present practical results deduced
from an experience Of three years. In 1855 Mr. Gle
monis reported seven steam engines in service. with
capacity ~ It's 500 gallons rcr hour. Compared With
twenty eight hand engines whose greatest capacity
III ~ gallons VII be perceived one steam Ore engine
equailcd tie capacity Of four hand engines u y not IN
such mechanical results however, the greatest disparity
exists The application NJ these eng 20 ere purI
shows their results in nearly the favorable gh
though accurate record 81 lOsscs by Gre 10
have bcc. ket Irior 1854. vtt nud Tor this year
and for Tire, successive years tables exhibiting the
insurance, and loss over insurance, a. follows