The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-05
THE "JUsE MUG" FIREMEx.
An Ole Dispute whieh the Greater New
York Project Recalls.

- NSN
York Project Recalls.
II the views of some Of tho advocates Of the
Greater New York project are needed, ono Of
the innovations In the charter to be submitted
to the Legislature next winter will give the con-
troll of the Police and Fire Departments to the
Board Of Aldermen instead of keeping them
aupjoct to statutory regulations from Albany,
as 10 now the case. Where officials of the Fire
or Police Department are to be regarded. the
nay is to be increased, the force enlarged, or
other change made. such relief 10 asked from
the Legislature; but hereafter. 1t lie proposed,
applications for such measures shall be made to
tho Board OF Aldermen or Councilman in the
Greater New York-when there is one. This
suggestion recalls to some old hremen the diff
culties which marked the deliberations of the
Board of Aldermen and the Volunteer Fire De-
partment in old New York. and gave rise to
what some old New Workers recall as the
June bugs"
Very few readers OF THE Sun, perhaps, hAye
ever known OF the June bugs" or of the great
commotion which was caused by their appoint
ment. Cornelius v. Anderson was Chief of the
Now York Fire Department from 1887 to 1s4s,
and to him Is ascribed the credit for what was
bought at the time to have been a most progress
sive measure-the division of the city into fire
districts. Prior to that time when there was q
fire alarm all the engines, hose carriages. and
hook and ladder trucks. together with all the
fremen Of the city, gathered at one point. Mr..
Anderson put q stop to this by divid-
ing the city into districts; but he incurred
thereby the hostility Of the Common
Council which, failing to get rid Of him.
created in one night in the month Of
June. 1889, twenty-four additional hose COM
panies, with one foreman and assistant foreman
each. Tho foreman and assistant foreman Of
tha variona ANGINA hoaa and hook and lahder
companies collectively. It should DO explained.
chose the chief engineer. These companies
were known rs tho juno bugs" and the pur-
pose of their appointment by the Aldermen was
to put Chief Engineer Anderson in a minority
and TO euable tho Common Councilmen to con.
troll his successor.
There was great indignation among the fire.
men over what they regarded as an invasion Of
their prerogatives by the Aldermen. and = met
ing was held at Fireman's Hall in Mercer street
70 protest against the outrage. A resolution
was adopted setting forth that the Volunteer
fremen of New York were compelled to yield
to the popular opinion that this measure the
appointment OF the June bugs') had its rise
in no better motive than misguided party
zeal or personal prediction" and, that
may be attributed TO criminal Indifference.
we. feeling it our imperative duty to express
we shrink from the introduction of political
strife into the Fire Department as we would
from its admission into The relations of private
life; second. that we Wow with Indignation the
90 dearly earned: third, that We prize the general
sympathy expressed in our behalf by the re-
spectacle men of all parties. and fourth.
we have every confidence IN the skill and in
It is not recorded by any contemporary his
torians whether the effect of this declaration
was electrical in character: but one thing. at
least. is known. that the following newspapers
were authorized TO publish the protests OF the
June bugs" The Courier aud Enquirer. tho
Setp Era, the Times. the Gazette, the Post. the
Star. and the Commercial. The widespread pub
location of this spirited defiance of the Board of
the schemes and devices of the Common Coun-
cilmen and OF reducing them to a position of sub
rervience to the public wishes. The Omission of
the June brRs'' as full fled Ged firemen had
in existence q charitable fund for the benefit of
needy fremen and their families, and the new
Corners. who had contributed nothing to 1t. were
to be permitted to share In the proceeds. There
men of that day came In for . full share or hos
tile criticism. They proceeded with diplomacy.
refusing to push to an extremity the advantage
which they had gained through the appointment
derson was not molcsted in his ONCE.
Whether or not under similar conditions the
fremen Of the city of Now York. IL again put
under Aldermanic control. would be able to
Gil is o question which may form n part OF tho
Greater New York discussion In the future.
The Volunteer Fire Department OF those days
was an important part OF the city lie, Tor nre-
business. They were not paid for their services.
and It was esteemed an honor for Q citizen to
achieve O place of prominence In the fire or hose
company to which he belonged.