The morning news., 1897-03-21
THE FIRE SERVICE.
what Is Its Standing and Emeieney

what Is Its Standing and Efiiciencye
Editor Morning News: In the interest
of all, with malice toward none, but deep
ly impressed by the Importance of the SUBJ
ject, this writer ventures farther into
comments and inquiries relating to the
fire department.
Those who will look UP the record of
the volunteer steam fire service from it's
advent in 1867 to its demise in 1875, will
easily note the causes of it's decadence. 1t
started under command of the late Col.
]. f. Waring, a gentleman and a sol-
der, accustomed to handle bodies of men
in action and to keep a cool head in hot
spots" Associate with him in the SER
vice were many business. men and house
holders whose sole end and aim it was
to protect property. But very soon the
big boy element. fond of excitement, was
forced into the service, against the pro-
test of council, and the earnest efforts
of the officers in command until a body
of 500 men and boys were assembled,
when not over fifty could be employed;
the big boys were plastic material in the
hands of the wire puller, but they dis
graced and broke up the volunteer sys-
TEN. Hence it is, the writer wonders
to find this same element taken into our
present service; and he sounds a note of
warning that 1t will surely destroy its
efficiency. Two cases of manslaughter
and one of assault with intent" in about
a year. goes far and away beyond the
worst record of the volunteers True, as
an official happily explains, it was only
'old man Thornburg was killed." but who
shall say that to-day or tonight, it will
not be the reader or writer who falls
victim to this element? Are there other
specimens of this kind in the service? And
what examination, If any. is made by the
commission as to character and ftnesS2
Is it only as to the plebisciuc quaHhca-
ton? And. if any other requisite. what
is it? Certainly it does not seem to have
been as to a sober and steady record. 1t
is not enough that a fireman shall he
good when SOBER" it is highly essen
tial that he should be always sober. The
writer again admits that there are good
and true men in the service, but one
tough, nourished on rum and trained in
the slums, will do more harm to the ser
vice than a dozen good men can over
come.
Is not the service running more into
splendid mechanism, fuss and feathers
and gold trappings, than into the skill and
training of its operatives? Without the
latter the cohorts all cleaning with pur-
pie and gold' are of no more effect than
the fans and squirt guns of our Chinese
neighbors. A tough of the "Craw." even
if clothed in purple and fine linen does not
thereby make trusty fireman; nor would
respectable citizen allow such a pro-
duct into his place of business in day
light, much less into his home at dead of
night.
1t is due the honest and faithful men
that the reckless big boy element fond of
hot spots or hot stuff shall be eliminated
from the service and that men for this
work shall be specially selected with re-
gard to character and fitness, for the al
ways important and often delicate duties
devolving on the fireman. and not by Tea-
son of affiliation with any clique or gang.
Ex c.