Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-07
OUR FIRE SERVICE.


OuaA11ca4Ous lot It's 0OtuAAnhAs
some days ago this writer endsavored
to refute an assertion that 10 be an en-
CINE runner or builder was an essential.
Now let US consider little what are the
positive requisites. This writer, neither
able nor willing to assume the duty. and
having no personal favorites, cannot be
accused Of egotism or partizanship, and
so feels entirely free to express his con-
yicti0ns.
The knock down and drag OUT sys-
TEN will not suffice. Very few men can
be trusted with absolute power over
others. Bragg was probably the most
arbitrary and despotic Of all our Generals,
but he was not success. he could mol
command the respect and confidence OF
his men, although he had the power oil
brute force. Johnston, who took up the
army after Bragg's failure, was a quiet,
unassuming man, but he had that mag
netic influence over his men. that moral
power which mOulds the whole into one
solid mass. and sways It hither ana yOnd
by the magic Of one supreme VIII. ms
writer has witnessed the movement OF
troops under him, and heard the query,
..Where are you going, bOysW and the
answer. Don't know, but old Joe does,
it's all right Unless man can INSPIRE
his men with this feeling he Is not quail
fed for a command. This quality, then,
is essential.
Soon after the war the police forces Of
Savannah and sister cities Of Georgia
We're reOrganiZed. In both cases there
was at the head a Confederate General
experienced and practiced in command,
but in one instance the force became
by-wOrd and a reproaeh, and in the other
it was and is the pride and boast OF the
city and the admiration Of all strangers.
Why was this difference? Simply because
Of the moral power and influence eXef-
cised By one Of these men and not by the
other. The stream cannot rise ABOVE us
source. and the morale and character OF
the Fife Department Will never rise ABOVE
the measure OF these. personal qualities
in its commander. Make q NOTE ~ thdI,
gentlemen, if you please.
The Chief Of our police force certainly
has displayed unusual qualities as an or
ganizer and disciplinarian; his men all
respect ana obey him, and if he has the
power to use BRUTE force he has not eXer-
cised it. There are higher qualities which
command at once the respect, the ODedI-
ence and the affection of men; 1t IS b.
these an effective organization must be
created and ruled. Perhaps there are
others as well or better qualified for
commanding but that is a O. +. ID. pro-
biem. and hence this writer, IN seeing
new experiment tried, is anxious to have at
its head one who has shown himself capa'
bic of moulding men as mass into one
effective and harmonious whole. Inc
mechanical application OF this power OF
inteIIiqe5lces is a secondary consideration
much more easily effected than the cred-
ton Of such a force as is an absolute ne
cessity for operating the machinery Of
fire service. If this point is overlooked,
the plan will be failure, just as the last
one was, no matter what may be its mer-
its otherwise. one engine with few
men effectively managed, is worth three
tardilv nut in operation and with the
power not intelligently directed. r.