New-York tribune., 1874-08-25
FIRE DEPARTMENT PRUDENCE.

SWEEPING RECOMMENDATIONS NOT JUSTIFIED BY A
SINGLE ACCIDENT CAR TRACKS DANGEROUS
WHEN THERE is A FIRE.
John O'Neill, fireman belonging to Hook
and Ladder Truck No. A. while running in front OF tho
truck to pedestrians Aug 16, trpped and fell
at Eighth-ave. and Fifty-seventh-st and Of the
wheels OF the truck passed his body incting in
jurles from the effects of which he died. An Inquest
held Friday last, concerning the manner OF his
death. The jury rendered verdict exOnerating the
Of the truck and recommending that the rules OF
the Fire Commissioners requiring the foremen Of the
engine and truck companies to send man on foot
ahead of the apparatus for the purpose Of warning
people Of it's approach be rescnded, and man on
horseback substituted IL probable that the Fire
Commissioners will not heed the recommendation OF the
Jury on account of the expense which would involve,
and which they do consider necessary inasmuch as
such An accident as befeil O'Ne Is almost unprece-
debted Chief Engineer Bates sald yesterday, that In
his memory it the first time In the history OF the
Department when fireman who was warning people OF
the coming of had been run over ONeil. he
had been informed, had only just leaped of the truck.
and had only got few feet in advance Of the horses
when his apparently caught in crevce OF the rail-
road track, and falling directly before the front
wheels OF the truck was run over. The driver
of the truck had such control OF 1t that
he stopped it in time to prevent the rear wheels
from passing O'Neills body An accident OF this
nature was apt happen to the fireman Of
greater number Of the latter. who can relieve one
another in the task of running In advance of the appa
ratu The OF both the engines and the trucks
always changed the runners three or four times on the
way TO fire. precautlon against the mems getting
exhausted and not keeping far enough In advance OF
the horses The warning cries OF the runners especially
at the street crossings undoubtedly the lives
of many persons In the southern section OF the city,
their services were Indispensable In WINTER II at any
time the plan OF having men ON horseback 10 give the
warning would be useful At that season Of the year
the were compelled to wear long overcOats, ana
this with the accompanying belt ana wrench rende red
1t an exhausng work to run very far III 'front.' OF the
engine. -, -,
OF faccidents members OF the Fire Department woad
In his opinion be far less In future owing to the i'm.
proveents in the city streets now in progress One OF
the main causes of accidents was the railroad track
The and roadbed of most of the companies were IN
bad condition.; and furthermore at many points In the
city where several tracks crossed one another there
se sg ene ssaa I'D S5 M b e aE
the sake OF saving the expense OF swlchman. Al
of great danger toivehcles and the Fire Depart
meD "a cart or an engine coming In contact with them
at q certain angle being upset almost instantaneously
Within tue past year. however several OF the chief ra
road companies had begun using the steel rail, and
track offered very little resistance to the wheels OF the
engines and reduced the chance OF the apparatus being
complete their work of putting in the new rails and
shaking the tracks. the members OF the Fire Depart
of changing the rails. lie was pleased to see
was being pushed forward rapidly on second Third and
companies would follow the example.
The Fire Commissioners hoped IN n few years TO be
able dispense with the present necessity Tor using
horses TO drag engines In this hope they sought
out and tired every sefpropcling engine which
by year was invented The Department had used
steam propeller made by the Amoskeag Co.. for two
years past mad been found TO be quite useful, but
not OF sufficient excellence 10 sipersede the engine
dragged by horses. In the Winter time especially,
whenever there snow on the ground, the engine
was found DO less efficient, Ii not having sufficient
power to drive the wheels through the snow drifts
Even the Summer time the machine could not be de-
clared good those at present used inasmnch as
II could not made 10 turn corners with sufficient ease
and rapidity The Amoskeag Co. recently TOOK OUT
patent for setprOpeling engine, however, and
claimed that II far superior 10 the one first manu-
factuted. The Fire Commission az ordered four
OF these new engines. One OF these new engines was
received week ago and has since been stationed at
Burllngsp Ii differs materially Ia uctiOn from
the first one and resembles locomotive. long trial
OF the new engines will OF be necessary before
any opinion can be formed In regard 70 their merits
COMMIsS IONER DAVENPORTs ALLEGED OF
FENsE5.
Col. G. w. Wingate, the counsel who made
the complaint against United States Commissioner John
l. Davenport, charging him with violating the Election
,auus and authority I'm