The morning call., 1892-01-18

| arrival here. They thanked Chief c. p.
| Duane and William Free. Frank Wheeler
| and Joe Capprise, his assistants, for kind
ness and efforts on their part to make the
| visit agreeable. They also expressed their
| lasting Obligations to the citizens and par
! tcularlY 10 7. Killduff, John Terrence.
| Tom Parker, Joseph RaSSette and Peek &
| Fisher. They likewise remembered the no
ble-hearted George Hossefross of Mont
mental, No. 6, for presenting them with SIX
dozen red shirts after the fire.
In New York, once a year, the fireman
| that does a heroic act is presented with
medal. Medals for bravery are unknown
| here.
A former member of the New York Fire
| Department highly eXaspeTated a fireman
! by telling him they did nothing here like
the heavy duty they do in New York.
| "Why. look In the winter time when snow
! is on the ground, cold as hades ice inches
thick and big lcicles hanging on the roofs;
| see what them fellows have to contend
! with. To work at fire and then fad your
| clothes are frozen to you by the time you
! get to the engine-hOuse Is no fools play
| Then. too. the chances are the hose is
| covered with Ice and snow. Why, I've seen
| men frozen at the pipe, and it took some
| time even with the heat benZine to
| thaw them ou.. Oh, and the high buildings
all ice-cOvered; nice Why, you fellows
! have picnic"
OLD RECORDS.
! Here's the record of old days gone by:
May 26, 1853 p NJ. lot of old tar ropes
| in rear of Tubbs x Co. on jackson street,
near Front; No. in service; loss triling.
May 90 A. NJ, fire in same place; entire
DEPARTMENT out; several On gines in service.
May 27-5 A. NJ, kitchen in frame build
! ing on Minna street; 3 and in service.
MAY pa A. NJ, fire IN large two-story
| buildings, Dupont street, between Washing
! ton and Clay; inceudiary; upper story only
! damaged by water; entire department on
| hand.
May 2s-7 A. NJ, same fire; flames burst
! out in upper story; put out by Big o.
May 2S-9:15 A. NJ, Mission and Anthony;
| defective stovepipe; woodwork about same
! burned; PIT out by ladies' bucket brigade
before companies arrived.
May % 80 p. NJ, alarm; brig Earn
est Long Wharf now Commercial street,
! below Battery, upsettlng OF Kettle OF tar;
entire department on the ground 10 dam
| age.
Every bell alarm call the entire volun-
| reer department cut, with the exception Of
! Young America Engine Company, No. Is,
| which was located at the Mission In those
days there were thirteen hand engines,
almost all concentrated together-Nos. l, 2,
| 8 T. g. o. 7 and 10 were within few blocks
OF one another. No ii was on Bush street,
above kearny; No. 9, Stockton. near Pa
cliff; No IA. on Second, near Howard; No.
l truck, Dupont, near Sacramento: No.
| truck, MONTGOMERY, near Jackson. There
were no water mains then. CiSterns were
located in certain sections, and had TO be
! refled after use.
HOW THE MACHINE WAS RUN.
Previous to 1873 Fire Commissioners were
elected by the people. In the campaign Of
1877 the Fire Department strength was di-
rected in favor of certain nominees Oh both
tickets favored by the bosses. The result
was a great cry was made against using the
Fire Department as a political machine.
Suffice 10 say that A. j. Griffith, a Demo
Graf, who was opposed for the Assembly 10y
the fire machine. introduced bill in the
Assembly t. take away the power Of elect
ing Fire Commissioners and vest it in the
Governor When the matter came before
the delegation il was bitterly opposed, and
after hard battle a motion TO indefinitely
| postpone the consideration Of the bill
Was carried by one vote Assembly
man Backus (present PoStmaStrT), who
knew something Of the workings Of the fire
machine, and who was bent on radical re-
form, thought it would create more sat
iSfRctiOn to the republican reformeTs in
the Legislature and insure the passage of
the bill by having the Supervisors appoint
three COmm SSlOners and the Judges Of
tie County Court and the Municipal Grim
inal Court one each. TINS was accepted by
Mr.. Griffith and was carried in the delega-
tiCn by one vote.
1t was intended that the bill should go
right through both houses, be signed by the
Governor, ana the Supervisors and Judges
would make the appointments OF Commits
siOncrs at once. The delegation then al
jouTned for two days to consider the aupro-
pTIatiUns TO be made, the salaries for Ulcers
and other minor details The result ere
ated great CONSERVATION and excitement
among politicians and fremen when the
decision Of the delegation was known.
TIE LOBBY AT WORK.
Though there was a big lobby, led by Sam
Raney, already IN Sacramento still II was
largely increased by the time the delegation
again met. 1t was observed that desperate
efforts were still al work TO Kill the bill.
When il was sgain considered several
officials were heard from relative TO the
needs of the department. and the reform
ers were about realizing that the bill would
90 through TO effect the desired change In
the Board Of Fire Commissioners when
little joker was sprung in the shape Of the
prOvsO that no appointments shall be made
until the terms Of the present Commission
eTs expire"
After hot, exciting and lengthy debate,
this was carried by only one vote. One Of
the refOrmers fell down; 1.-THE sack was too
strong & temptation to resist, was the cry.
The bill as amended went through and
became a law. It's main feature the change
Of Commissioners not to go into effect for
nearly two years, was just what the fire.
machine desired and what the TeformeTs
did not. 1t was the eXultatiOn of Rainry
and his henchmen afterward that the bill
passed. for, in the next campaign, the anti
fre-riug Republicans had the municipal con-
veutiOn. They proved this in nominating
| Green, whom the fire ring beat for Fire
! Commissioner, for Sheriff, over Flahcrty, a
| Fire Commissioner and as the Working
mans party was in the zenith Of its power,
| the fire ring would have lost control of the
| Fire Department
PUTTING ON THE SCREWS
From the moment the bill passed the op-
eratiOns OF tie bosses were turned on the
| Judges-tO operate on them. 1t Is related
| that q well-kuOwn insurance man was in
| the habit of passing evenings with Judge
! Blake This gentleman was intrusted with
| the task Of impressing upon Judge Blake
| the great interest the insurance people had
| in having a well-discpIined fire depart
ment, and how ii would be in order before
| making an appointment to consult the I'm
! derN rters. The Judge innocently re-
| marked that as they had large intererts at
| stake and desired an efficient fire depart
ment, he would write them to ask
| them to recommend a man for Fire
| Commissioner. The bosses knew Of his re-
| solve in time and when the Underwriters
! met a resolution was offered to recommend
| L. Flaherty, which met with big opposition
They were reminded that the power be-
| hind the throne would, If they did not in
dorse FlaheIty, give them trouble in the
| Legislature, and, in the language of the
| President of an insurance company, give
| them a bill which would take mighty big
| sack to kill. The Endorsement was made
and the appointment followed.
i