The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-03-21
ILLUMINATION BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.


Celebration OF It's Sixty.scventh Anni-
versary-Some Facts About Its Early
History.
The New York Fire Department celebrated their sixty
seventh anniversary last night by grand illumination Of
all their engine hose and truck houses and made very
fine display During the daytime the public buildings,
well the nre establishments had their nags hosted
them from sunrise TO sunset and nine O'Clock the
illumination commenced II quite general thing.
Nearly all the houses OF engine hose companies had
their windows gterins with sperm candles and pro.
scented q very brilliant spectacle Al most Of the build
ngs illuminated in precisely the Manner It Is
unnecessary 70 give detailed description.
oRGAxrxA ALTON or TIE DEPARTMENT.
In counecson With the celebration win be interesting
70 the general public TO learn facts about
the organization Of the New York Fire Department In
l1es, sx,y-seveo year. ago. the department was
established is pnssens basis according 70 tho reckon
Ing Of the Chief Engineer the Board OF Foremen
But long anterior to that period, according to
researches there existed fire department which In im
day very effective instrument in subdung the de-
vourinR 6ery element that occasionally excited The
alarm Of our primitive ancestors
rHK APPOINTMENT or FIRE wARDxxs IN 1856.
Let VI ook back into the pass little. As early as
1856 the good people Of Amsterdam teok the subject Of
Ere department into The consideration Of their Knicker-
booker noodles In that memorable year the nre gesm
sprung up, and how hath NOT grown sincei
The ordinance authorizing TIE embryo Fire Depart
mens WAS adopted BY the ssrsOmassss o. New Ams!er
Covert Loockerman and Christian Barents to the I'm
portaut position Of Fire wsrdens with the duty Of
chmnes thereof together with all other duties Of Fire
WArdens according 70 the custom Of our fatherand"
FIRE BUCKETS.
Two years Afterwards another step In advance was
made. Tho immense Idea e Gre buckets con-
ceved and carried OUT with due speed The record Of
the affair worthy Of publication snd enabled
place before readers through tho courtesy Of NJ
David r Valentine Clerk OF the Common Council, and
Mr. Hickman, tho Cky Librarian Tho ordnance Is Is
follows
Ariaen Van Laer Peler Van Haslen, shoemakers being
Pen, tsr :. the SIT Of &c and the
siderable number Of Are buckets made showing them with
estimate of the loves, they VIII make item for.
From this appears that mo burgonasten struck .
bargain In the right fashion In thos, days Two Of the
shoemakers could ut SEQ the bargain at ALL and begged
10 be excused toetoaAy The other thercupon
invested with the mighty task ~ manufacturing buckets
for the great town u Amsterdam. The following
copy OF the agreemeut duly signed, sealed and de-
hvered,-
Reinbouzen undertakes make the aforesaid buckets
oordsse for each Of which buckets he shall sc.ve az
s" mbs easc bed
s understood that the fourth part Of the beavers shah be-
fourth. Who'll. beavers; aud upoa such contract :
entered INTO With him 70 make one hundred buckets
Van Laer WAS authorized to make nfty ON the same
conditions The buckets were Of leather and when com
pcted hung up in certain public and private places
ancestors not having arrived n that full pitch Of
civilization necessary 70 embrace the grand idea Of indie
pendent engine houses Our readers will be able To
what kind OF IRE company houses fourshed IN those
days by the following statement OF the places where the
leather buckets Of Renhoutzcn hung up 10 wit -
Fifty In the City Hall; twelve In the tavern Of Daniel
Litschoe twelve In Abram verplancks house twelve
Johannes Van Burghs house twelve Ia the house OF
Herr Ncssus Dfiles, and twelve In the house Of Herr
Peter wolferson Van Conwenhoven
The method OF using this simple apparatus was, Of
course rs simple as our Dutch ancestors themselves
Whenever nrc occurred the whole town was IN up.
Men, and children Of every degree acted
hremcn, for there was organized body except the
wardens Tubs pals, blankets and other domestic
articles pressed into the service and the may
b. imagined. In those days Tie population was about
two thousand.
Old Mr. Valentine, the veteran municipal compiler,
writes about the time follows abiding to the
renee Of ircs-
Kitchen poured IL sooty domcst,cs and the psrfor
az there were such things In those days. M worthy master
and mistress OF the household TO join the labor for the
veal Each popery holder was his insurer,
and ne ssen could not Then a. pow oon on ahe eonnasa
the oonsons conviction that somebody beside himself
the loser.
In 1887 every inhaban, OF the city was compelled
safeguard 70 keep IN his house at least Of these
buckets while bakers required TO keep each three
and brewers sixty in their establishments
In 1871 two Ore engines OF the Ncwshaw pattern
brought 10 this city aud used In the ektngushmcnt OF
conagatons; and years later the FIRST batch Of IRE
menresembng In some degree our present fOrce-was
appointed BY authority Of the Legislature The number
OF these original hremcn was twenty -FOUR and In
pence for their services they exempted from militia
jury constable and other civil dutios This the real
origin OF the Fire Department
Since that time we all know how II has grown In pro.
portion 70 the growth OF the metropolis We all know
about the most recent Improvement In the shape Of
engines, and also the proposed changes that now
pending before the Legislature aud which Look W tue
entire femodelling Of the department