Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-10-24
New York Fire Department.

The aggregate strength of the New
York Fire Department is 705 men, 40
steam engines with tenders, Is hook
and ladder trucks, and four chemical
engines, with tenders. The force Is di-
vided into ten battalions, each in charge
of shief. Thirty-three engine COM
panies, located in the section of the
city situated below the southerly line
of Central Park, have each a foreman,
an assistant foreman, an engineer and
assistant engineer of steamer, and eight
fireman; and twelve hook and ladder
companies, located within the same
limit, have each foreman, an assistant
foreman, and ten fremen, total of 12
men to a company. In the section
north of Fifty-ninth street, and south
Of Harlem river, five engine companies
and fou1 hook and ladders companies
are located. These companies are Or
ganized in the same manner as those
located in the more thickly settled por-
tion of the city, except having a com
plement of ten instead of twelve men.
For the protection OF the suburbs, COM
prised in the lately annexed section of
Westchester county, there are two
steamers, each manned by an assistant
foreman, one engineer of steamer, two
firemen and eight horsemen; four
chemical engines, with an assistant
foreman, two firomen and five horsemen
to each, and two hook and ladder com
panies, each manned by an assistant
foreman, two fremen and nine ladder
men. Horsemen" and laddermen," ("
or II" Buffaloes," do duty with the privi-
lege of attending to their regular avoca-
tions at points convenient to the house
of their respective companies.
The various companies are called to
fire by the use of a telegraph system,
using 730 miles of wire on 4, 400 poles;
565 m-boxes, numbered and equip
ped with Morse instruments, are sta
toned throughout the city, from which
an alarm can be instantaneously trans
mitted to headquarters from whence it
is "sent OUT over gong circuit con-
Meeting with the quarters of each COM
pany. Upon an alarm being re-
ceived, the well-trained horses trot to
their places, and impatiently wait for
the word to go. Within twenty Sec
onds after the alarm is received five
steam engines, followed by tenders
equipped with fifteen lengths of hose,
and three hook and ladder companies,
are moving rapidly to the fire, and
within four minutes the companies
are at work, with hose stretched in and
ladders up, ready tn pour waiter on the
flames at the rate Of four hundred gal
ions q minute.
Upon second alarm being sounded,
three more steamers and two hook and
ladder companies respond and if ad-
ditional assistance is needed, especial
calls" are made for companies located
at distance from the fire. Care is
always taken to have every section
covered.
The assistant foremen are, by virtue
of their rank, members of corps of
sappers and miners, organized by act
of the Legislature, for the purpose of
| throwing down dangerous walls, or
blowing up houses, in cases of urgent
necessity.
When steamer dashes through
Broadway, the "runner" keeps about
one block ahead of the engine, to clear
passage. The Broadway squad of
police also aid in this, one officer clear
ing the street of vehicles to the extent
of his beat, when the next one starts
off.
An idea of the value of property pro-
tected by the New York Fire Depart
ment may be had, when it is known that
more than ninety thousand buildings,
covering forty-two square miles of
ground, besides several hundred sea-
going vessels of all sizes, are within the
limits of New York city.