New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-08


from the officers society took occasion during
| the last session of the Legislature to make rep
reservations and use influence with the members
OF the Legislature for increase of pay of the
| officers Of the Department. who now the best
] paid officers In any fire department In the world.
| Upon being advised of this movement. Chief
| Bonner with his usual sagaoity. withdrew from
| the Officers Association,
THE attempt 10 fasten the amendment increas-
Ing the officers pay upon the bill which Increased
the pay of the flremen. to equaze 1t with the pay
Of policemen led to much hard feeling on the part
of the toward the officers. to mutual recrimi-
nations. and to the scandal which grew out Of the
| Legislative inquiry on that subject On one occa-
sion, when the Commissioners had sent the attor-
| ney of the Department to Albany to oppose the
amendment increasing the officers pay before the
| committee having that amendment in charge Of
fcers who were ostensibly there to prevent egis-
lation on the per cent fund appeared before the
| committee and took ground in favor Of the off,
GERS amendment, and in direct opposition to the
attorney representing the Board of Fire Com
rnssoners The present Commissioners felt 1t
their duty to prevent If possible such scandals in
the future by undertaking TO make all necessary
representations to the Legislature In regard TO
the per cent fund and further adopted a resou-
ton on that subject
General La Grange asked Colonel Jussen. the
secretary of the Fire Board, to get copy OF the
resolution. which is as follows:
Whereas 1t is the duty and right OF this Board to
take cognzance of and be fully Informed on all mat
tiers affecting the interests. good name discipline
and organization OF this Department;
Resolved, That uniformed officer or fireman OF
ment. will hereafter seek to promote in any
manner to interfere with any bill or measure AFFECT
Ing this Department which may be before any ieeis-
latve or municipal body, without having frst sub
ntted his proposed action to TINS Board ana re-
ceived notice of its approval or disapproval
CHANGES IN THE FIRE MARsHALs BUREAU.
Asked about the recent changes in the Fire
Marshals Bureau General la Grange said: AS
to the change in the Department Of the Fire Mar
shall. the facts are before the public. The Board
intends. the Marshal shall submit
his plan, to make complete and thorough reor-
ganzation OF that bureau. with the hope that
| while individual cases Of incendary fires cannot
| be prevented organized bands of incendaries will
not be permitted to exist and ply their trade In
| the city of New-York"
Have changes in the clerical force Of the De-
| partment been NADER"
| "A number OF useless positions have been abo-
| ished. and the work consolidated under more
efficient employees. and. If permitted by the Board
of Estimate and Apportonment and the Civil Ser
vice Commission 1t is the purpose OF the Board TO
continue this work. believing that a considerable
sum now paid in wages may be saved to the city
by abolshing useless positions and placing more
efficient men to do the work OF the Department"
Have the present Fire Commissioners been
harmonious in their work thus far?"
ION all important matters the present Commits
sioners have voted together, and there has been
no lack of harmony in their action their efforts
TO make necessary reforms.
rs political pull now recognized in the Fire
Department."
NO POLITICAL PULL is RECOGNIZED.
1T is the purpose of the Fire Board to dis
countenance all combinations of fremen for
political purposes of any kind whatever. leav-
ing each individual in the force entirely free to
act upon his own convictions citizen. and
II is believed that by relieving them or the
duty which they thought fell upon them to
look after this per cent fund all attempts at
undue political influence by combination on the
part of the fremen can be overcome The
Board, in selecting firemen, looks only to the
mental, moral and physical fitness or the apph-
cant and no question of politics Is raised re-
garding any seeking admission to the uni
formed force.
Promotions are made wholly upon the rec
ord and merit of the applicant, and no Com
missioner inquiries knows the politics OF any
applicant for promotion He gains promotion
by his record and his fitness to do efflcient
service in the Department. So. in the repair
shops there is no question Of politics whatever.
The only question is the fitness and capacity
of the man to the wages paid to him by
the city. In the clerical force and the bureaus.
certainly two appointments Of Democrats nave
been recently made to important positions. the
| applicants having been chosen solely for their
fitness and qualifications for the positions
| named. 1t is the purpose OF the present board
| to eliminate entirely during their administra-
selection of fremen, and the selection and pro-
motion of officers OF the Department. They
| have no hope of being able to right wrongs
| which have already been done, and In these
| respects they will make no such attempt for
| fear of falling into the same error IN the OPP
| posite direction"
| ILL-FBELING CAUSED DECENTRALIZATION
Has there been much Generalization in the
| Department.?
.@rhere was considerable decentralization in
| the uniformed force. growing out OF the i'll
| feeling aroused among the firemen by the at
,.rnn, 10 fasten the amendment increasing the
| ofcers' pay upon the fremen's bill after IT
| nassed the House and was before the Senate,
| but that has gradually disappeared. and the
| evil effects of that unfortunate attempt, 1t Is
| honed will soon be forgotten by both the on-
| GERS and the men, The restoration or CORDIAL
| relations between the men ana the orncers Is
| a,idenced bv the diminishing number Of trials
| Of firemen for petty offences. The Commis-
| sioners believe that good captain and a good
! 1;artanant ought to be able to control ten men,
| and IN so influence them as not TO md 1t neces-
| sarv. except upon extreme occasions TO bring
| them before the Board for trial Tor miraculous
| Of the regulations or for conduct unbecomlhg
firemen
THE REST DEPARTMENT IN AMERICA
| "yybat can YOU say Of the fremen as body?"
"rhe force generally is made Of men admirably
| qualified for the performance Of their duties
| Among our Oh firemen and engineers. there are
probably not more than 40 who are not a
credit to the force; and of the 2O2 officers 30 per
cent are excellent men, and 1t Is safe TO say mat
| .hn;r auneriors for Fire Department, cannot be
trna IN any citv in America. The evil influence
~ the few unworthy men and officers has an un-
favorable effect on the entire force, and greatly
| tends to lower IL in public estimation III is the
,,rnosa of tho Commissioners to bring such pres
| sure upon the undesirable element as WIZ e1ect a
| decided change, or. when necessary, upon proper
| u,en,hers and All their places with fit material
| "Do the officers of the Department appear 10 DE
! willing and ready to aid in reform work"
."rhe great body OF officers are exceedingly anx-
,oue nv their example and their influence. 10 raise