New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-11
Meeting or che Opps.eass q . Pad -,
Department.

OOR0RSoeoBs
A numerousy attended meeting was heiI
last evening at Firemens Hail. composed Of rspreessta
tives from the various fire companies In the city 4
take action in regard to the bill before the Issds
ture creating paid Fire Department In this city.
The meeting was called to order by MATHEW T.
BErRNR. foreman Of Hose Company No IL. who noni,
mated presiding officer Zophar Mills esq, which ~
approved by the meeting.
fact that the bill under consideration struck at once a
tho Fire Departments Fund Of the nobcst Cd artiss
in existence. He hoped the Legislature would allow
the Department to try the ordinance lately passed BIZ
the Common Council and If found satiafactory be
would be Of the first IN advocate chsnge
Mr. LEWIS noPPs Of Hose Company No 1 then pro-
sented the following list OF Vice Presidents and Seors
pie:p,s,dss';1r Hon T. Godfrey e.ntA.r, rSuis W.
N. Phillips, Geo =. Nesbit., Ja. y Watkins +. Octa'
;hsa.sp Peter Ma,,enos ch's Oconng, Fred Rdsbesl
German John Decker, Owen W. Brennan Joseph M. P'e..
Ed%d so@a, w.% nv F.s esq., isss cr'ss
TSw D. .
wennsn Abraham B. Pmdy, William NJ Tookse.
Mr. JOIN j. GORMAN then read the following resou.
tions prepared by Mayor Gunther, who was upsTois-
Wnea. tn. threa.ened pssas. of the &C. now psua.s
before the Legislature OF the State which contemplate tbS
Of paid hre department in leu Of the prsasss
volunteer system demands at hands expression Of -
upon those comprsngt the present volunteer syems yssa
that is and from time mmemoIiai has been denttsst
intimately connected with the bes. interests the g.
opmen progress and prosperity Of the city Of New YORK;
aud
Whey,d II s evident IN the opinion Of this meeting NJ,
only by the arguments used before the Ls(
by the advocates Of the new system but BY tho set
.apsr.ede violently and suddenly The present system VITA
consultation with its officers to the best mesns Of
allowing OF am opportunity to the rel,ye vsus
efficiency of the two .yssems well entirely ignoring the
drecy and the most really interested parties th.. il Is m
tended TO degrade the present Department. and hrougn s
people Of this city, be II therefore
Rlred That we regard the passage OF the proposed st
unmerted rebuke 20 who have. on many occnous
ery their fellow citizens that We resasd as unwise
forcing new and untrled experiment upon the city wnsa
yove fearful LOT" Of life and property we contend tn:s
intended the good of the city and designed moro eaes
dncOu hs now system ~oad be provided for whsrsy
test it, advantages over the old could De made
ultimately adopted are clearly Of opinion that Is
l positive, and direct interference with and usurPsfop
eRsn.s have the power in their own bands. thocsA their IN
mediate representatives in the City Iovernen isv
system .uil. to that now proposed by tie State L'sA
a,ure and he 4, further
Rsolred In confederation Of the shove and many sthes
posed bill before tie Assembly more particularly
was never better governed disciplined and 10
advanced Of subordinstion 70 duty and ws ~
fryenty and sincerely yet rePectuiy renonsete sainS
any change IN the present sysen until 10
and until the change shall have been asked for BY hose We
the intimately and directly tntefesed-ths psopSs
the Ctwho alone should be consued aud theS c,osePe
obsned before making the proposrd any other csnss h
any department. Of their own local government
Mr.. GORNAS expressed himself strongly in favor OF
the resolutions The members Of the Department 70
large extent had been spoken Of not reputable Ne
denied this. Boston and Chicago had been held % -
well Illustrating the workings of paid department.
and vet their losses by fire had been greater In proper
ton than in this city. He asserted that ~
members Of the Department. body. were fsr nsfs
respectable than the police for 900 cases OF mb
conduct had occurred In that force during the past ye
and had been tried BY the Police CommissoDers whDe
only 2l had been brought before the Frc Con
mlssioners In the matter Of economy. Newborn uaa
/ far ahead of the neghborng cities company u
Chicago costs s. l54 81 or $780, more than here In ~
Lonis 7Oo4 IL or 81 SOP more than here; In Bsiu
more So 766 o. t605 20 moro than here; 10 Cinosa
natl S6,779 ~, or s2,636 10 more than here. The
average cost Of the departments In all tho cities IN
the Union was $4,000 The efficiency OF this depart
ment was shown in the fact that during the months Of
January and February past the losses BY hre we're s
by million Of dollars than for the same period IN
former years.
Mr. JONAS n. PHILLIPS recounted the services Of ne
fremen ON the field Of battle, alluded to their Iatchiu
ness during the attempt to burn the city the ngh q
the 25,h of November last and concluded With glow
ing account If their seryices in years past.
Mr., JOHN r. PLAT, President Of the firs Depart
ment Fund; Councilmen HAYS and LEVY, aud others.
spoke al length in favor Of the resolutions sad IN opp
shon the bill The meeting finally adjourned VITA
out takiug any definite sction on the subject