The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-11-12

But even this opinion is not expressed in the
body OF the history. but RELOCATED to note.
NJ. W. II.
The Story OF the New York Volunteer Fire
Department.
A book bearing the above title has been
compiled by Mr. GEORGE W. SHELDoN and pub
lishcd by tho Harpcrs in order to preserve
some record Of the men who for long period
held themselves ready. without pay. to i'm
peril their own lives in saving the lives and
property of their fellow citizens The Nolun-
tccr Fire Department Of this city was disbanded
nearly twenty years ago. and unless an effort
had been made to collect the materials en-
bodied in this volume while some members Of
the defunct organization still survived, their
services and achievements must speedily have
lapsed into unmerted oblivion.
For tho origin of the Volunteer Fire Depart
ment we must go back TO the Dutch regime.
The earliest ordinance for the prevention OF
fires was passed in 1856. when n certain num-
Der Of Dutch burghers were appointed Fire
Wardcns. At first these officials were entirely
unprovded with appliances. but two years
afterward they were furnished Mt the public
cost with $50 fire buckets. In 1856 1t was or
dcrcd that every person having two chimneys
to his house should supply one bucket and
three years later fire ladders. with sufficient
hooks thereto" We're ordered to be made.
| About the same time tho city fathers
appointed brandt mestcrs. or fire masters.
who roughly corresponded 10 the Chief Engi-
neers OF our own day. Throughout the seven
teenth and eighteenth centuries great atten-
ton was paid to the inspection Of chimneys.
and official " viewers" were appointed for the
! purpose. The era OF fire engines was not ush-
cred in until May 1881. when it was voted to
| procure two fire engines in London. and a
room in the City Hall was prepared for their re-
ccption. Suction pipes were then unknown.
| their place being taken by what were after
ward called pump hose Indeed. there is no
! record OF the use of true su@tion pipe In New
| York before lsO6 A paid oversrer Of ire en-
| gincs was appointed in 1888 at an annual
salary of fi2. aaa the first engine house was
erected in the next year at the corner of Broad
and Wall streets. The first fire company was
! organized in 1888 by the appoin tment Of thirty
| five strong able. discreet honest and sober
! men," who. in consideration of working and
| playing the lire engines. were to be exempt
| from serving AZ constIblcs or doing
| militia duty. No provision, however.
was made for paying these pioneer fire.
! men, though by 1856 the person who
! had s., neral oversight Of the several engines
was in receipt If a salary Of ESQ year. Tho
! next yonr this ovcrseer received the title of
Engineer ne number of ilrcmcn was increased
eru caps DO worn by them. The department
became so popular that not long after the
Revolutionary war a nuiAbcr OF persons APP
piled !or permission Ia serve IN it on condition
that they should procure an engine ut their
| own expense, and furnish place To keep it in.
IN these G. rcumstances ii was natural the Gre
men should foci they had n RICH, t. he repre-
aentod in the organization of the Fire Depart
mont, and in 1892 constitution was adopted by
al, Nt0'.. al
ly the last reference to the Tire DEPARTING nts in
the corporation records of the eighteenth
cen uly is an order for LOO fro buckets. the
plan Of depending upon private houses to fur
ash buckets having proved unsatisfactory
mr. sheldon undertakes To give us some idea
OF tn. performances OF tho Volunteer Fire De-
partmcnt IN its best days Thy which he scems to
mean The first thirty or forty years OF tho pres
ent century, by inserting in his narrative rcmi-
niscen:ce communicated to him by mcmbcrs
Of the force. According to Mr.. 2ophn Mills
the pride and amJltion OF each lire company
were TO be the i!rst to- reach " Are and the most
efficient in lttir,g 1t out We would leave"
he sad. our business, dinner. anything, 10
rush for tho engines. The night | was getting
married there was a i,rc, Ind wanted to 80
immediately. but WIS withheld Tho neNt
morning however, before breakfast there was
another lire and | went to that" lie
went on 10 say that If tho hrcmen had
"a parade they paid tho eNponses them
selves. and the painting. repairing. and
th,ir own COST IA, Lnnt nm o,oo,,t /, .a.,,,,,
of bis ind ,iduo, ox,.,nscs N comment ion ri,,
the Fire Depn,tmont and found that in scyon
wears IA, hal maid ont m ooO. Their, yn,. wa
ropnat no snlnri,s ,xeept i'm tho oase n, thu,
Cnicl Engineer and temporarily ia that Of the
Assistant Engineer. Another old n,onnn. Ne
Charles Forester. ayers thai. Notwithstanding
tho duties imposed upon him by the dop,r-
ment, he never lost n day in his regular bu.i-
ness. He was often out with his eny,no
four nigl. IS in the week. yet would bo at work