Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-02
The Firc Co,nmissloners.

AT the meeting Of the City COans;i on
Thursday night next, Board OF. Fire Com
IhiSsieners will be elected. whose duty will
he to re-oTganize the Fire Depsr1mient i'm
itediately afler being indicted into Office:
II is an Important trust, and the createst
caution should be observed in the selett,,si
Of these Commissioners: ret GOOD men he
chosen, men OF Known integtitS, rrrldeuee
firnnesS, andposseSsing the requisite kn-wl-
edge of their duties, and the men of the de-
paTtinent will az all tiuieS be a credit to ne
places they ill. and can be relied anon
when their services are demanded. we
have at this time an excellent Fire De-
partment, aud we hope 20 see il kept up to
its present standard. In perIising Z late
number of the Baltimore UndeTlcritey. we
were forcibly struck with the following pa
ragraplS on Fires in American Cities
and originally contributed TO the Inferno
tORai Rerie,r, by Rev. DIR. Peabody. Of
Cambridge. In the course Of his article
that gentleman SAYS:
Yet while We would attach the highest
Importance to these private measures Of
protection and defense, the ultimate de-
pendence must be OF the municipal fire.
department, and with referenceto this there
are two Or three points that need to be
urged as Of essential moment. In large
city, the head Of the department should be
such man as only by the raeSt OF chances
could obtain or would accept the Office at
the hands OF a City Council. by an annual
election. He should be such Z titan As
would be eligible for those few highest
trusts which demand in e-iual and generous
measure science, skill, tact, prudence, ener-
y and integrity-sucl a man as
might be entrusted with the command
Of an army, or the construction of
a new bureau of national administra-
ion. lie should have, we will not say as
high compensation as many insurance
agents get for multiplying fires, but three
or four times what any of them can fairly
earn--a salary adequate 10 procure tie ser
vices of the best talent in The land. and go
large that the incumbent could not resiyIi
his Office for one more lucrative lie
should be not elected, but appointed by
the Governor OF the State. and by him ONLY
with the approval Of the State Board of
Public Works, if there be one. or whatever
board might be most fit for consultation
in such a matter. He should be removable
only foT proved malfeasance or
lncoInpCtency, with perhaps limit Of ace.
capacity, and with a corresponding large
salary, who should take the place Of the
chief during any temporary absence or ina
bilijy, at other times serving under him.
and who should be. hy viz ne Of his ap-
pOintment, the successor Of his chief On tbs
death, resignation. or removal Of the latter,
so that the Office might never for 4 single |
day be vacant, or be filled by a novice. The |
chief, thus qualified and appointed, should |
have the supervision Of the entire Depart |
ment, the power Of removing any CT its |
members for sUfiiciaus cause. absolute |
command, for the time being, |
within the premises endangered !
by fire, Or to be occupied, used, or cleared |
for the purpose Of auoSting i, and even |
the right, in tie stress of need, OF cOnlis- |
eating property for the public slfety-uot, !
OF course, without accOUntability-but |
for alleged official misconduct OF I
OF law. 90 no lover tribunal than !
the highest Of the STATE Courts. In fEe. !
there Is IN the management Of a FIRE de- /
partment in action fHllyas urgent a neces-
sity for uudiSpUtcd authority and implicit 1
obedience As there is in an aiTnyOn the bat
tledeid; and whatever weakness or division /
Of cOunselS may result fnum tire ignoring of
this necessity, may be no less fatal in the
one case than in tie other.
In a large city, the members Of the fire
department should De picked men,-intel-
-igent, strong. active, sober. They should
be paid for their whole time, at rate
which should put their profession on the
same footing with the better paid descTip-
ions Of manual and mechanical labor. The
eStjye element should be entirely elimiul-
ell; the occasions for il abolished; the eui-
llOyment of the fire apparatus for parade
IN Sdia-days, and its transportation 10 9th
T cities. prohibited. The iiremcn ShOUli.
indeed have tire same opportunities for rest
lnd relaxation with other men Of their con-
liti3n in life. bu; nU; collectively or oilici-
lily. rs single members could from time |
0 time DE- scared. or were able
o furnish acceptable substitutes. they
night be allowed any reasonable liberty.
5U!, unless on leave oi absence, they I
hOuld be- held TO constant readiness for I
ny alarm in their respective districts. !
They should bc thoroughly instructed and /
rilied in their several functions, and train
d, not only IN the management Of their
n@iles. bat In the entire range Of Te-
oUTceS 10y which skill and experience can
fen SuperSedc, and always supplement | ,
he use Of the larger engines. They might /
$50. very filtiHCly. be employed i'm the in
arvalS of sevarrr duty, rs inspectors Of
Gildings and fixtures In their relations to
r.. or Is a iire-police for the suppression of &
practices. employmeutS and
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