New-York tribune., 1871-06-14
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FIRE DE-
PARTMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW-lORK.

| FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FIRE DE-
PARTMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK.
HEADQUARTERS FIRE DEPARTMENT, CITY OPT
Ew-YORR, OFFICE BOARD of CoMMIssIoSHRs,l
| NEw-YoRK, May 1, 1871 J
| Hon. A. OAKEY HAIL, Mayor City Of Ne,c York
SIR: Herewith | respectfully transmit the
report of this Board with the accompanying documents
for the year ending April IL, 1871 Very truly yours,
WILLIAM HTTCHMAN, President.
REPORT
To he Hon. A. OAKEY HALL Mayor Of the city Of Gesc
York:
In compliance with the request contained in your cir
cular OF recent date the Board OF Fire Commissioners
have the honor to submit the following report OF the
operations Of the Department for the year ending tho
lltb instant.
The undersigned Commissioners entered upon the per
of their duties in compliance with their letters
of appointment, on April IL, 1870
Upon assuming the duties which had been previously
administered by the Board Of Metropolitan Fire Com
missOners 1t was with the full intention and determine
ton as representatives Of the municipal authorities to
give to the citizens thorough and complete organ
cation for the extngushmen Of fires and the preserya
ton Of life and property the most critical could desire
They found the Department in the main had been
fairly conducted making due allowance for the prejudice
with which the people had always regarded State Com
missiOns The Capitalization Of power, and RESPONSE
bity for the performance OF duty to head remote from
the spbere of action produced evident axty in the
performance of the duties necessary to complete ana
A the good and desirable features OF the former sys
TEN have been preserved while in the opinion Of this
Board many others have been INTRODUCED which nave
The public property held by our predecessors was
promptly placed in our possession and no Inconvenience
or DELAY occasODed III the transfer or the control OF
They found that the idea of system Of paid employ
mpnt in the extngushmcnt OF fires was To some extent
sti regarded experiment II seeming TO lack those
essential features Of permanence and stability which
were regarded Indispensable to render the system
more thoroughly complete and effective.
The first and OF the most important considerations,
was the necessity closer and more intimate acquant
with all the persons connected with the Depart
ment with view 10 establish that thorough and hearty
where strict discipline promptness ana hdety In the
performance of dangerous and excing duties form the
The swagger,ug gait and loose habits of the neg
lgence OF personal appearance ana other iauts whlch
and unqualified condemnation Of the Board The mem
beers of the have been instructed to feel the rcspon
ability which attaches To their position and the I'M
portance Of the enforcement OF the most gd system OF
discipline Promotions and the recognition OF merlto
rous acts have always been made with promtness. and
with the Misunderstanding that the elevation TO higher
position mainly due to their acts thus arordg the
best incentives TO efficiency ana g9od c9hdet c,, ,o.
system OF patrol has been perfected whereby por
ton OF the force are kept on duty night ana uhy-raN
ersng the streets with view to the early discovery OF
fires which might otherwise pass unnotlced untll they
had assumed greater proportions thereby prevent
ing the destruction OF large amount OF property ana
frequently the loss OF life. The minds OF the men are
thus kept constantly employed, their time becomes fuly
occupied and habits Of value and usefulness are enn'
dered which would otherwise be unobtanabe Ihe ne
cessity labor becomes very apparent when
it sborne In mind that the men OF the Department are IL
able 10 called upon nj any moment 70 discharge duties
which tax their physical powers 10 tue utmost Inc
Commssioners take pride In the belief that the pesonne
O this Department j. not surpassed by mat "i any slm
lar organization ia the world
TO sustain system which they have considered essen
tia has not been without dsagreeabe duties 10 the
Commissioner. ana many violations of thr rues OF the
Drp1rtmcn, have been fhry bat rgdly nycstigated
by The Whole BOIrd sitting AS Committee On Discipline
at 10 weekly ss,l. 0p charges iotmaii preseuted w