New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-10
the FIRE DEPARTMENT.
TESTIMONY AND ARGUMENTS CONCLUDED
Evidence Of Police superintendent
Kennedy, Inspector Carpenter
and Other 0n0ers.
v,.v, nu- SpeciL Reporter.

Inspector Carpenter ca.ied-My views, MI
chairman are general So far as the present Fire
Department IS concerned. have long been convinced
Of the necessity Of psd Fire OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES par
ticalarly since the Cities Of Cincinnati Boston, ha'
more and some o,h0rs, have adopted IT, Even p'ioi'
that 1t appeared to that the Fire Department was
becoming very euubels ONE machine ana 'os' u",o'
TO manage not only at fres. where their ''nn'u''''
5r,i.s ool them. but aside from fires. in the great
body polite, az it were, OF the wy Va wv"
York. /, was encouraging and bringing up
very large number Of young men, "Ho. uH'o'
,hev had n very great deal OF for,HuGc anu
ors keen themselves from being led astray' WOMB ne
,erv ant IN DESTROY not Only their physical bni thei
moral health in tie community. feel. IA chi2eh VI
NexYork that the moral health OF that CITY mas nee"
DESTROYED very much by the present system 40 ho'
sneak OF individuals have muny friends IN 'ie ire
Depsrtment and / know OF great many e'tnao'e
men belong TO it, But it is the system hsc"' Nh"
particularly that Of buuking WHEN Prcu"ees
.uoh bad results. I never belonged 10 the
Fire Department but what is called runner WIN
the department for ten years. served mn i've
- bnrtirr Then II was confined 10 but few engine
eompaniss At that time they did not DUNK II sae a.
give houses but lired oif adj SO IS 20 We
aud .aat 81 stem has been growing ever SINCE u'
.-reors to mo general f'nE. The pr1ct of bnnhlng
Is doing mere injury thtr anything enc conneVt WIN
they become careless, rec SIS ana iun NV, od
more or less As our Fire Department is ofea'Hru, :
know it is impossible for us Lead ~, W
foremen OF engines - exercise thai degree vi -;
which thew should hay over the men am wen sa''s
fed from INV own Ypcri"cc and speak nom u' ussa
judgement that paid iiic CeMrtnchi Nouiu W"u nv
20 rerder the neaeo of the civ Of NegIork permanent
and to 90 away with spri 81 rowe! sun ins IA" -
ching else thar could possibly be aGopleo iou nut.
fody Of eco men rcary u hcloi eing to one Organic
60 v;tl e,tendans amount to will say sOJ more,
making l2OOc-tae sttcn ants hi 8 boys I'm
s sow1 never never seen of at6 years any a,emTt
made by ,he respective hre coGp'heo OF NV
York 10 do away with thot class OF rahHeis--I n.'a
the ycurger ones. IT, gore by II as Ner' IRE
thing T. see bows under IS OI u running WIN con- ~"
MES The younger part has brought great Ne,l ol
sgma UPON the foJee IN nie co.rs OUT c W ac
have no doub; tbai should paid Department De sot
stitued in ito place. III less iaD ole year Le " HeLs
rosulting from IT, oIly in less rng the sses .!
Ore but in the peace and quiet OF the city, Souo w9fk
greater wonder than May say the Meiropoh'aA 70
Sepstor Fieds-Has tie efficiency OF theDepartment
Increased since Won were u rUnneli A. no sif II mas
very much deteiioted: ] will Mention gcfR OhCh
seyen wears that since appointed Dephty super
sn,erdent Of Police have Dad many Applications from
different fieren for protection from attack when iheS
expected nom then oppoleAts -,
Senator Eields-Dld you ever bunk A ciG.
Senator FclGs-Does your objection TO bunhing ari,c
nom theoretical or prsctch SnowleGse oil tie SUD
iecti 4. Theoretical and practical hlh. 49, -,
= Senstor Laimte-r handed t. Nj Wilson Cerk OF re
pic Commissioners "a yeis to read. Tie ilet was
Sa,sd nec IA laG4 and vas a letisr from the Chief.
Engineer, oouplaniDg Of disgrleei9 hsht PEI" yen
engine comrades No 10 and No So In which pistols
and knives freely useI. lie night oceuiie! cor
ner Couiilsudt.st ard Broadway and several pcr'.
were shot and taken to the 1Osiital Ar WILSON &C.
tailed the trial Of the coinp'tirs before The IHe
Commissioners and rhe GsbapGing of the cCmp''
MES. the Chef.Engiacer, a. is customary ID
such cases. taking charge OF their hons' an,
apparatus. A newspaper Paragraph was feou
sppaudrg the Commi sioncis for their pF"hk
action; complaints nCre His0 mace ,ganst thc onl
n Eoe n and
roous and GisordeIy conduct on occasion OF an a'ni
of fire Cd utmo; both companies. wilnfse selu, Iae
been dsbanded; also char les preferred by No. 40 m
glue Company against Ne. % lor assault wan III fil
and firearms Both of these comIanrs were dispan'eu
No other punishment was nf cted except disbonu'br
The Clairnau-N " hen tie ConL0pies were dsD mace
were al the individual members dishaHdedf a. NJ
cir only tie foreman Of each one no one bit the fore
man Of each company were Identified rs participating
chat package contains charges Of that character.
John Il Kennedy, Superintendent II Police. called
O. Are you prepared 10 s;te 10 the Con mi'tee your
reasons FOR the passage o. rs OH a. ne tea go
that have been presented ly Mr. Acton ana siI Ndi
penter fully cover the giOrnd Of NY knOwledge; my
opportunities as poice-,ihcer TO observe the en-,
cency of the fire department have rot been vi that kihd
To rive me persona! obseryati,n; have never seen
fgtt among the fremen since VIC been On The police
when say fight. / mean nGi tmcns the fre..'l
themselves; Tut perhaps sLCud not omit light
which indeed, not much 81 hight ss the nghtiu
happened 10 be all On one side-on the lJth OF Jul,
1865 when / was personally attacked by number
OF the members Of Engine Company No ~;
j about proceeding OF the time 10 TIE me
which had Just been kndled. as 1 am led to believe
through the nstrunenlality OF the persons VINO Lad
brought tie ground when there YVES no na1u OF fire
Hose Carriage No. So ana immediately on reachii the
Provost MafshGls Office corner Of Forty s1tl-st. and
Third ave-, dropped their ropes. and Immediately
rushed into the house with loud cry ard in three
minute, tic house Ere. Tie parties. whoever
ehey were who brought the hose cart there uLGonb:ed,
set the house on FIVE. In rci! to question: wines
said mean 10 say that lacy SGT the Provost shoi'
Office OIL FIRE; that's w8at eaa u says The isht wa
pretty much all Oh one sidc. IN lookiIS
over tine returns that sent from the
several o. eencts each day have noticed occesionaly
though have not the data. accOun,s Of NJ MS amor
frener. Superintendent Kennedy offered u pro- nc'
~tnesses from the Police department oil recent nShi'
among fremen. He WOud refer 10 "ction On tue part .
Size Fire Commissioners when was h"LoIabe 10 then
IL the highest degree. \ pohoenen C'sco'eIed "a mr.
man brcssing open iron chost at Il IRE on board
ship--tne chest having been thrown upon the docA
The Police Magistrate would not taSe he charre pG
che Fire Commissioners dismissed tie thief ffOu then
department The Superintendent SAID he nad "tatrse
an regard 20 piifrug OF hics by hrcmeD. IN IegaiC
20 the present system Of the fIrc Department
since the Introduction Of steam the need o. !
large number Of ntn a, fires was dispensed WIZ al
che way a.srge number of D.rn could no" be tmHye
IL connection With steam cng cs was In Grage lS hen
o. the hte, and experience 81 otter Giles SHOWS tha
horse power can be adyantsg cOusy substituted Ia TIL,
ray the humber Of ths force could DE reduced 10 more
fraction Of that how employed. do not wish 10 stand
lere he acclcT oi TIC Ere Department except ~
far as individual acts concerned. Bat the
whole fabric requires modification IL the ulanhCr III
which have suggested Ii needs u reduction Of The
manual force. In Baltimore at one time there VIA
Limit 20 the number Of members II Il TIE con pany.
Several companies had each over 100 members, one,
think had 800 A, the present time the very
machinery which from so 10 800 men operated is now
operated by nine menniue men IN the Place Of several
tundred 10 e0ch machine. BefOle II was q volunteer
systeu the here. with the exec ton hat he
sompancs owned tie app rl,Gs. &C. IL was pre- uned
because each FIRE copn, had an act VI Incorporation
and owned real estate &c, that II would be difficult 20
rake change. Bat tie change was made not.
Sithstandiag. In regard ~ New-York 10 snch