New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-10


Tor the year le63 in authorization Of the receipt OF said
sums from the levy and pay the same 10 the Chsmoer
lain OF the said city 10 be drawn and used Dy the
politsn Fire Commissioners on their requshionf noln
time 10 time IN such sums rs they shall dean necessary
and for the purposes specified this section for the salo
Controller shall have power TO issue bonds." 40
m;ss;oner. ~ nroyide OFFICES and business accomoda
ton requisite for the transaction Of its business and that
Of its subordnates in said city Of NewYork to select
secretary chief ard assistant engine and as many
ofcerr clerks femen and appOntees as may be neces
sary the same 10 be ut oil times under the control OF
the said toner's and subject to remova by them
and exempt members Of the present Fire Department
of the City Of New.York giving the right OF way to
the officers aud men with their apparatus when on DUTY
&c.
This was the paid Fire Department that supposed
10 be established ty the BILL One Of the claims made
for lite passage was the superior economy and efficiency
Of paid as contradstinguished from volunteer FIRE
department But the bill made no provision for pay
ment except TO the commissioners But IT, on the other
hand. By Construction II were urged that they
have got ilimtable powers in this matter. they can
spend as MUCH money % they please, Where is the
pI revision stating the salaries What provision ID tIe
bin Is there to prevent the fixing fremans salary pt
with the rest The Metropolitan Police Department Is
held up as model In connection with the principles OF
this BILL but under that BILL the Police Commissioners
are authorized 10 pay certain salaries only ana
Mr.. SEDOwIcK then examined the Ordinance bill IN
der which The operations Of the Fire Department are
now conducted, but the ordinance consists OF one
hundI ed and three sections, and as II has been pup
| lished in full IN TBE TRIBUNE 1t 10 omitted here.
| ADDREss OF MR.. LAWRENCE.
| Mr.. r. LAwMNCE jr no appeared on behalf OF the
Insurance Companies. Banks. and Citizens OF New,
Fire Department. He said il must be regarded as con
ccded the shape the debate lad assumed tnat we
! r,rv rDvsyyaltment VI New.York as ri present con
stituted whatever might have peen l's ehclenc! ~
times pas for the puipOs,s for which II was organized
and created bad survived its LseiaiDess, and some
change needed IN order 10 put It into proper work
ing condition. Any department which. by the coates
sion of its advocates, who were represented there
in considerable numbers required ordinance Of the
Common Council OF tle City Of New.lork. ard a
Statute If the Legislature OF the State OF New'fork
consisting OF yiour printed pages and one hundred
es n,ee sections In order to put it in that state OF
efficiency for which il was designed must certain! De
In very bad condition at present lie started therefore
with the Of the other side that the FIRE De-
| nartment OF New York needed iinkeIhg up was In
want II repairs. Tho department needed an entne
and thorough renov stioD aud the son he rose TO
discuss was, which of these two bills was most cal
en- a,.d 20 remedy the evils planned or and to secure
that state Of affairs which those he had the honor ~
resent a. good citizens, were ctsrous OF bringing
about.
wish 10 say in the outset that am not here tor the
purpose of making any ntck upon the indviduPls who
compose the Fire Department Many OF ttose fen,e'
men IRE nv rsrsonai as vel my political n'ehds'
many OF item aic my clients Gnd ~ iny OF them ai
indebted TOR whatever success have STAINED ~ ny
professional career As ar rs Is ~
upon The conduct Of individuals; but II VIII not he Ia
conscrou. malicious spirit. bat only IN efeIe.e. 70
Tho POWERS conveyed 10 them hy the statutes OF tnir
STATE The first question g. 20 understand What the
Fire DEPARTMENT IT, H. 1Hr the Legislature OF New
York passed an nc. creating fire Department WIN
coruorste powers ard privilege md among other
pvers granted vas that ~ holding certain real estae
If nulted vaar which has been fr N Tine to TINE IN
ctensed IN snount ny varcus successive statutes mstng
Il an hyperion imports or forauon "HhiH Tue 10Y
poraiion Of the City ci New York
Ibev proyi ed tLat each cninps1y consisting 81 more
than eighteen members should seect two oi helf mum
] eut nm gf
fe.eptaiiyc, OF the lire Depaiiuent-that compahrs
consisting OF less than 'fhieen members should have
the night 10 elect one representative ana ihat inc
Board ~ Representatives thu. elected by tie hscnen
should eject President md Vice President treasurer
and SeCrftnIy spd Collector oi The flfe Department
That they should also annually elect three Trustees
nine bong nj nrst .-lccte-,nd after that three an
nua,-wlo should be known a. the Board of lInstees
4 ~ tie TiIe Department. Tie IL Tic todporaion Known
ne the Fire Department. and Which has Litnerto had
control of the fire Department fand. No int,nton OF
peddng with that fund was felt or manifested D, TIE
! parties who advocated the Senate bn AT that time
Inc Common Council vested with The riSht Of se
ecting the various mn mbers of the companies That
As the theory. Ibc practice then was. as u has con-
ssd 70 TO ~ 70 ,n sG i, own MEMBER 70
the Of tie Common Council Which, IN almost
every instance, Was matter of cOniAe.
That vas an express provision In statutc passed In
1919 Under these statutes tie department went along.
Evil. dcveoped themselves "a the city Increased IN
population ard q Board II Fire Commissioners Was
created - a pansosa for those cys Tho Fire Com.
ulouers were vested With TIE power 20 hear and try
all oulllnts u rcnen and with power oi confirming
or rejeoug tho election 81 trerncp. but the uhcuty
was the ,aue as that which eth exists This Board
was elected hs the Board a Representatives. How
the Board oi Representative eeeedt By the fire.
at lsrge; tho Commissioners were the ereaurs OF
tie Department How could energetic and Just ad-
ninisti alton be expected from rho depending
their continuance In Office uron the influence Of the
persons upon whose ac.s they were 10 81, IN Judgment
H. other words. the Judge uaon The bench depend
upon the criminal whom he sentenced for bis con.
tinus. &c In office. The Fire Commission was found
90. 70 sea. the purpse for which was designed and
tbey Rvt up .' her Board In tl or 81 Board o Com
4 DO WHAT
They were 20 confirm or modify the decisions OF u.a
Fire Commissioners by whom they to be elected
l'y different constituency Oh, no, ~ the Board Of
Representatives. incorporated under this antiquated
statute Of lir We have this complicated system down
a. ,sS2 We have o Board Of Representatives elected
by 6re con1tsnies q, large; We lave Board OF Fire
Commissioners which .s elected or appointed by the
Board Of Representatives; We huve Board of Appeal.
who are elected asc by tbeBcd OF Representatives Did
any ore ever hear OF a sane man sitting down and
drawing NJ statute winch was !" be check upon
body VI lcn n sush language or TO such effect as
Tho practical head of.this Fire Department the
working head, is An otncer who Is called Chief En-
ppeer lilo does this aud that Oh paper. He has been
doing this and that since 1913 but somehow or other he
has not always managed 10 do II entirely to the sasiac
tion Of the CITY OF NewYort How Is he TO be elected
Is be not TO be elected by different constituency No
He ~ elected by direct popular vote OF the hremen
They call II nomination. II is confirmed by the Com.
mon Council Ia 1891 the Chiei Engineer was made not
only the head OF the department bat the head Of a
bureau In the Street Department which furnishes the
supplies necessary for the Fire Department. 80 We
! have complications of commissions after commissions
and bureau after bureau, ana still We say the same evils
| exist.
| Mr. LAWRENCE denied that New. DIRK could be called
upon 10 pay the exposes Of the Fire Depaitme doing
dirty In Brooklyn and referred to the sixth tenth and
| twor,y.Rrh sections 20 show that tho construction
assumed to DO placed upon the bill by counsel on the
other side was ridiculous and absurd.
| Mr. LAWRENCE then quoted from ChiefEnglneer
ueckDra renori made Last Angust do piipg The mum.