New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-09
EVILS OF THE PRESENT ORGANIZATION,
Startling Statements Of the Police
Commissioners.
Firemen Charged with Robbery and
Riot.

Chamber at Albany Tuesday Mt II D. To-. for the
purpose Of investigating the affairs Of the New York
city Fire Department. There large attendance
both OF those who desire reform In the Department.
and those who wish to continue the present orgsuiga-
tion. Indeed deeper interest gems to- cone nitrate
on the matter than has been exhibited in connection
with anything else that has before our legislators
this Winter. The Committee Of the Insurance Com
panies consists Of Mr.. McIane OF rhe Citizens IN
surance Company; Mr. Stanbury Of the Metropolitan,
Mr.. Norwood of the Lorillard NJ. Rankin Of
the Fulton, and Mr. Curry Of tie Republic-rep.
resenting over SJo000.0Do OF Insurance capt.
, s..I and over s51cc1OOO Of bank capital an
aggregate Of over one hundred millions dollars Of capi
tai They, together with Committee Of citizens, ssk
yor bill to break up the present Fire Department.
they believing that the existence of an irresponsible
body Of men. numbering nearly 1900, without dscf.
pine "a dangerous to the communiy it is also ef'
trayagant as shown BY comparison with other cities;
and the half million and a2nualy expended Is 10
considerable extent practically cor,gPtion fund WHICH
certain class Of politicians very eeeta!iy Ihess
points and others which affect The morals Of the fsing
generation will be found fuly set forth in the re-
marks made By Abraham Il. Lawrence, esq.
On the assembling Of the Committee the Chairman.
Mr. Andrews, said that at former session advocates
were heard. and those fayoring tho present system
asked for ten days to PIT in an answer He would
therefore call on Chief Engineer Decker. 20
Mr. Hitchman ian attache % the City HaD said that
lie appeared from the Board Of Trustees % the New
York Fire Department. lie was not present at tho
former meeting. and would prefer thai the other tide
should repeat portion at least Of their testimony.
| The Chairman Of the Committee declined commenc-
! ing the proceedings de moro.
Mr. Hichman said nc understood the decision Of the
chair to Re that HE side should take The fcor and make
statement. lie would take up the charges OK iucft'
cheney tina, the Department was made up OF bad ma
terial and OF extravaganza Mr.. Hitchman spoke ~
| some length making a general denial and elaimns
hat when frensn had known OF abuses they had
sryen TO correct them. He beieyed that the caance
pss sed Nv the common Council End approved ny ths
M.yor was calculated 20 remedy the evils COMPANIES
or lie only ASKED that the Le-slaiu.e iesah@o ths
act o the Common Council and give tie french time to
.estn 49, T..
lonred As ~ the charge of exiravaganec, he WOULD
present statistics in recton 70 TIE employees ~ the 10
paruents in Boston and philadelphia. Hc would close
their side II the other side had noning further 10 oer
Mr. Andrews sad they were PROMISED some sI-tS
MIR U,ohrpan read some figures from the Controllers
repCr OF 1868 and enumerated the steamers thai mad
been furnished to companies within tue is9r. Ina
proposition nnder consideration to reduce INC num-
Lax, r. pIett President Of the Fire Department.
said that The last meeting number OF Charge
yer. made lie considered il the duty OF those who
had brought them forward To sal stantiute them "
proof ard then the Fire Department would be ready to
show their side Of the case.
Lawrence IN response, addressed the comDntee; lie
said he az the last meeting, ana ga mol Know
OF his on know ledge what transprod. But he under
stood that parties fayorng the bill had made ceraio
charges aid night the other side were expected IN
rely II tbs all the reply they had ~ make. 10
The Chairman said tie object Of the Committee was
10 get At tho facts. II the charges we're renewed IN
more specific form, the other side would have sno prvu
Mr. Iawronce-Then II il p,cascs the COMMITTEES
appear here tonight in behalf OF certain cisens who
are large owners OF property in The ty o, hewfork
f,r the purpose OF supporting this bin And say In
the Outset IN my humble opinion the BILL If allowed 70
become law, will vastly promote the Interests not 9n
OF the CITY OF Ncw-IOrk and OF toe cry m biusyn.
but also OF the state For. after all everything
which tends to secure the sa.oiy Of properly III tnoss
cities, tends to promote tie mt rests oil t'S poVpe o
the whole State; because, Us the commerce Oh the SsS
certers IN those cities Ia greater or less uekrte te
p.o,e of the whole State are therein ppresenteu and
when fire breaks ou,. 1t Is not only the properly OIL te
nJiviIu,l eil,.en Of New-York Brooklyn, but the
n,opery OF gentlemen who live along the me :" oar
canals aud in the interior OF the stare ~
times III the Committee please am disposed 20 us
cuss this matter briefly as possible ana IN orsi 70
draw the attention Of the COMMITTEE 10 hutss "ne"
exist and which We propose to remedy !. |" "a W.
sary Tor me 70 give short narrative OK Tue FsaDn
which Las taken place IA regard to the fiie depart
ments OF New.York and Brooklyn, for the parpose OF
showing you how they are constituted Inc ", pc
n,rtmeut OF New York created in lisr New orS
M that time compared with what Il If to'iAy wase
village its population wa IN .'o parartms,s
was rrented as n CORPORATION; Board at Reprcscns-
rtiyea as they called. were To be eectcu Dy me
respective companies and they were 70 nave again inc
newer 10 elect a President and other oincefs ina b.
Common Council we're to have the rigt TO app"ht Tue
hr.men, though In point of fact tue engine companies
elected their members subject to continuation ny the
Common Council. 80 tho Department ran asohs un .
rkief yineer with various assistant engineers "ef~
ec,ed ~ surerutend the operations o tae force uufnH
:, fire and for the purpose OF extngulShhg tnns
Gre until I'm 1855 this Department had Deoeme VIZ
mo-, sav so had, but the system had Developer 40 may
av;,s hot an atteinpt made TO apply remedy ~
The Common Council in passing nm ordinance WHOA GS
Gentleman Las alluded to. They made the ateup W cS-
otinv ~, tain commissioners who were opass sPSs
,ha sihil,ty of members and pass upon their uAs-
copanct and delinluenees when elected, lhnt vas
tried 10 e6l or lr62, when the tomrVn '.Aer nv
wa hce 80 were authorized 10 set aside necsoo % ~
Fira Com deprived OF that poWsn sne
rho Commissioners Of ap zeal were created hAch %
these boards is elected BY representatives es~en "
he Gremen at large The Department. ut presfse coo,
sists OF $3.50 men, acooTuhs 10 w ,ys,ra a.
~ ON yiae companies. - hose companies ~ sooN anu
indJer companies mi.kiug l25 III all lhe Broon aJI
DEPARTMENT Is md lrstand IT, Waa of4asi~a IA Ia
II Was reorganzed when the act WA passed copson
1,,inr Tho cities Of Williamsburg and brvohiyh ~
now tRey have an Eastern aud western pistr'ct 49,
they have in the rsaln tie same oisanaeJ,1s ~
.,y 81 New York That Is, there y. an appeal ron -
decision Of the fire Cqmnis sioners 10 tie CoiaNDc
Council The rnmber Of men IN the Eastern D,sS,U
of Rr0oklyn IL G the number In tao Western AiSSos
rl:l-makng total IN round rambers OF 400 sen. IL
the Fire Departments Of NewYork and iS9oxrn
Well now say that this system Is entiraH faulty.
we sa, that system which might do for large VA
age VIII not for cities which contain iour<cen naho
sav that system which did for New cork when II cca
trhed population about one.hafof that which y co.,