The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-21
Electricity Suggested as
a Remedy.

a Remedy.
The new departure taken by the recently in.
stalled Fire Commissioners, in ordering the discon-
tinuance OF the ringing OF the fire bells located in
the towers to indicate the location OF the fire. has
created much comment in insurance circles and
great deal OF feeling among the fremen. 1t has
been claimed for tho Commissioners that their &C
ton was prompted by economy, and that since the
establishment OF the fre telegraph and alarm
boxes there is no longer any necessity for ringing
the bells either day or night. The Commissioners
have no doubt well considered the measure before
taking such action, and, perhaps, will not
cede from 1t; but they meet with much opposi- ion
from insurance interests and the public.
reporter yesterday called upon President Per-
ley to converse with him on the subject. He was
the only Commissioner on duty, and in answer to
the question
"Why have you taken this action ? Is it on the
ground OF economy ?" responded
"NO, not alone on economy. We believe the
ringing OF the bells Is entirely useless"
"How many bell ringers Will be relievedY"
'Thirty-fOur We found some men merely held
sinecure positions and cut them on. These bell
ringers get ST. 600 per year. so the saving is $4,000
That Is not the chief reason for our action. We
have found that when the locations are sounded on
There is a class who make 1t business to attend
fires to steal. You viii remember that last Winter
nearly all the serious fires occurred on the west
side between Twenty third and Fity-ni streets,
under the sound of the Thirty-third street bell
tower ~
'Yes.D
'Well, all the alarms were given from the boxes;
the men in the tower could not see the fires until
they broke out through the buildings. The fire
was given by the boxes three or four minutes be.
fore they were seen from the towers. The Fifty
first street bell tower blew down and there has
not been any bell rung north of Twenty-nfth street,
south OF 125th street and east of Ninth avenue
since that time, and there have not been any
serious fires within the boundaries. When fires
occurred in the neighborhood the Nineteenth
street gang turned out and robbed the poor ten
ants Unfortunately. On one occasion the crowd
was SO bad that we had to turn the wister on them
to drive them back. The ringing OF the bells kol-
lects mobs that seriously impede the working OF
the tiremen. For two years there has been no
bell down town south of Marion street, yet we
have not had large f1res."
.What percentage of decrease has there been
in The crowd since you quit ringing the bellss"
"Ihey have decreased July one-halE Down Town
now we rarely have anybody but the fremen and
the police"
"Does not the non-ringing of the bells prevent
fIemen at their meals from being promptly on
hand r.
'The rules compel the captain of every company
TO keep sufficient force always in the engine
houses NO time will the captain of q company be
short Of men. We assign men to duty IN the dis
trct where they liye."
.What do the Underwriters say OF the change ?"
''Mr. Hobe, OF the Continental; Mr. Norward, OF
the Lorlllard, and others approve OF our course.
The only ones who oppose 1t seem to be the survey
of the companies, VINO are old 1remen, and like
to turn out about the Marion street tower and COL
bells are rnng to rob the premises They often get
there before the fremen and police, and clean out
the places II was SO at Wizards restaurant fire,
and they tried it at the Sinclair House fire. but the
proprietor stopped it,"
President Perley further stated that there was
no expense attending the bell towers now as
they are under the charge OF the captains. From
the interview 1t is certain that the Commissioners
are determined that the bells shall not be sounded.
The reporter conversed with many of the police.
and they seem to take no interest in the dispute
they learn the location OF the fire from the police
telegraph in the station houses The firemen. how.
ever, very indignant at the innovation, and de-
clare that the efficiency Of the department is seri
Ousy Affected; that they are liable to have an
alarm sounded when they are at their meals, and
only learn OF 1t after II is too late to go to the fire
their meals and hurry to the scene OF danger. The
reporter had an interview with captain and one OF
remarki1g, eve dare not say anything" when
assured that their names would not be mentioned
ut is a serious annoyance to the men. We are
now on oar way TO dinner; fire may occur and we
Will not know OF IT till our hour and three quarters
pany. If one is sick, another on a leave, third
attending funeral and two or three absent at
wo n oS Ron yeu'ed 70 six
"That was the case at the Sullivan street pie
bakery fire." said the other; lone company only
had six men present and could not work. Three
were at their meals the Captain In hospital
one on absence and one detailed in the tower
watching bells that don't ring"
''Do you find that there are smaller crowds than
formerly at fires 7 MIR. Perey says there are"
"oh, that is all hnmbug. The crowd can follow the
'.He says that the thieves are kept away and
there is less robbery"
THAT'S all in my eye and Betty Martini" said the
fireman. "The police are always there to prevent
robbery, and II men go to steal they stay near
find the place tell you it is ali political lob by
the commissioners. Since they have discharged
the 81 900 bell ringers they detail one 1900 ire
man from the company TO stay in the bell tower.
What's the use OF this when they don't ring the
bells2 Is 1t economy to stop ringing the bells at
nremen over forty thousand per year to watch
bells that will not take wings and ny away while
they hang voceless In musty towerss Besides
each company is one man short in consequence,
and perhaps 100000 may be lost because OF the |
absence OF one man to make up sufficient force
TO hoist the ladders promptly
~ tell youn remarked the Captain cit is great
mistake. 1t was shown at the sullivan street fire.
Then, the owners OF buildings cannot get to the
fires, and property is lost because OF the Ignorance
OF the insurance patrol OF the location OF perish
able goods. II the attaches hear the bells they will
be about nearly as soon the Insurance Patrol
and can at once point out the goods that need
covering first to save them from the waterr
Among the Insurance Patrol the same arguments
were advanced in favor OF ringing the bells. They
say that, like the ircmen, they may m IS a fire
while at their meals, and their salaries viii not
permit them to take three meals day close by
the engine houses, where they can learn OF the ex-
istence OF a fire. The reporter conversed with
number of members OF the Board OF Fire Under
writer's, nearly all OF whom are in favor OF ringing
the bells, but they report that they Will not likely
take any action on account Of the fact that the
Commissioners usually disregard all their sug-
gestons The matter however, is before com.
mittee. II seems pretty clear that the advanag
OF ringing the bells exceed the disadvantages ac
cruing-not even excepting the question Of rob-
berry.
The following letter suggests a remedy that has
worked well In Boston, viz-the ringing OF the
bells by means OF electricity This entails no cx-
pense for men in the towers. The following is the
letter.