The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-19
THE FIRE LINES.
How They Were Established and whs
May Pass Them.

Soon after the breaking out of a fire in .
building in New York city a police Gordon 10
established and a fire line is drawn. The e-
ta%blishment of this fire line owes its origin to
the Legislature, although. before any statute
on the subject was adopted, the duties or the
Police Department were prescribed vaguely by
orders emanating from the Superintendent OF
the department.
In old Nev York. under the rule OF leather
head night watchmen and constables, this was
one of the duties of a Police Captain: TO SEQ
that the church bells should be rung at the
breaking out of a fire. and that the consta-
bles call out between what streets the fire was
lnCnted. under penalty Of dismissal. 5veE
though It should have been the first offence"
IL was the duty OF the Police Department to
see that the sections rang the bells In church
steeples. and that the citizens of the town
should he acquainted with the fact that n fire
was in progress, and also with the location of
IT., in order that the volunteer firemen might
know where to go without loss Of time. The
policemen Of old New York had nothing to do
with fire lines there were none in those days.
That was Il matter for tao Legislature. Sec
ton 45l Of the Consolidation act, adopted in
1852, which serves the city Of New York as .
charter. contains the following;
During the actual prevalence OF any ire, IL
shall and may Lei lawful for the officers OF tho
Police and Fire drnartments to REMOVE or
vicinity of such fire, all idle and suspicious
persons. and all persons, not M TO be employed.
or not actually and usrfully employed. In their
Judgment. in aiding the e%tlhEuiNhneilt OF
such lire, or in the rrcsGrvatlGn OF pr9i Grty in
lice Department to fires is further regulated
b. General Order 40. 3*:', which Is as fo.!-
lows: An person Except "A Mayor. the AL
dermeu, the leads of municipal departments,
uniformed fremen, aud Insurance pafrolInen,
% %T"y iaS % WIKI . IRE r |'SSdrrst,, u Tie e1sta6llii shed
design must lie excluded from, ana not ale
The hre-llne badge does not under, any cir
tumstauCe, authorize ,a'Inission to buildings.
any other purpose than obtaining admission 10
the streets within the pole" lines AT hres,
must have thr badge taken from him anu 10
LOCALLY. The "uly persons allowed within fire
lines in New Work, rAClusilc OF ,neinnrrs OF
the Fire Department. the Polio. llrrartm"ht.
aud Inc INSURANCE" patrol, are IA" Alderman
and III" heads at municipal departments IN
Guiding the Mayor. Hut an execution u intue
i'm no Ease uf Newspaper !Lcu on duty who arc
supplied With IRE badge m the discretion %
the FIRE Department, and are ,I"rmlttci
To 60 Within the line, u privilege highly es'
t,culcd hy many persons who ~ Time ~ tur.
mui ana excitement regard II as a great honor
I" ie allowed tu .cay, tie crowd ia whi,h they
may be standing aud approach nearer thaA
the Others tie ,tng"r at land
The Consolidation act. section 4l3, makes
II The duIy ui'ut FIR" department ana tho
rolice koard J"'p,l ~ 20 ."'lrIH.% t"E",GsE y,
provide Tor protection against fire aud for tho
arrest Of All persons W.. may ne a. or near
nit any csIm' against inv laws 81 no Nt4l",,ur
violate any rule or regulation ~ tAr Police
board or the fin" Department" Prior Ia the cs-
t~abli-hmcyt ut torIuH. 'yu clearly Gtlllied ire
lIue-" il vas 40 uncommon tlnu- i3F di'oFderl,Y
iudiyiaUNls t. invade uurulus buildings and,
under cover NJ the noise, danger, aud excite
m"ut, 80 lHrt0iu ARTICLES Of which nttrrwaTl
trace was luS, ia the me. The establishment
Cf the fire lines, however. has done away with
al tht-. ana ha- reduced to a minimum tho
danger from tl.I- cause.
lur GTC line badge Low ia use Is ia the form
Of a shield WITH % metal reproduction ~ ttr-@
cHclT,itng the tug AID the g,It letter, 'Firo
ilnr-,' The present talgc came into use nn
MAY /. 1874. suacrscdIug the old Fire Depart
munt hadge wllCh hat upon IL the coat OF arms
or the city. Each RE badge now IN use s nums
words NO admittanCe to buldlnZS"