The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-08-01


Oh that day was greater than along the bay
New York, and 1t may be very catering to The
vanit, Of John Bull to know that in both place.
It was British celebrity that evoked II. 1t Il
a curious coincidence, however, that the two
finest harbo, 3 In America should have been the
scene Of grA I'd sensation on the same day.
STEAM VERSUS HAND FIRE ENGNEs.-The fire
in Nassau street on konday evening last has
demonstrated the supe ciority of steam over
mere manual labor, when applied to theI extin-
gushing of great conhagra lions. II has also
proved that the 6remen of the city of New York
are the foremost in the world, whether We Judge
them by their personal bravery, their self-neea-
ton, or the admirable esprit du corps by which
their excellent organization is sustained. Such
a band of heroic and selfdenying men il would
be hard to find anywhere. The alacrity they
invariably evince whenever the cry of danger
is heard; the Promptitude and discipline they
observe in conforming to the stringent rules of
their association, and the inAexible courage
and determination which are their leading cha
racteristics when life and property public or
private, are in jeopardy, are confessed facts
which give tone and character to the pro-
fession of a fireman.
But in the face of all these facts, and of many
Others which might be added, it has been too
clearly shown that revolution is about to oc-
cur in the administration of the Fire Depart
ment Steam fire engines must inevitably be
brought into universal use. The ordinary hand
engines, though worked by the most courageous
athletic and devoted men, can never hold
out or compete with the tremendous force and
uncessing action of the steam fire king As
steam has already demonstrated its utility and
power in every branch of art and human labor,
it must also come to be exclusively applied to
the extinction of fires. When this grand i'm
provement has been fully achieved we shall
hear of but few extensive CONGREGATIONS. To
the presence of one of these powerful engines
we n ust, in great measure, attribute the ex.
emption Of our own and other establishments
from a very severe scorching on Monday night.
Three or four large steam fire engines, bring
ing their full power of ejecting water to bear
on burning building, must very soon sub
due the flames, be they ever 80 fierce; and the
consequence will be that, when these engines
are in universal use, only one building can
burn at time, and life and property will be
more securely guarded.
Many of our 6remen might look on the on
ward progress Of steam fire engines as an inno-
walton in their profession, and as calculated to
detract from the importance of their exemplary
organization. But they greatly err if they be.
lieve 90. The steam fire engines have to be at
tended to as carefully, If not more so, than the
hand engines They require as many men to
take them to the post of danger, and. in cases
of great fires, the men Of the Department would
always hnd more than enough to do without
wearing out their strength by the fatiguing la
bors which the hand engines demand, and with
out which they are entirely useless.
The Improvement is, therefore, an advan.
tage to all parties-to the public as
well as to the members of the Fire Depart
ment themselves. As human muscle cannot
compete with steam in working against fres
let steam be altogether brought into use. And
we are glad to know that this desideratum is
being slowly but certainly accomplished.
There are now in this city four Of these new
and powerful regular district steam engines,
besides two large exempt engines, which are
only brought into requisition on the occasion
of very large CONGREGATIONS. Measures are
now, we learn. being taken by the Corporation
for constructing others of the same class and
If our city fathers really desire to protect the
property Of the public, they will relax no ef-
fort to provide the city with full complement
Of these superior engines
The SITE FOR THE Posr Orr1cE-TmE DurcH
CHURCH THROWN OvERBoARD.-We understand
that the general government has decided not to
take the old Dutch church In Nassau street
as site for the new Post Office, and for the
reason that no clear title to the property can
be had. 1t appears that there are several
bodies lying in the vaults there, and the heirs
to the different tombs cannot now be found;
and, therefore, without their signatures no
title would be secure, unless by some special
act Of the Legislature. Many of the hers TO
these tombs are probably dead, but many may
be living. and scattered over the face of the
globe. 1t would be highly impolitc in the
government to run the risk of future litigation
under these circumstances, as they have no
more right to take possession OF these mems
tombs than of their houses.
We said before, when II was rumored that the
purchase Of the Dutch church by government
was completed, that il was not So and II now APP
pears that we were correct in our statement. as
we usually are. We consider ii very fortu-
nate for the public that this location cannot
be had for Post Office. II is not the proper
place for it, because business is moving up
town and il would be great hardship to COM
pei people to come down to such an out of the
way place as the present Post Office will be
zen years hence. The ft place for the
Post Office. the Custom House, the Mint aud the
rourta il tho C;ty II ali Da,L IT.. .:.t.