New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-12
AMIse of Police and Firemen He
AscribeS to Men Who Have
Lost Their PiCkings.
PRESENTS FIREMEN MEDALS
Ne Does Not Think the Loss of
Life in the Asch Building Was
Preventable, Owing to In
famnable Material.


when Mayor Gaynor pinned upon the
,,opd breasts Of the twenty-five mem
hars of the department who during the
wars 1909 and 1910 had proved at the
,,sk n their own lives their valor and
ora,ive Of their deeds. The two fore
won whose companies best showed the
results Of their discipline and attention
% dutv we're also rewarded appropri-
stely.
In his remarks before the presentations
me Mayor spoke in no uncertain terms
against those who he said were sbus-
try the Fire and Police departments of
,his city 1t seems 70 do their hearts
good" he said. 1T is just what they
are doing now with the Police Depart
rnent.
We have taken away S3.01O00 in
GRAFT which came from the liquor inter
ests Of this city. and We have stopped
as much more from the gambling inter
es.s Those who are losing this graft
have succeeded IN getting some Of the
newspaper which call themselves re-
specta bic 10 aid them.
Msvor Praises Police and Firemen.
But" the Mayor went on 70 say. I'VE
have an honest Police Commissioned and
Sc splendid a body OF men as YOU viii
Ard upon the face OF the earth. our
Fire Department and our Police Depart
r,ert arc not excelled in any city of the
globe have travelled somewhat my
SELF 7 am familiar with a number OF
large cities. and l am perfectly confident
IN wha, am saying about these two de-
uartments.
Fire commissioner Waldo's speech of
introduction was short and to the point
We have the Mayor Of the city of New
York with us this afternoon. he SAID
"to award the official medals of velor
T. IS well known that the firemen OF the
c,tv of New York have always main
,ained the highest traditions of bravery
lovslty and efficiency
L am glad 70 pause in my own work IN
the CITY Hall" said Mayor Gaynor IN
response. TO present medals 10 the brave
men who have rescued others from
death There are many people in city
Ike this who little appreciate what hre-
men and policemen do daily as matter
# course. Nevertheless, though there
he this bravery and general ndeiiVy IN
these two splendid bodies Of men, II
we're 70 read YOU some Of the letters OF
abuse about them which have received
Won would be astonished You woulu
rot believe that people lived in this city
uho could be guilty of such abuse.
msvor Describes Scene Of Fire.
We had a great fire here recently AT
which many deeds Of bravery were oohe'
Unfortunately. there was consideraOie
lose NJ life. but nobody could have pre-
,.arted that. You did what YOU could TO
rrevont II. but it wasn't preventapie' l
took the trouble myself several days ago
On 60 to the building and climb up ten
Giehts Of stairs. The building was nre-
rrooF IL stood the test, but the HOols
,,-a~a devoted TO a certain kind OF manu-
.acture which caused highly infammable
materials 10 be scattered about. II the
rrildinr had not been freproof the loss
of life probably would not have Deen
greater. The loss of life resulted because
such a place was inappropriate Tor sHch
kind Of manufacture
Yet all sorts Of abuse has been heaped
vpou the Fire Department Even
clergyman wrote me that IL was dls-
a~9ceftll that we did not have suitaple
fire appliances. I sent him kindly let
-a~ IN reply. in which l said that ! be-
ra,ed. We had the finest appliances and
-rn enest men so far known in the whole
World and that If he knew any city
where the ladders reached higher and the
hoses threw a stream further l hoped ne
vould confer a favor upon me by writing
me about IL
Scalina Ladder Rescues First
THE rescues made by the medal recip-
,e,ts as described by Deputy Commits
sinner Arthur J. O'Keeffe before each
,resentation. were in some cases thrill
ing i'm the extreme Those effected by
means Of scaling ladders seemed 10 count
highest I'm the eyes OF the firemen them
selves In one of this type Fireman
Richard J Condor, Of Hook and Ladder
Companv 20. brought down Miss Alice
Cullum fror the fifth floor OF burning
building al No. 374 Manhattan avenue
on November II Of last year. The young
-o..t. .~,,o, ,rcre around his neck
while her feet rested on the shoulders Of
Fireman Dennis OShaughnessy. below.
and in this manner the three descended
TO the main ladder. whence II was an
easy matter 10 reach the ground.
O'Shaughnossv also received medal
Another thrilling rescue was performed
at the fire in and about Piers u anu i''
North River last July In connection
Vith this six fremen won their medals
The freboat James Duane, Oh "hich
they all happened 10 be at the time was
nosed into the fearful heat when cries
we're heard coming from the river ana
fuo mon, badly burned and c'inging 10 a
piece Of charrcd timber. were taken from
the water. The men who took part IN
The brave feat We're Deputy chief John
Kanlon, Battalion chief Edward j.
Worth. Foreman John ". Kelly. Fireman
John J. Walsh Fireman William ".
Marek and Pilot Lawrence Healy.
Added 70 the Roll OF Honor.
number Of those who had been res
cued bv the hremon were present 10