New-York tribune., 1910-06-07
WANTS MEN; NOT BRAINS
Chief Croker Says Civil Service
Rules Make Poor Firemen.
AGAINST THE MENTAL TEST
President Mcclure Of Commls-
sion, in Reply, Takes Excep-
tion to His Charges.

Chief Croker objects 10 the present grade
Of fremen. and he isn't very particular
about whether he conceals his feelings in
The matter o. not. AT his headquarters yes
ter6av after the fatal fire in Washington
street he pat the blame for the deaths on
the Civil Service rules. but explained that
this was no new complaint.
I've been on record against this matter
before said the chief: and III tell you
another thing It isn't a local kick. either
solely. I've heard the same complaint from
fire chiefs in many another big city
We've got 10 take the men at the top Of
the list. and invariably the best men-the
best fire fighters. the men with plenty OF
lung capacity. the men with CUTS and the
men who can eat smoke-are at the bottom
OF the list
A rather short but chunky looking IRE
man raised the chain across the wide door
and walked out and down the street
Look at that man. said the chief. How
much smoke do you suppose he can eat?
And Vel there ne is, passed his examination
and on service.
.,Seventv-five per cent for mental callbre
and 2 per cent for physical-that's how
men get into the department: and II We
must have a mental test for firemen-well
Al least II should he the other~way around
-75 per cent of their qualifications being
based on physical fitness and . per cent
on mental A man don't need 10 know the
location Of Timbuctoo 10 be able 10 fight
fire and eat smoke in New York
There are about 20 per cent Of the Old
timers left. and these are the best part Of
the department. The Civil Service puts a
man on the list. and he has to be promoted
XO11 q
make an officer of him and put him in a
good COMPANY You then make a weak
company, and 1 don't care who the officer
is The best men in the department are al
ways At the foot of the list
Where are you going TO get these men"
The Civil Service" the chief answered,
said that I couldn't find them In this city.
] have notified the various truck drivers
associations. and I have been told that
many of the drivers were afraid to en-
deavor to become fremen because Of the
mental examination.
What Fireman Needs.
An that \ man needs when he first be
comes a fireman is to be able to read and
write the English language and understand
orders
Chief Croker's strong criticism Of exist
ing conditions was due to the fatalities and
injuries which had resulted from the fire
early in the morning in a storage ware
house al No: 10 10 lI6 Washington street
In this blaze two fremen were killed. three
were taken from the flames in an uncon-
scious condition and removed TO the hos
pital and score Of others were treated by
ambulance surgeons on the sidewalk
The dead fremen were William Healy.
thirty-fve wears old. Of No. y Stone street
who was attached TO Engine Company 10
and Timothy COtter. thirty years old, OF
No. p Hudson street. who was with En-
CINE Company 6. Those taken to the hos
pital were Edward Doneville of Company
10. John Conrad, Of Company 10, and Louis
Grimm. Of Company s.
Patrolman Mcauliffe. Of the Fulton street
station. saw smoke coming from the fifth
floor OF the building shortly after O'Clock
in tie morning, and turned in alarm.
BY the time the fremen answered the
flames had reached the roof, and a second
alarm was sent in, which brought Chief
Croker
An entrance was forced. and the firemen
found themselves confronted by dense
clouds OF smoke. which grew thicker and
thicker as they ascended the stairs. Among
the first 10 reach the first floor were Healy
reached Deputy Chief Binns. who had by
this time caught up with the leaders. at
once saw that the conditions there were
dangerous. and ordered his men TO fall
back.
Healy and Cotter were too far In advance
10 heed the warning and were overcome.
Their companions. not knowing their fate,
hurried TO the windows and shouted for
help. All we-e in a semi-conscious condi-
ton
Ladders were at once hoisted by those in
the street below. and one by one the
stricken freunen were carried down. As the
physicians who had arrived from the Hud-
son Street Hospital were working over the
men who had been overcome, il was found
that Healy and Cotter were missing
Several fremen then went irto the build
ing 10 search for the missing ones but il
was rot until an hour afterward that the
flames were sufficiently under control TO
enable hem 10 find the bodies on the fourth
floor In the mean time. however. many
Other unconscious fremen were saved from
dealh
Answers Croker's Criticism.
Members Of the Municipal Civil Service
Commission were not inclined 10 take seri-
ously the charges made by Fire Chief
Croker that the deaths Of FIremen Healey
and Cotter at the Washington street blaze
were due 10 the degeneration Of the men
in the department
John &. Mcguire. president OF the com
mission, said the Chiefs criticism showed a
too hasty judgment Of the facts and was
hardly worthy Of serious consideration. He
suggested that the fumes which suffocated
the hremen might have killed men Of much
greater physical strength
II was pointed out that the supply Of
husky truckmen and other physical giants
does not equal the demand At the last
civil Service examination for fremen in
lSe, under the cid commission. an effort
was made 10 get as many applicants as
possible from the ranks Of men Of suppos-
edly stronger physique, with the encourage
nlent that tney need not fear for their
ability TO pass the mental examination