Morning Herald

The Late Fire, and the Fire Department.

The destructive fire which we mentioned in yesterday's paper, and which broke out on Monday evening, is the most striking illustration that could possibly be offered for the necessity of an immediate change and re-organization of the Fire Department of this city. The immense destruction of property at this fire, we consider is entirely owing to the voluntary system; which, if possible, ought not to continue another day. On Monday night, the Firemen had two grand balls: one at the Park Theatre, which was poorly attended, and one by No. 1 Company, which was crowded on account of its being the cheaper. And just at the time when they were nearly all occupied in the preparations for these affairs, the city was visited with no less than five fires. one in the first, one in the second district, one at Whitehall, one in Broad street, and one in South street. All these were got under except the one in Front street, and we have too much reason to fear, from the result, that the voluntary firemen were in too great a hurry to get off to one or other of their balls, and that they did not stop to put out the Front street fire effectually. That it was not put out is too evident from the fact that it broke out again in the night, and destroyed all the property in the store, the store itself, and the houses named hereinafter.

The large store built by Thomas H. Smith, at a cost of $100,000. It was the finest building in the city, and was occupied by I. J. Hicks, as a storage depository, and was filled with merchandise, including the cargoes of the ships Nantasket and Covington including 2,727 chests of tea, 3,512 half chests, and 6,583 boxes of tea. Besides this 200 barrels of flour, and a quantity of cotton, silks, hemps, wines, brandies, &c. were destroyed. About 200 boxes of teas were saved.

The next building adjoining on Front street, No. 261, was used as a public store. A portion at least of the goods was saved from this store.

No. 259 Front street, also occupied by I. J. Hicks as a storage warehouse.

No. 257 Front street, corner of Dover street, occupied by Eggleston and Battelle, dealers in iron—There appeared to be a large stock in the store, very little of which could have been saved.

On South street the following buildings were entirely destroyed.

No. 162, corner of Dover street, occupied by E. Dayton & Co. ship chandlers, a block maker, and H. Dougherty, sail maker. A part of the stock of Messrs. Dayton was saved, and we understand that they were insured.

No. 163, occupied by John Gilmartin, grocer, and others.

No. 154, where the fire originated, occupied by Jesse P. Forker & Co as a junk store.

No. 165 and 166 composed the South street front of the Thomas H. Smith store.

No. 167, occupied by Thompson & Coffin, grocers, and others, appears to have been slightly damaged.

The large store belonged to P. Lorillard, and was probably insured. The remaining six were owned, we believe, by Joshua Jones.

It has been ascertained that at least $350,000 of the property burnt has been insured in this city, and $190,000 in Boston; and $150,000 in Baltimore; and it is supposed that property at least to the amount of $250,000 has been destroyed. $600,000 worth of tea was owned by Henry Oxnard, of Boston.

This fire is one of the most destructive that we have had since the great fire of 1835, and we consider the immense amount of property destroyed as owing principally to the circumstance of the balls being given on this night, and to the volunteer system—One engine, No. 32, worked remarkably well, but we did not see that energy exhibited that we have seen at former fires. There were too many boys dragging the engines, and not enough firemen. Where were they? And had those who did the work, put out the fire properly at the time they left in the first instance, two millions of property would have been saved. They were in too great a hurry to get off; and they came near burning up a whole block.

Let us, therefore, after this, have the Fire Department re-organized, on the paid plan. Let us have a sufficient number of able-bodied men, well paid, whose sole business it shall be to attend to fires; and then we shall have only one fire where we now have five; and one dollar's worth of property burnt up where we now have a thousand. This is the only way to reach the evil.

Equitable	30,000 Fireman's	4,600
Manhattan,	15,000 Safety	40,000
8th Ward,	13,000 Charleston Co.	15,000
Georgia,	6,000 Boston	190,000
Baltimore,	150,000	$700,600

Hudson,	7000 Merchants,	325,100
New York,	22,000 Mutual,	13,000
Trust,	13,000 Guardian,	15,000
Etna,	14,600 Williamsburg,	4,000
United States,	27,000 Contributionship,	16,000
Howard,	4,800 City,	23,000
Efferson,	14,000 Eagle,	21,000