New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-22
THE POOR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
JOHN H. WASHBCRN TELLS OF IT'S WORK.
TIE REIrERATEs THE CHARGES OF THE IN.
krRANCE MEN.

lie RFIIEEAItS LIE tuAhOfo Or AAL IN
sURANcE MEN.
John IT, Washburn chairman Of the Insurance Tariff
Associations executive committee, was seen in New
York BY Tribune reporter yesterday afternoon and
being asked to give his for charging the Brook
lyn Fire Department with bad management. and In
efficiency, said
II wish 10 explain. In the first place. the position
OF the Tariff Association in It's charges against the
Brooklyn Fire Department In answer 10 a letter
wrote last week 10 The Brooklyn Eagle Commits
missioner Ennis in his published defence. says that
the Tariff Association is trust Of some 1fO insur.
ancc companies which is declaring an annual 10 per
cent dividend. and that the president OF 1t gets
salary Of $4,000. THIS 1, incorrect in every detail
Tho Tariff Association Is in no sense trust 1t
merely an association OF insurance companies 10 pre-
servo a uniformity Of rates in Insurance. which Is as
much for the benefit of the public as for the CON-
panicS concerned. IL implies no obliganons on any
Of the companies, and any Of them Is at liberty 10
withdraw any time. II is absolutely false to say
that the Thrift Association pays 10 per cent dividend
or dividends at ell. II does not pay cent In div'
dends. Some Of the companies make more than ~
per cent while others make less but the Tariff As
ISOLATION does not make any money an association.
To say that the president gets salary OF SooOoois
equally erroneous The president gets aosoiueeV
nothing and is under considerable expense in the per-
Torrance OF his duties president.
THE ONLY position the l1rlH ArSOCldtiOn nas UAsu
I'm charging the Brooklyn Fire Department with In
efficiency IS that Of beneftng property-owners the
Fire Department and ourselves. l am making no
hastv statement In charging this department with IN
efficiency. 4 comparison with the hre departments
OF other great cities places the Brooklyn Fire Depet
ment I'm poor light. The Boston Fire Department.
better. and the head OF 1t Is t3w being severely
criticised for charges that might seem trivial to US.
The Brooklyn Fire Department endeavors to cover .
tta Mark
with about half the force. We do not consider Conn
missioner Ennis ft man for the place ne occupies
He "a n polItician don't know what his trade or
profession before he Nas made Fire Comms
sioncr but am pretty sure he painter 20
not mean to say that man brought up u 'raas
cannot make a good Fire Commissioner. quite the
contrary But Mr. Ennis has been In his present once
n number Of years. and do not see that he Is any
better As a Fire Commissioner to-day than when ne
entered office The last trial OF fremen before Com
missioner Ennis as published in the papers. SHOWS
an astonishing condition Of things. Seventeen nre-
men were found guilty. eight Of them for drunken
ness and the scvcrest penalty imposed was me OF
oicht days nav one man fined only five days
nav for being absent without leave and for being H.
toxicated. Another fined one days pay
for absence without leave. There was one case OF
man hclnc absent without leave and then being found
osle.p while on patrol duty. There cases where
lremen were found guilty OF being drunk four umes
I'm one month. This Is the record OF ONLY one mouth
and when YOU consider how lightly the offenders were
punished 1t only adds to the belief that Mr. Ennis Is
too much OF politician TO be good tlre SoHn'i''
sOncr
Il have equal fault to find with Chief Nevins No
man can spend 50 much time in bis yacht, crusns
for DAYS Mt time and attend properly TO his duies Us
Chief Il the Fire Department. lie also SPENDS 100
much time at the rcctrack to properly attend 10 h'
department. He also Is too rich and too old 10 w 81
efficient chief There is nothing TO excite his amoiion
and energies. There should be Il young man VINO WIZ
take pride in his work, and who will have some oO
Jet in keeping the comfortable salary OF the Cmei
the Fip Department.
III Mayer noody desires more evidence to show THAI
the Brooklyn Fire Department is inefficient We "ou'
ask him to inquire If the fire alarms not only 100
few in number but of an old pattern. requiring NY
be before they available thus Us
ing serious delay. We would AL. him 10 LOOK d nv
the saloons adjacent - engine and hook ana Ic CON
houses, whcr" indicators have been plnced Ioi ~
vrnioncc in SIlmmonng Tcn 10 duty. We Wou i an
him To inquire why the patrol |, not s uis and
forced I, keep hydrans from outside End
inside fo and why companies permitted 70 a.trns
fire, unpoyid,d with aNcs or other proper I'M % Tho
for their work. and without supply of coal L, run ,d
engines until borrowed I'm the vicinity. We also wona
suggest that the Mayor investigate Ill, manner whether
chasing supplies Tor ,S IN IN, care and use OF
material and property belonging TO IT., It, rirs Depart
the head Of such IA department should De OF We Suiv
by reason Of prolonged absence from MS posi- W ~
and active interest IN busircSs enterprises NJ
cheney rs Chief Engineer Is not greatly impaire" -,
MAYOR Boody announced yesterday the ha hmsIn.S
the men who will act committee OF inc yae,inS
mon Of the civ 70 investigate the charges aeu,hs
The Fire Department and Its inefhciency IN xshsve
ing fires on account ~ which the insurance raies srvs
been iuccas ed The who have conscnted 70 a.
are Alexander T. Orr. f. b. Bartlett anu ''''' "
jenkins 800 ,,, ..;o, Commission.
MIR orr i, chairman Of the Civil service hr ~
y prominent member Of the New York ,ia ns,dsnt
I commerce and the Produce Exchange ana P,,,s'Is
of thr south Brooklyn Savings, Institution. ne has
member OF the firm of David Dows a. 20" am Momn
i'r,e prorcrty interests I'm BROOKLYN. lie j. Dcn
crai Mr. partlett Is president OF the , snsr OF Ike
Park s0pe. lie |, n Republican. ana was ris' v,'
delegate TO the National convention mI year Bank At
Jenkins IS president q the First Natlonai r.s.
The ioo of broadway Brooklyn. and Hives III La'ase'
ave lie Is an Independent Rcpunicann;, .o.,.t,on
The committee Of the Insurance IaI.n .tao an the
Will cooperate with Mayor Bcoiy's commt'ec Oh 'A'
investigation.
y,rpTc ,TTvc THEIR NEW HALL