The New York herald., 1867-02-20

| OF Fire Commissioners.
| rEIHaRAPH SIGNAL BoxEs.
The operation OF extingulshing fires cannot be 100
noiselessy performed The claDior license and riotous
proceedings the old system created an unhealthy ex
oteren and not unireqnenty led 10 tncendiarsm The
retention Of the practice OF ringing alarm bells Is obec
tionaole II was necessary during the existence Of the
volunteer Organization but Is now moro or an incuin
brance than utility for upon reception OF alarm
Ire ss,on the message Is immeda.ey telegraphed
district is struck give notice to the iremen or
police but 20 the public that could we'll sord to spare
tne COS. o. ne annoyance which indeed only serves TO
direct thieves 70 promising field for their operations
TIE FiRE MARSHAL.
Tne anomalous position and proceedings OF the Fire
Marshal In this city ore not cTedtebe to our muncipal
government He is engaged by portion OF the local
Insurance companies, and collects certain sum yearly
for his servicea He Is destitute OF legal authority or
power and encumbers, II he does not somclImes nre
clude the action Of the police in investigation aud
detection OF and incendiarIsm.
The judicial provisions Of the ninth section OF the In
surance act April Is 1857 authorizing and recurring tho
General Superntend n Of the Newyork Police mako an
investigation into the origin OF every 1e occurring IN
tho city, am informed, s not only unconstitutional
but at variance with the provisions Of the law of 1857
circumstances the Legislature at present In session.
should Immediately provide for the appointment OF an
should be Gentleman possessed of legal sttanmen.s
thoroughly acquainted with the law or fevidcnce and
powered TO compel the attendance of Witnesses to take
testimony aud prosecute offenders The captains OF the
police could In their respective Districts efficiently
operate with legal Fire Marshal Of this description, by
detailing officers to Investigate under his instructions
supervision every case promptly, before any existing
clue TO its origin was lost or removed The knowledge
OF tho fact that tho police were employed under able
direction 10 ASCERTAIN tho cause OF every re would deter
many whether acuated by malicious or mercenary mo.
tives from the commission OF ncendarism, and tend
greatly 10 suppress this crme which has Of late pre-
vailed unchecked TO an alarming extent -
Tho present Fire Marshsl, whose knowledge Of the
rgin OF fires is the fruit OF many years experience,
WILL In tho event OF tho appointment Of another TO Nil
his once. doubtless be retained BY his present employ
Preventive Inspector, In which function his
services would prove Of nestmabe value TO the insur
ancc interest Of New York fhe reckless manner in
chnndse OF mmanse value are stored together the pra
ie OF smoking cotton stores and other prolific causes
Of confasraon that might be enumerated, suggest the
nature and importance Of the duties he would be ex-
pccted TO fuhl.
FIRE LADDYRs
The increasing Of iron In buildings for supporting
beams and pillars renders change moro than over
necessary In the present defective ladder system lad
der combining the utility OF escape and ladder
which would enable the nremep TO approach tho of
the nre without depending on the walls for support TO
oul the Gre by tho force Of the water and by
a scientific and skilful application Of the element
IS sSe ersa. aesaeraum Gas Of the Fire Depart.
mcnt--one that might and should bc supplied for
ls, = Be RENE assrsa sna. gallon Of water jadcoasly
ladders should be constructed l2ht for rapid transpora
tion and admit Of bcing worked elevated In moment
by couple OF men, yet OF Sufficient length TO reach
the upper stories or buildings The TIRE escapes used In
London. constructed chiefly with the view Of saving life,
escape adapted 10 peculiar and simple and ef
fective IN us application could DO had IL sufficient in
ducement6 Oucfcu inventors make
working machines instead OF models Successful con.
trivances OF this kind quito easily devised as thou
sand machines devoted 10 other purposes long ago In full
operation, would effect considerable saving In the
ganzation OF ladder companies and materially losson
the destruction Of property by water ~ well as by nre
., every connasration
without diccnt and careful training and srict disci
plins II is impossible that fire department aain.a
OF the enemy could ~ wcl afford TO dispense
nh rtf tsfa tn ho DR. al In rtfdu
tart military movements, and should frequently be
exsed in manGuvres anticipatory OF the various con-
doe without interfering with the discharge of the regu
lar dues OF tho mcn and facility certainty apd skill
the moat systematic and prompt exugushment OF res
Property worth millions or dollars has been lost for the
want o. coonss rapidly and nsSsn' CO Operation n, :,
In the minds and control tho actions Of others as the
element Of destruction appears 70 be sweeping all before
II, the stearess caution. feariesness aud effective &C.
lerity OF well organized oorps OF thorough remen tr
umph difficulties winch would be insuperabie 10 any
force. however grsat, wanting In experience and CON-
COR - NsrRucrioxs
guidance Of The force should DO issued BY the comis.
sioners II should contain alphabetical list Of the
OF the city, giving the location OF tho hydrants,
the size OF the mains and tho degree cf pressure OF tho
Csc and lucid exposition OF the ns principles OF the
om .Ss grave sors hey commit tho arsmen arg q
prsssni entirely ignorant Ths dsciency on ther part
so sss been be sSS sSs o. q
sdduccd estsbshus this smsntsbIe fSc bat viii mis
Al Ore which recently occurred In Fulton street the
nremen, unacquainied'with the phenomenon that col
air. which fans the flames and spreads ihe Are omitted
while playing on the 'front.' 20 protect tho rear OF the
premises In consequence Of the neglect o. this essential
were burned down. This gross oversight appears the
moro surprising when Il IL known that no rule Is
the following ."Take Of the rear; the front will
take OF ITSELF" Tho second 70 which shall
derIng on the promises No ~ vessy street. occupied ~
obacconists store, and smoke Was observed OCCASION
ally issuing from the window frames. when Tho engineer
door, long before an ongne reached The spot The
external atmosphere being thus at once admitted 70 the
and the promises on Gre and hoss adjoining wholly
consumed Had this engineer been sufficiently drilled
and JustYucted In his duties he would have waited I'LL
the Gva Of the engines or have broken into the next
house. asccnded to the roof and have endeavored by
hosn! Y hs chimney leading n, & 70
"soS ssss a SSS % dollars q properly which
vislant lookout should BE- employed In observing the
condition Of the roofs spdengered by the lying emoers
measure % thai tho Roman Catholic csshedra Was ! fsx
months ago laid IN ashea
murrISG on vRR
Tho police force should be instructed 70 proceed at
the discovery Of are 70 exclude the external
air from by keeping all tho shutters and doors loading
water on ths flames. A. every police station short
length Of wro rope IN links, like surveyors chain.
with spring hooks q each end should be kept 10 form
barricade across streets and prevent The crowd Of
spectators from impeding the operations Of the rsmen
Two mon With these ropes can render more service
than twenty pursuing the present method. Every
police station should also contain canvas jumping sheets
made specially for the Purposs o. rcscuns persons from
library and reading should be sslablished at
every dre station, for thspromotion Of the mental I'M
provemsnt and elevation Of the men composing the de-
parsmens Many phlAnthropic citissns, who take an
interest The moral welfare or the n would cheer
fully contribute 70 the accomplishment Of sxcsilsnt
an object
CoNC1UMoS .
While anything TO be done calculated 10 lee
the frequency and extent Of nrsa there 10
for naction. How much good might be oected In shs
direction the primitive appliances and Inadequate ap.
paratus the imperfect discipns end crude and eroae-
methods Of the Fire Depsrtm eut sufficiently demon
strae In this respect there 10 indeed Wide neid for
improvement and 70 decline 70 cultivate u By every
that experience art and science afford appears
sacrnce Of life annually occasionsd By hra 70 b not