New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-31

1
| of the fremen to the Babcock machines, We
give place to the following explanatory
statement made by Mr.. l. N. Marks, presi.
dent of the Firemens Charitable Associa-
ton: -
A Misrepresentation of the facts (by por-
ton of the people, as to the causes of the
difficulty which has been forced upon this
association by the unwise and unnecessary
course pursued by the board of undaI-
writer's, renders it proper that we should
present to our fellow-ciizens clear state
ment of the case.
The necessity of this public exposition is
also imperatively demanded from us as a
| measure Of self. defense, because mischievous
and interested parties are using this unpro-
vOked difficulty as pretext for the purpose
of covering up their Interior designs upon
the fire department OF New Orleans.
The question of the merits, or the eff
cheney of the Babcock eXtinguisher, had
very little to do with the real Vaccinations
of those who are again conspiring against
the fire department. The facts which
follow in this statement will prove that
there was but little opposition in the de.
partment to the use of the Babcock extin.
guisher. That at the moment the board Of
| underwriters. endeavored to dictate to the
department, taking advantage of its tinan.
i OidA OiouAO oSJ1 SAo RssoSu5oO u . AOSoAuIioA,
pledgipg itself to a certain line of policy,
| the email extinGuishers were being used in
| the department., and had been used for a
period of nearly four years, and the large
extinguisher for about ten months.
In the month Of January, 1874, the board
of underwriters made request of the asso
citation that the fire department be permit
| ted to test the efficiency or usefulness of
tho large Babcock extinguisher, in order
that the said board might determine, from
the character of the report, whether it
| would purchase the one then in the city, as
| an auxiliary to the fire department. and to
| be worked under its supervision and by its
| authority.
AT meeting of the board of delegates,
| held February 2, 1874, thu president of the
| association was directed to inform the board
| of underwriters that their request was
granted. The board of foremen were in
structed to make the necessary arrange
| Eents to test the apparatus.
The resolutions passed the board by
vote of tifty-twO to ten.
This action was transmitted to the board
| of under writer's.
The board of fOremen Immediately as
sembled and arranged for the test. The
engine was to be tried by each company, in
numerical order, taking it to two fires This
plan was faithfully carried out and had
been nearly completed when the present
trouble arose.
At regular quarterly meeting of the
board of delegates. held October IL, 1874,
Mr.. A. kalinski, q delegate. submitted q
written application to the board asking per-
| mission to run one or more Babcock extin-
guishers large Ones), all of the expenses to
be paid by the board of underwriters, the
! men employed by them to be members of
our department and the machines to run
under the control and supervision of the
chief engineer.
He stated that he had made this applica-
ton for and under the authority Of the
board of underwriters.
MIR. James l. Day, a delegate of Louisiana
Hose land as president OF the Sun Mutual
Insurance Company, a member of the board
of underwriters), objected to any action
being taken upon the application, upon the
ground that it was entirely unauthorized,
az the board of under writer's had taken no
official action on the subject matter of said
application.
At his request it was laid over.
At this meeting reports were read from
thirteen foreMen as to their experience in
testing the large Babcock extinguisher,
and with but two exceptions the reports
were favorable as to the serviceable char.
acter Of the engine in the incipiency of a
fire.
TIE secretary was instructed to convey
this information to the board of underwrit-
ers. This was subsequently done. These
facts set forth the exact position OF this
question in the month of October last. The
small extinguisher had been used for nearly
four years without interference or Interrupt
ton. The large one was on its way through
the companies in numerical order. There
was no intention to interfere with either.
In the month OF November last COM
mittee was appointed to petition the board
nx Gov nfv %,
tain the fire department. as, in its crippled
condition, it was impossible to continue
much longer in service.
Upon the application being received. the
board OF underwriters appointed commit
tee to confer with our committee.
The committee had two conferences.
During the second session the question of
adding one or more Babcock engines to the
department was discussed. The committee
of the association Through its chairman,
the president Of the association) assured
the committee Of the board of underwriters
that whenever a formal application was
made .On the terms proposed that there
was no doubt of the passage Of a resolution
carrying out the desires Of the board of
underwriters.
Mr.. James l. Day (who was on the insur-
ance cOmmttee), as delegate in the
Firenens' Charitable Association, confirmed
the assurances of our president. The in
snrance committee appeared to be satisfied
with this assessment, and our committee
reported back to the board of delegates
that in their opinion the loan asked for
would be made.
The insurance committee reported back
to their board the result Of our conference.
That board instructed their secretary to
call on the several companies composing it,
in order to ascertain whether each of them
would subscribe to their respective pro
ratas of the loan of $4,000.
The question of the Babcock extinquisher
was not then raised. And now an unac.
countabie delay of nearly two weeks took
place, without hearing anything from the
board Of underwriters about OurSpplicatlOn
for a loan. The department was suffering
for want of money. The president of the
association, in two interviews with Mr.. Day,
urged upon him to have a special meeting
of the board of underwriters called. for
the purpose Of ascertaining the fate of the
loan.
Finally a special meeting was called, and
the result of it, as officially conveyed to US
was the passage of the following resolution:
"Resolced, That when the action of the fire
department shall have been had on the run
board will take action on the proposition to
effect loan to the fire department"
The above resolution was read to q spe-
cial meeting of the board of delegates, held
December q, 1874.
The resolution naturally created great
surprise and indignation. It was unex-
pected, unwise and uncalled for, and, after
the positive assurances of our committe at
the conference, strangely discOurteOus, to
use no harsher term.
The board Of delegates, in the preserve