New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-09
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT..


olth "a Tammany leader at the head ~ the
F-e Department and the nephew Of the Tam
many boss as its chief. there were evil DAYS for
trr city and the men in the ranks on whom II
depended 20 maintain the efficiency Of the ser
vice. As boz all the other departments under
Tauuary. graft and favoritisn were At work.
Petty eNtortion bled the men. while the CITY was
forced 70 pay eNorbitant prices for inferior
.~-te-.aI. So omen was this grating" that Com
miss era~ Scannen and one William /. Marks
were indicted by the grand jury on June y
1871 f-- conspiracy. and Scanneu was charged
v.-r neglect of duty. Marks had collected A
l.--. omission on supplies furnished 70 the
5-.---~e-r
similar state was revealed in the repair
st--s when tHe fusion admin stration came into
power Patrick F Ryan Chief OF Construction
All Repairs 20 Apparatus. with many Of his
ser-"5-ar-s. had been in a conspiracy with
s-a--.I and contractors. IT was alleged. They
v..r -1se poor or faulty material and use Il
-1E The engines, trucks. scaling lad
6a-- hose wagons and axes. Al the trials Il
a-- came out -h7r most Of NJ. ScanneIls pri-
r- --ess was made or repaired at the de-
r-.--- shops. while his road wagons were
Es-. painted ard in repair
-.1-NANY LEFT so SUPPLIES.
-r- end cf tre Taur,any regime in 1901
--r-. aa- not Pa weeks supply = coal for the
HOUSES ~ engines and rot a weeks store q
r-- and z-atn Cor the horses. There was in ex-
s.--.-s -- contract 20 furnish coal or fodder <or
... horses. Prompt action was all that pre-
vented The department from entirely eoing out
rs business. The horses. TOO. were in many
..--- nd and almost urft for duty.
During ir= -FOUR years Z nower Tammany did
gu. .r.l one -er engine house IN Brooklyn OF
Queens and -tttle was done in Manhattan As
e. consequence. rct only was there no growth in
tra r---e 10 meet The increase in the ciry's
-rr-.a-.or. bu- the men were crowded into
houses urzarlrary. diiapldated. almost unfit for
use There was no consideration shown for the
r=-. either. tr their hours Of work. II a man
were uot favorite. with political pull. he
was likely 10 be transferred 20 that end Of the
city fl-thesc from his home The men had one
day 7~ duty En- ten. There was a recognized
element though. In the department, which got
what II wanted. even 20 promotions over the
Reads ~ men high on the eligible list. Merit
against pun payment had 10 chance. An
other persecution % which the men were sub
-o--eE was the forced contribution 20 political
c--5s. Refusal 70 give TO the collectors meant
.------- The ED Viu % the superiors. who
could make lie nor worth living. OF force the
-la- --r ot -he department entirely.
When -he Strong aEr-ilis-rarion went out Of
,rr order. r. TIE four years Of Tanmany mis-
rule nothing was done 20 keep these boats so
Important Ere fighting weapon. IN repair. one
De a-ue entirely useless while two others were
c-.-les with shalzy boilers ara strained
engines There was available just half the feet
ore noticeable feature Of Tammany times was
the ease v,-h which the Manhattan Fire Alarm
Company. holding a permit 70 connect various
classes q buildings with the telegraph system OF
the Fire Department. over the ci1y's wires.
cCt-e1 business. Hundreds OF apartment houses
were compelled hv the Commissioner, Scanned.
20 have The telegraph service. and. although
-he-e were several other companies IN the bust
ness. iu most cases the h0EsehOliers were
directed 20 take the system CT the Manhattan
Ft~e Alarm Company
Under Ta--1suy there seemed almost
eDathy n the Fire NarshaIs Bureau. There
was IS much fncendi2risEl or more, then than
-here IS now. but comparatively few cases were
ever followed far enough 70 catch the offenders.
Eve- when men were arrested nothing was
done. The records show that IN 1901. q thirty
rr-ee arrests there were TweIry-sIX men dis
charged or acquitted. The year closed with six
unfinished cases on the books.