Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-20
BONNER THE FIREMAN l
Estimate of Him as Citizen and
 Fire Fighter.
COOL IN TIMES OF DANGER.

New York Fire Departments Late
 Commissioner a Strict Diseipli-
 marian, but Just to AlI-His Lighted
 Cigar Signal of Victory.
 Word of the death of Fire Commis- sioner Hugh Bonner of New York was received by all branches of the city's fire department with sincere sorrow, as he had gained the respect of all who had come into contact with him during his forty odd years as fire fighter John k. Sheehan, who has been fer many years assistant secretary at headquarters, in speaking of his late chief the other day said:
 Commissioner Bonner had the re- spect and admiration of all the old hands of the department. He was a strict disciplinarian and would not overlook any breach of duty, no mat ter by whom committed. have never heard single instance where he was accused of dealing unfairly with any one in the department"
 A few weeks ago MT. Bonner sus- pended Superintendent Joseph Burke of the combustibles bureau and Build ing Superintendent Alexander Stevens for being eleven minutes late in report ing at their offices.
 Friends of the late commissioner at fire headquarters said they had tried to dissuade him from accepting the po- sition on account of his health when it was offered to him by Mayor McClel- Ian, but he had replied that he had never refused the call of duty and would not then.
 During his long career MT. Bonner invented the battering ram, the wall cutter, the tin roof cutter, the hose hoist, cellar and subcellar pipes, the life net and many other appliances for fighting fire and saving life.
 His judgment was sound, and he never got worried or lost his nerve, no matter how big the fire was. On arriv- ing at fire the first thing he did was to get to the heart of the fire and see what should be done. Then he would retire to the middle of the street and send his orders to the battalion chiefs. He always had big cigar in his mouth at fire and kept it there un- I pntn hn hoI under control. When he was seen to strike match and light up, it was a signal to his subordinates that the enemy was in hand.
 While MT. Bonner was fire chief he spent his mornings at his office, the on inspection trips and his nights at the Westmoreland, at Seven teenth street and Fourth avenue, where he was always ready for a call. When asked how he managed to get in any sleep he would reply tersely, Between the acts"
 The commissioner believed that dumb elevators and air shafts were sources of great danger in cases of fire in tenement houses, and when the house committee held meet ing in the old criminal court house in 1894, he pointed out the ne cessity of having fireproof staircases in all tenement and apartment houses as well as exterior fire escapes.
 An instance of his judgment at fire was demonstrated once when he was asked why he ordered his men to stop throwing water on the floor of big office building that was ablaze in the district. T told the men to stop" said Bonner. because I didn't know what would happen to that build Ing if cold water were thrown on hot Iron and stone It was better to make sure of saving the lower stories than to risk causing the collapse of the en- tire building"
 After his retirement as fire chief in lS99 Mir. Bonner had intended to start ! fire school to instruct people how to save their lives and how to do prac- LhdA "pih dL ultsf tsHttidlis lut ttu- ployees of hotels, theaters, business houses and office buildings. At the time Mir. Bonner said:
 'I do not believe that one hotel em- ployee out of a hundred knows how to net in case of fire A traveller arrives ate at night and goes to his room to sleep without having the slightest idea where the stairs or the fire escapes ire situated. In the middle of the night he may he awakened by finding his room on fire and in his excitement would probably jump from the window md be killed or crippled for life. If he lad been properly instructed it would nave given him confidence to know low to act in the emergency. I cannot rive any man brains. but I hope to each him to make tie best use of what nature endowed him with"
 Just about that time Mir. Bonner was ient tO Manila to organize the fire de- ,artment there and his scheme for q ire school was never developed.
 ------