New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-19

companies. 1915 members OF hose companies
and 55s members OF hook-and-ladder compa-
MES all nearly all. OF whom were volunteers.
The volunteers included many men OF innu-
ence and position 1t was not at all uncommon
TO see a lawyer and broker side 10y side with
baker and A butcher when the companies turned
out to drag their engines or hosecarts or hook
and-ladder trucks to the fires. There was
great pride OF organization ana the rivalry be
tween various companies was strong Some
times IL engendered much bitterness. and occa-
sionally IN are were hand tO-haud fights at fires
between the members Of various companies. in
which case the property-Owncrs got the worst
Of It, however the fight resulted.
In those days the steam fre-engine had not
reached its present high development. The De-
partment had. however. thirty-four steam fire
engines and twenty-five hand engines. the lat
ter being. in word, little more than hand
pumps on wheels.
GAIN IN PROPERTY-SANGNG.
II any Of those who opposed the .stablish-.
ment Of a paid Fire Department are now alive
It will be interesting for them 20 contemplate
the record in property -savinE made by the De
partment in 1866 and the record Tor 1881 the
latest year whose records have yet been com
Piled part of the gain shown Is doubtless
sue TO the great Improvement in the machinery
used for fighting fires but large art Of IL
must also be attributed 10 the increase In the
skill and discipline Of the fremen themselves.
In 1866 there were G4,0OO buildings in the city;
loss OF S642SuuO In the year ~ iheIe
were l33.434 buildings in Manhattan. lib men
and officers in the Department. fufb Hlrs Emu
a loss OF only $3.50 So. That is To- ay, IN lN''
there were about twice as many buildings os IN
1866. about six times many fires, ana Only
half as great loss 10y fires. These Facts Fpeah
Libraries for the increased efficiency # the iTe-
fighting force. They are the sort Of figures tfat
can scarcely be made to lie.
The improvement in firehghtng apparatus
has been rapd i'm this country since the mrs.
ffr.4- .trI ]
1870 by A. Is. l.atta. OF Cincinnati IN hi"-
engines Il reached its highest devel 'Tn'nl some
years ago. The Water-toWer hist maze rs al
pearance IN this country when the ERE iltpdIt -
ment OF this city took one 10 try ln lN'' ID
did not work Well at first and when u was
being tried one day ID upset and Killed q lN-
stander who was watching the trial IL was rap
idly improved. however. and The Department
now has four Watcr-tOWers in use
The hook and ladder truck developed SLOWLY.
The first aerial ladder in use in this city was
brought here i'm 1856. BY its ma hinc'y iad-
der is shot up into the air from the truck 10y
the turning of crank. and a second seruun
Is in turn unfolded and shot UP from the iIIs'
BY sending up a man or two with line OF nos"
the aerial ladder is often made io 90 dut! hS
a Water-tower. The aerial ladder was lnN'nlrn
and patented 10y an old New OK i.''Ia.'
named Hayes. There are now eight or thrh Jul
active service In this city.
The deeds Of heroism SO frequently performed
by New York firemen are too often merely re-
corded for the day and then forgotten. 10 per
petuate their memory. however. as u deserves
to tie perpetuatrd, a nuiilbtl 'l Hl'Nd'9 ia
been founded 10y citizens of NeW-IOrk Which
are presented annually 20 the iremen who in
the opinion of the Fire Commissioner ana the
Chief Of the Department most deserve them
The first OF these medals is the Bennett medal
II is made possible 10y the neon" OF Il INIi
presented 10 the Department many years aso
by the elder James Gordon BenQett i'm recoeni-
ton OF the splendid work done Joy the tremen
when Mr. BENEFITS house on Washington
Heights caught fire The Strong medal annu-
ally presented Is the gift ~ ~ Mayor William
l. Strong The Stephenson medal is purchased
with the income OF fund given hy John Ste
phenson who built the first horsecar ever dra"
through the streets OF NeW-Nork The Bonner
medal. named in honor OF CHIEF Bonner. is the
gift Of the Corporation Of Grace Church
RECORDS CAREFULLY KEPT
Tn. records Of the Department are most care
fully kept and most thoroughly systematized.
| They show with the utmost particularly where
and how and why the fires o. the city occur.
! There is a map Of Ncw-York divided into dis
/ trifs and showing a dot for every fire in the
| wear According 10 this map the greatest num-
Der OF fires every year In the district en-