New-York tribune., 1886-07-20
DID FIRE CHIEF MCABE BLCNDERf
CALLING AN ENGINE NEARLY SEVEN hiLHs-fhh

CAIII\G AN ENGINE NEARLY SEVEN NILEs-PRE-
CrDENTs FOR THE SPECIAL SIGNAL.
The trial of Second Assistant Chief McCabe for
alleged ircapacity and want OF Judgment, dls-
nlaved in his management OF the big Harlem fire
on July >. was resumed at Fire Headquarters yes
terday and he subjected to a long cIoss,eXaln
nation by President PuITOy and the cOuhs'i oi the
board McCabe tried to show that the slmultan,
eous call which lie sent out after three alarms hau
been sounded, could not have kept large dlstrlct
OF the city unprotected long because II was the
custom TO send companies from other parts OF the
city to cover unprotected districts, but ne was
unable to point to any written RUE ol the uePalt-
ment to sustain his statement. AS one excuse Tor
sending the caH he SAID the engines north oil tlty-
ninth-st. were not powerful enough to core with
the lire and he wanted to get some OF the larger
downtown engines which throw streams from
nczzles au inch and a half IN diameter
President Purrcy How many engines In the depart
work effectively Will lnch ana haii poI]leS'
ChI-f McCabe-fifteen i. ,
Nh. PuIroy-HOw many are now IN serv>cef
Mr.. Puroy-I How many Of them above Fifty
nntl-stl
MIR. McCabe None.
When he was shown reports to the effect that
some OF the most powerful engines Of the depart
ment we're in the Harlem district, McCabe SAID
The reports were not correct. tie also declared
that he had told Chief Shay about the smultan-
eous cali as soon as the Chief appeared at the fire,
directly cOntradIctIng Mr.. Shay's testimony One
engine which responded to the call IS at Nlnth-
ave and Seventeepth-st McCabe said the engine
would have to travel only four miles tc lhlrd ave
and one hundred and twenty-bfth-st others
thourht the distance nearly seven miles. MIR.
Turroy appeared TO thiok that the testimony on
Saturday regarding a simultaneous call which was
sent out by Chief Bates IN 1863 might be used TO
sustain a charge of favOrltism and he asked NC.
Cabe if any misconduct on the part OF ex-Chlef
Bates, Chief Shay Assistant Choi Bonner had
been brought to. the notice of the board ana left
unpunisbed. McCabe said that Batess wagon was
once taken to the Mercer Street Police Station
with girls in it," Mr.. Purroy said that story was
one of the traditions of tue department.. lie also
read some records to show that Mr.. Bates was
retired AT his own request and not on account OF
ANY misconduct.
battalion Chief Go0dersOn testified that he heard
Battalion Chief Reilly say that simultaneous calls
mad been sent account OF hres OF less magnet
ism than the Harlem fire. Reilly had denied
making such a statement on Saturday. G0Odereon
also said lie never knew of censure to an officer OF
the department because more engines than neces-
sary were called to hre. Assistant Chief Bonner
was again called to testify that speclal calls Tor help
were better than simultaneous calls III Harlem.
He said that single building III the dry-go0ds
district contained property of more value than the
cost OF houses and con tents in company district
in Harlem The goods in Claims store were worth
from five milione to twenty millions. he thought.
ON account of the enormous difference OF values,
MIR Bonner said. il was proper TO send a slmultan-
eous call for fire in one or two buildings in the
lower part OF the city while il would be bad judg
mept TO send the cal tor Harlem fire unless
several blocks OF houses were burning.
The trial was adjourned until p III. to-day.