New-York tribune., 1907-04-14
What Medals Are Given

What Medals Are Given
THE oldest honor Of the class is The Be.-e-t
4 medal, which Is provided tor annually by -.lrd
of fifteen hundred dollars set aside bv lanes On
Bennett in 1900. The income from this f-rl IS
expended each year for the purchase OF a gold -laI
which Is awarded for some act of herolsu Ihe
Trevor Warren medal Il the gift of Mrs En- s.
Trevor and Mrs Mary c. Warren, who in 1900 .eed
in trust two thousand dollars. the interest OF ch
Is applied annually 20 the purchase OF gold medal
for bravery. The Hugh Bonner medal Is --. zifc
OF the Rev. James LeBaron Johnson, who scr as.Ie
a fund of two thousand dollars for its pun l5e
i he Strong medal was the g1tt OF former .EQr
William Strong, who always q devoted md
of the tiremcn- Since his death the medal has cen
continued as memorial 20 its original don and
the funds for its purchase provided by his r.W
The Stephenson medal always IS AWARDED 70
officers for efficiency. The fund for It's pr sion
was contributed IN 1907 by the John Ste .1son
Company IN recognition OF the successful work
done by the department in saving that cou -ays
plant
y fearful number of men and horses are .red
every year in the New York FIRE depart-,-. IN
avoiding injuries 70 bewildered men, womer md
children. who Will persist standing IN the streets
where tremen must pass Ignorant street car tor
men and stupid teauSterS are responsible for nv
accidents II Is accepted condition slrnor- en-
IN the department that no matter what the c.lse-
QuenCcs may be 20 men or apparatus every .-- -t-
ton must be taken 10 avoid injury pede- rs
When asked why this rule followed. II
the oldest men IN the department expla5uet at
the killing or injury of a single pedestrian red
the stopping OF the apparatus Tor time, au. nat
life az all times was more valuable than pr.r .--v
The injury % apparatus Is less inpO-tar- nd
the hremen must take the risk he said. " b,
under the system prevailing single engine yer
sent in response 10 any alarm Every ala-r ais
out at least three engines, and If one disat .-s
place Is At once taken by another summo-. ~
the signal bureau at headquarters
The headquarters OF the New York tirt
ment Is located on East o7th-St. and here
routine business of the department IS tran ed
and the school OF instruction Is maintained
The Best Known Fireman
DROBABLY the best known fireman in ID
Il to-day IS Chief Edward Croker who su. I'd
Hugh Bonner chief of the department 60
Chief Croker destined by nature 10 be- eat
fireman, and he has few, II any, equals IN
ness Tie Is young man, Just past forty.
been a member OF the department for almost
two years He has critics who have sand ae
was not IN sympathy with his men, and he
expected too much OF them but no man yer
SAID tnat he would ask his Subordinates 10 % any
place OF danger where he would not go hr.-
\ year or two ago the chief WAS called 20 ed
side OF his aged mother who was then III az
held, New Jersey. During his absence FIRE .elt-
ened the financial district, and in respou-. CD a
telephone message, the chief left his mOth5r aed-
SIDE 20 return 10 duty. No tram was SChej- "a to
leave for an hour. but the chief chartered .scal
tram, and It was rushed 10 the citv
The ehlet has regular quarters and hours for ,a.s.
and Is on call tWenty-tour hours every day Tie cps
AZ the down town headquarters Great Io-. ST.,
and responds 10 every alarm during the nisr. --um
stations IN the great business district and ely
populated East Side. His davS are spent The
hre headquarters ON East o7th-St., where
continually IN consultation with the comm uerS
or puSy with correspondence Usually dur- the
I'Grnoon ne Is inspecting engine houses ~iv ing
DudlnSS IN course of erection. for II Is e1-lal
that the chief should be especially familiar v, The
details OF the great SkVsCraperS