Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments of New York and Brooklyn. . ely warned where the fire is. If he wants to commit plunder, thebells and the engines direct him where to commit depredations, unless he is so unfor-tunate as to be stopped by the police. Judge. Lawrence s Argument. 31 We shall show you that this ringing of the bells can be done away with; that theenormous expense contracted for that purpose is entirely unnecessary. I propose toshow the Committee that this Volunteer Fire Department has one object in view — thatis, the extinguishment of a fire. Thei
Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments of New York and Brooklyn. . ely warned where the fire is. If he wants to commit plunder, thebells and the engines direct him where to commit depredations, unless he is so unfor-tunate as to be stopped by the police. Judge. Lawrence s Argument. 31 We shall show you that this ringing of the bells can be done away with; that theenormous expense contracted for that purpose is entirely unnecessary. I propose toshow the Committee that this Volunteer Fire Department has one object in view — thatis, the extinguishment of a fire. Their duty, they think, consists in throwing as muchwater as they can in all cases. The consequence is that a vast amount of wwasted, and that thousands of dollars worth of property are destroyed by wasuppose that men selected to put out fires would not be so ignorant of their dutiedo that. The city of New York has 125 engine-houses for its 125 machines. three companies have been disbanded, but I assume from the report of thengineer that the number is 125. The average value of the buildings is. Great Fire of 1835. $10,000 each, and assuming it to be $10,000, there is $1,250,000 for houses is much more than is necessary. Again, these houses are used as places of socialgathering. There are a class of firemen who are called bunkers. I would callattention to a document furnished by the chief engineer himself to the CommonCouncil. I will take it up at random. I think I shall be able to show that in almostevery instance a large proportion of the parties who were attached to hose companiesor fire-engines are put down as residing where the house of the company is may be all right and proper. I have no objection that any gentleman shallreside where he pleases, but I know of no right of firemen to reside in a house hiredby the city. Take the case of Washington Hose Company No. 12. I find upon page95 of the report for 1864 (it is dated in August, 1864) that the compa
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