New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-10

ing which took place after that, tacitly con
sented to the proposition. 1t was propo
sition, ~ they understood it, to cover con
tingency which might arise. but there wal
no direct proposition for the creation of 9
paid fire department.
The proposition for the creation of q paid
fire department and the destruction of the
present department had not been made
when the Board of Underwriters tacitly
consented to the proposal of Mayor Elan.
| ders, and passed a resolution submitting il
| to the finance committees Of the respective
| boards Of directors of the insurance com.
| panies here, to be submitted to Mr.. Adams,
| the president of the board, at three O'Clock
the following day.
After the adjournment of the Board of
Underwriters, and as soon as they COM
menced to think over it, the matter pre-
sented itself in different light from that
in which they first understood it; and Mr..
Adams called another meeting Of the board.
When they assembled again, the following
day, they unanimously rescinded the reso-
luton by which they had given their tacit
consent to advance this money.
In the interviews which have had with
the gentlemen at the City Hail. have had a
number of them, and am on friendly terms
with all of them, and having been at the
head Of this organization, have cheerfully
co-Operated with them in every way-they
have indicated to Inc that the Board Under
writer's favored this movement for paid
fire department.
In the interview which had yesterday
with Mayor Flanders, Mr.. Remick and Mr..
Walton, when, from the information had,
l charged directly the whole idea of this
paid fire department and its origin to them,
Mr.. Remick replied: "You do US injustice;
assure you it is not the case. This idea of
q paid fire department originated with the
Board OF Underwriters" said: II can
only judge from what leading members Of
the Board of Underwriters have said to me
within the last forty eight hours; when one
of them said he would prefer that this sr-
ganization should have $500,OO0 q year
rather than that this organization should
be disturbed; another member, and the
president of the board himself, said he
would rather see it paid S25O,OOO year
than see a paid fire department created
in its place. And certainly, when hear
these emphatic declarations, must believe
that they are opposed to this scheme; and
as q confirmation of what l say, the Board
of Underwriters will meet to-day and pass
resolutions on the subject" l suppose you
have seen these resolu ions; they have been
published.
Governor Warmoth: There can be NO
doubt as to their position now.
Mr.. Marks: Therefore, it the city Admin
istratOrs are, or since they are desirous Of
making this change because they reflected
or supposed they reflected the wishes Of the
Board Of Underwriters, they are now unde-
ceived upon that point As told them
Yesterday, they were not only not rejecting
hut. as far as know, the people Of New
Orleans, and l have mixed good deal
with them. They did not reflect the opinions
of any portion Of the people. / believed
that nineteen-twentieths OF the people Of
New Orleans were in favor of a continuation
of this organization: and eaid l: "Gentle-
men, if you desire to have this fact demon
strated to you, we can do that in three or
four days; believe we can have public as
and believe the people will come almost
in mass to these meetings, and indOrse the
While we have been strug-
Cling to obtain continuation of this
contract, because we believe we are best
serving the interests Of the people of New
Orleans by 40 doing. want you to under
stand, and l want every citizen to under
stand, as far as my own position is con-
cerned, as an humble member Of this or
ganizatiOn. that if l believed that the labor
which l have bestowed upon this associ-
alton was simply to serve that body Of men |
with whom have been assOciated-and the |
association has certainly been most pleas |
urable one to me-but if thought was
there simply for the purpose of serving this
organization alone, ii had no higher mo
tive, would cease to have any connection |
with it at all. / conceived it my duty, it |
appeared to me almost as if it were demon |
trated, that l should be the instrument for |
many years to do this, that it was my duty |
TO aid this association, and to keep it to- |
gether. l am struggling for that and be- |
(ieve am performing the best duty l can |
when l struggle for the continuance |
Of this organization. believe that any |
of this organization would |
be a public calamity. And l told them: |
If you have any difficulty as to any point
of the contract. we will meet you and COM
promise" And the suggestions that you
see in the resolutions Of the Board of Tn.
ierwriters are the suggestions made last
week, that l made to Mayor Flanders last
week, that each party interested should ap-
1Oint committee, and that they should
get together and endeavOr to adjust the
natter satisfactorily to all parties con-
,erned. We do not intend, wien We come
o legislate finally upon this matter. to
ldhere to everything set forth in the ordi-
lance. We believe we have asked nothing
'ut what is equitable; but if to serve this
organization 1t becomes necessary, this Or
.anizatiOn is ready to make sacrifices and
lepend upon the people Of New Orleans to
make up their losses. We have made great
acrifices during the past ten years. Dur
ng the war, when materials were double
nd triple what they were before or since.
re had contract prior to the war at
year, and we continued to faith
nlly perform our duties under the contract,
uying material at exOrbitant prices, and
re- faithfully executed our contract to the
nd.
So we'll did we perform our duty in the
Summation OF the military powers, that on
ne occasion when there was a large fire,
nd we saved a government warehouse in
'hlch there was stored millions OF dollars
'orth of property, Major General Banks
'as so well pleased that he sent to the
ssOclatlOn check for thousand dollars.
ct at that time, sir, it was while the war
'as going on, and when this organization
as pronounced almost a rebel organiza-
on; yet in the face of that we performed
ur duty faithfully. SO much SO that we had
le recognition Of it from the military
)m mander.
We made. therefore. in that five years
40 IN the past tive years great pecuniary ,
:ganization; aud again so faithfully
u we execute this last contract, that in ,
le visit which l paid to the Mayor last
urth OF March, when at the head of the
remen's procession as grand marshal, and
y aids, in answer to the remarks ad-
'essed him at that time, the Mayor said, :
'eaking in terms Of the highest commen- ;
stion: Il must say you are the only con- !
actors who have performed their duties )
lthfully-performed them accurately" q
We his very words, for had occasion to e
mind him Of that remark recently. and =
. admitted to me that he had made it. =
We claim that we occupy high ground, = =
I'd we desire the aid Of every good citizen 8
preserve this organization. We believe :