THE NEW YORK STATE CONVENTION.

Fifth Annual Meeting ofthe Firemen’s Association of the State of New York.

I Special Correspondence of the NATIONAL FIREMAN’S JOURNAL.]

ITHACA, August 26.

My report of the proceedings of the Fifth Annual Convention of the Firemen’s Association, convened here last week, brought the proceedings down to Wednesday noon. In resuming my report, I desire to premise it by the statement that the Convention is composed of as intelligent a body of men as are usually assembled to represent the interests of the citizens of the State upon any subject; that the delegates arc attentive to their duties; and that both delegates and citizens are full of enthusiasm over the events that are transpiring.

WEDNKSDAY, August 21.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The President called the Convention to order at the appointed time. He announced the following named gentlemen as a Committee on Essays for the ensuing year: Messrs. Skinner, Iialliday, Paddock, Crane and Waldron.

The Committee on Laws reported the amendments passed by the last Legislature relating to the payment of the two per cent tax on insurance companies. [Ihese amendments have been published in the JOURNAL heretofore]

DEATHS OF FIREMEN.

The Committee appointed to report regarding the deaths of Volunteer Firemen, submitted the following :

Resolved, That the death of these true men exemplifies the self-sacrificing spirit of the Volunteer Firemen. Stricken down in the discharge of duty, they deseive to be recognized as martyrs, and while our hearts are heavy with sorrow for their deaths, and we sympathize with bereaved ones, we point with pride to their heroic deaths, as proof that the Firemen of the State of New York, individually, and as a body, do not hesitate to peril life and limb for the common good in the free discharge of their great duties. All honor to those who have so gloriously fallen.

Signed— R. S. CALKINS, R. H. HUNTINGTON, C. R. SKINNER, JOHN J. VANKLEECKEN.

On motion, the report was adopted, and the Secretary was directed to forward copies of it to the friends of the deceased Firemen, and also to the Companies of which they were members.

TOPIC NO. 1.

The following report was adopted :

Your Committee to whom was referred Topic No. 1, viz : “A Fire Company already in existence, having property, becomes incorporated under the law of 1873; complying therewith in every respect, and, among other * r n8s> securing a permit, or consent, in writing, from the Board of Trustees °j D ^ j £e wherein they propose to act, and at the same time filing with said Board an inventory of all property in possession of the Company belonging to the Village, and all property belonging to the Company, neither of which said Board object to ; in case of a dissolution of said Corporation, can the Board of Trustees claim any property not described and set out jn the inventory of the property of said Village filed as aforesaid ?” would respectfully report, That in the,opinion of your Committee, the inventory would have no binding effect, and the ownership woulcTbe a question of fact as to which purchased the property.

Signed-S. L. PADDOCK, H. B. WALDRON, F. M. PRONK, J. GRANT MITCHELL, C. B. JONES.

On motion of Mr. Crane, it was resolved to proceed with the election of officers at 3 o’clock.

TOPIC NO. 11.

The Committee, appointed to consider the Topic, ” How shall Department officers be elected?” reported in the morning, [see JOURNAL oblast week], but the report was rejected, and the matter referred to a new Committee. The following is their report, which was adopted :

We recommend that the Chief Engineer and the Assistant Engineers be selected by the Firemen, subject to the approval of the Board of Aldermen, or Trustees of Villages.

Signed— C. P. SKINNER, Chairman;}. GRANT MITCHELL, 11. B. WALDRON, W. ALEXANDER, SAMUEL S. VAN ETTKN.

TOPIC NO. 2.

The Committte, appointed to consider Topic No. 2, ” Can Fire Departments be properly managed without the aid of Assistant Chiefs?” submitted, the following report, which was adopted :

We, the undersigned, appointed as a Committee upon Topic No. a, would respectfully report that in our judgment no Department is fully complete and duly organized unless it has at least one Assistant, and we would recommend two Assistant Chiefs. The Chief cannot always be present, and even if on hand, always needs the counsel, advice and assistance of Assistant Chiefs to promptly put his Department at work, and to work them as they may be required by circumstances; and in his absence his Department has a tried and experienced officer to t ike command. Without this they are a mob. A Fire Department needs a head and staff of officers as tnucli as a military company. SIGNED-J. H. MORRIS, W. H. MANDKVII.LE, N. H. GILBERT.

TOPIC NO. 6.

Upon this Topic the Committee submitted the following report, which was adopted:

In regard to the subject of ” Chemical Engines and tbeir effic/eni auxiliaries to Fire Departments,” your Committee wish to submit the’foP” lowing: ✓

The efficiency of Chemical Engines, like that of all othpr^apparatus, depends upon local conditions. In connection with large,.Well drilled Departments they have already proved themselves to be powerful assistants, and their use in such localities can no longer lie considered as experimental’ It remains, then, to be decided only as to the question of their value when used in connection with the smaller Volunteer Fire Departments. It is necessary that a Chemical Engine shall arrive at a fire at the earliest possible moment in order to be of any great advantage, and, therefore, the more portable and lighter forms of apparatus are recommended. They possess many marked advantages over those forms of Engine used only for throwing water. They can be handled by a smaller number of men, be quickly put into operation and are always ready for use—that is, if ordinary care is taken of them’ They frequently do away with the necessity of bringing .Steamers and Hand Engines into service, and thus offer a partial solution of that great problem the importance of which every intelligent Fireman must recogniz” How to extinguish fires with a limited amount of water and with the least’damage to the imperilled property ? ” *

In conclusion, we wish to say that, while we consider that no well organized Department is complete without chemical apparatus, we would not for a moment advise its adoption to the exclusion of Steam or Hand Fire Engines. Considering, however, the great number of new inventions and the growing favor in which this style of apparatus is held, we hope that delegates will be careful to use every opportunity for obtaining additional information in thiS direction. We understand that there will be a practical test ofthe so called Zapfleand King Compounds to-morrow, and earnestly request that every delegate should be present,

SIGNED-JOHN YOUNG, THOMAS HAYWOOD, F. S. BENDICT EDGAR A PALMER, H. B, FAY.

TOPIC NO. 4.

Mr. Halliday, Chairman of the Committee on Topic No. 4, ” The enactment by the State Legislature of good and wholesome building laws, to be applied to cities and larger towns, and the importance of said cities and towns having an Inspector of Buildings or some proper person to see that said laws are enforced,” reported as follows^:

Your Committee respectfully report that the enactment by the Legislature of gold and wholesome building laws, and the appointment of Inspectors of Buildings are matters of very great importance to cities and large villages, but your Committee are also of the opinion that the enactment of any such laws for townships is neither necessary nor advisable. There are a great many local laws covering this question and meeting the varying wants of the different localities. But your Committee, after considerable deliberation, arrived at the conclusion that it was not best to recommend any general legislation upon this question at this time.

Signed— S D. HALLIDAY, OLIVER DURFRE, JOHN VAN ARSDALB, ED. H. DUNN, CIIAS. A. BUTMAN.

Mr. Carrier moved to lay the report on the table, arguing that the enactment of building laws for small towns was as necessary as similar laws for large cities. After a brief discussion, Mr. Cartter’s motion prevailed.

* TOPIC NO. 9.

The Committee submitted the following report, which was adopted :

Your Committee, to whom wasreferred Topic No. 9, namely, ” Driven Wells and their feasibility ior fire purposes,” would respectfully report the following : That in our opinion the driven or gang wells for fire purposes are decidedly impractiouble. The Committee think, however, that for certain localities a driven well of a single pipe would be of great value, especially with a piston Engine.

Signed-.}. W. NICHOLSON, S. F. ROCKWELL, IRVING H. PALMER, H. M. LONG.

TOPIC NO. 8.

The report of the Committee upon Topic No. 8, ” What is the Best”kind of Iiose ?” had been looked forward to with much interest, owing to the well known and decidedly expressed opinions upon the subject of some of the members. Two reports were submitted, as follows :

MAJORITY REPORT.

The majority of the Committee on Topic No. 8, ” Which is the Best Kind of Hose?” beg leave to respectfully report as follows : That in their opinion, drawn from a careful and practical consideration of the important subject, the best leather hose is, in every respect, the best hose for all Fire Department purposes.

Your Committee are led to this unbiased view by the follow ing we 11 established facts : That it will last fully three times as long as the best fabric hose ; therefore, being by all odds the most durable and reliable, it will be fdund greatly more economical in the long run; that while it is virtually impossible to properly and reliably repair fabric hose, leather, by a slight expense, can be made entirely serviceable again in the event of a break ; that leather is more easily cared for, not requiring oiling more than twice a year at farthest, and no such danger need be apprehended from rotting as in the case of fabric hose, which is liable to decay by reason of the very nature of rubber ; that leather hose will stand better, continuous, legitimate water pressure at fires than fabric ; that leather is last becoming the standard hose in all efficient and well managed Fire Departments in the country, and is endorsed and recommended by all the best Chief Engineers and other practical Firemen :

Therefore, on the combined score of economy and durability, and believing that it presents the most reliable and approved medium of ex inguishing fires, vour Committee unhesitatingly endorse leather and recommend its trial by Departments now using fabric hose. All of which is respectfully submitted.

SIGNED-R. S. CALKINS, R. T. DICK, THOS.’H. BEAL.

The reading of the report having been concluded, a motion was made to lay it on the table, which prevailed by a small majority.

MINORITY REPORT.

It isjhe desire of the minority of this Committee to be just as conciliatory as possible on the subject of Hose. We are aware that a diversity of opinion exists in regard to tins question, and, as far as our experience goes, we do not undervalue, n r do we wish to enter any objection whatever to leather hose ; yet we arc satvified in our judgment that the matter, when fully taken into consideration inmkHsdetails, and in connection with our own experience, that in many DepartmenNma_well as the ones we represent, fabric hose is just as serviceable and efficient for fire service as leather.

SIGNED-O. N. CRANE, GEORGE M. D. GARDINIER.

On motion, the minority report was laid on the table, by a small majority. There was no discussion on the subject, the motion to lay on the table not being debatable.

THE NEXT ANNUAL CONVENTION.

The hour of 3 o’clock having arrived, the President announced the special order of business, viz: The designation of the place for holding the next Convention, and the election of officers.

Mr. O. N. Crane, Chief of the Canandaigua Department, invited the Association to hold its next annual session at Canandaigua. In doing so, he assured the members of a cordial welcome, but announced that neither he nor the citizens of Canandaigua would attempt to rival the display or enthusiasm which the citizens of Lockport last year, and those of Ithaca this year, had greeted the occasion. The Convention should have a hearty welcome, without the display.

Mr. Crane s remarks were received with applause, and, on motion of -Mr. Calkins, Canandaigua was designated as the next place of meeting.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The election of officers was n^xt proceeded with. A noticeable feature of the event was the enthusiastic‘manner in which Mr. J. B. Fisher, of Jamestown, (whose seat had been contested) endorsed the nomination of Mr. R. N. Marvin, Chief of that Department, for President of the Association. An informal ballot having been taken, the votes were found about equally distributed between Mr. Crane and Mr. Marvin. Mr. Crane withdrew his name, and the Secretary was instructed to cast one ballot for Mr. Marvin. This being done, Mr. Marvin was declared elected.

A Committee of three escorted him to the platform, when he returned thanks in a tew well chosen and earnest words, congratulating ‘the Association on the good work it had already done in elevating the condition of Fireman in this State, and bringing their services into better recognition.

Mr. O. N. Crane was then elected First Vice-President, and Mr. J. Grant Mitchell Second Vice-President. Tiiese gentlemen also returned thanks in well chosen remarks, but want of space prevents our publishing them.

J. M. Crapser was then chosen Recording Secretary, Frank M. Baker, Corresponding Secretary, and S. L. Paddock, Financial Secretary.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

A Committee of five was appointed to select an Executive Committee, and they soon after reported the following names, which were adopted :

G. M. D. GARDINIER . Amsterdam.

C. B. JONES. .Jamestown.

ALMON BOVS. .. I thaca.

N. H. GILBERT. . .Fulton.

E. A. PALMER. . .Cortland.

W. S. NEWMAN. Avon

JOSEPH H. MORRIS . . .Auburn.

W. Alexander.Suspension Bridge.

JOHN VAN ARSDALE. .Canandaigua.

EDWARD If. DUNN. .New Lots. L. I.

FERRIS H. Pronk.Middletown.

C. Burhaus.Kingston.

CHARLES A. BUTMAN ..Buffalo.

H. E. Bundy.Oneonta.

H. W. Mathews.Rochester.

The Executive Committee organized as follows

Officers—Geo. M. Gardinier, Amsterdam, Chairman ; Henry W. Mathews, Rochester, Secretary.

Auditing Committee—Geo. M. Gardinier, Amsterdam; Ferris M. Pronk, Middletown ; W. Alexander Suspension Bridge.

Printing Committee—Henry W. Mathews, Rochester; W. S. Newman, Avon; E. A. Palmer, Cortland; H. E. Bundy, Oneonta; C. B. Jones, Jamestown.

THE RETIRING OFFICERS.

On motion of Mr. Palmeter, Mr. John Hodge, the retiring Pre?!clent, was made a life member of the Association. Mr. Hodge returned thanks in a few well timed remarks, saying that the pressure of his private business had impelled him to decline any official position in the Association this year, but he would do all in his power to promote its interests.

A vote of thanks was passed to the officers serving during the past year, special mention being made of the valuable services rendered by Frank M. Baker, Recording Secretary, and O. N. Crane. Chairman of the Executive Committee.

TOPIC NO. 15. .

The Committee appointed to report upon Topic No. 15, “ The Evil ot Social Visits of Fire Companies, by which Towns are left wholly or partially Unprotected,” reported the following, which was adopted ;

Whereas, It has become the custom for Fire Companies to make frequent social visits to different parts of the State, often taking the whole or a part of their fire apparatus with them, thereby leaving tneir towns wholly or partially unprotected, and endangering them to the ravages of fire; therefore your Committee offer the following resolution as their report to the foregoing Topic.

Resolved, That we do not approve of Companies removing their apparatus and leaving their town unorotected.

Signed— F. W. 1’ALMETER, DOUGLAS PAYNE, JAY B. KLINE, O. D. CRANE.

Mr. Dunn, of New Lots, called attention to the fact that his Department appeared to be precluded from the benefits of the two per cent, tax as, according to the reading of the law, it applied only to cities and incorporated villages. New Lots was simply a town, incorporated under the general laws. He moved that the subject be referred to the Committee of Law and Legislation, which was done.

Almon Boys, Chief of the Ithaca Department, submitted an invitation to the members of the Convention to join in the annual parade of his Department, and said that carriages would be provided for the officers. The invitation was accepted.

TOPIC NO. 17.

The following Topic was submitted for consideration :

“Should a Fire Department composed of 56 men, whose apparatus and facilities for extinguishing fires copsist of one Steamer, one Hand Engine, Hook and Ladder Truck, two Hose Cirts and Water Works, with an abundant supply of water, be all combined in one Company under the command of one Foreman, or should a separate Company be formed for each apparatus, to act independent of each other, but all under the command of one Chief Engineer?”

By a vote of the Convention, it was resolved that there should be as many separate Companies as there were apparatuses.

After some discussion on unimportant subjects, the Convention adjourned till evening.

EVENING SESSION

Most of the delegates having gone to the depot to receive several visiting Companies, no business of importance was brought before the Convention, and an adjournment till Thursday morning was taken.

THURSDAY, August 23.

The Convention having been called to order,

Mr. Crane, of the Executive Committe, reported that there had been three meetings of the Committee during the year; 624 letters had been sent out, 279 postal cards, and 350 circulars. He directed attention to the importance of the duties devolving upon the Committee.

R. D. Wilder, Financial Secretary, reported $50 received for fees, and $78 for dues during the year, making a total of $228, whi.h amount had been turned over to R. N. Huntington, Treasurer of the Association.

THANKS TO ITHACA.

On motion of Mr. J. M. Crapser, the following resolution was adopted :

Resolved, That the sincere thanks of this Convention be and are hereby extended to Chief Engineer Alinon Boys, P’irst and Second Assistant Engineers, the Foreman of each Company, and to the members of the Ithaca Fire Department for their most generous and kindly greeting and very kind attention ; to the ladies and citizens of Ithaca—especially to those who have decorated their private residences and places of business ; and to those who have given a helping hand to erect and decorate the large number of arches on the public avenues, under which so kind an invitation has been extended for this Convention to pass in the line of parade ; also to the Ithaca Journal, Ithaca Democtat, and to the Elmira Gazette, who have taken all pains to report the daily proceedings of our Convention.

On motion of Mr. Stevens, thanks were tendered to the Erie, Delaware & Lackawana, and other railroads that made a reduction in their rates to the delegates to the Convention.

The Treasurer submitted his report as follows: Balance on hand at last report, $411.49; received from Financial Secretary, $338; total receipts, $749.49. Expenditures, as per vouchers, $550.96 ; balance on hand, $198.53.

The following was read and accepted :

To the New York State Firemen s Convention :

Gentlemen—Your Committee, who were directed to invite essays, etc., on subjects relating to the Fire Service, would respectfully request, contributions on Topics relating to our Service, and model plans of organization of Departments and Companies, model forms of by-laws, etc. The same to be sent to S. L. Paddock, Secretary of Committee, Auburn, N. Y.

Signed— CHARLES P. SKINNER, S. P. HALLIDAY, O. N. CRANE, A. B. WALDRON, S. L. PADDOCK.

THE MANUFACTURERS.

In accordance with a resolution adopted, the representatives of fire supplies and apparatus were invited to explain the goods they had on exhibi-

Mr. C. H. Pond, of New York, explained his system of non-interfering Fire Alarm Telegraph.

Dr. J. N. Culbertson, of Buffalo, explained the Bell Telephone and its applicability to the Fire Service.

E. A. Street, of New York, explained the Caswell Improved Hose Coupling.

F. W. Sanborn explained the Chemical Fire Annihilator and the working of the King Compound used in connection with it.

G. W. Wales, of Concord, N. H., explained the advantages of leather

Charles Curtis, of Chelsea, Mass., explained the advantages of the American, or Jacket Cotton Hose.

Mr. J. Heilborn, who had achieved considerable reputation during the week as a singer, was received with great applause, and requested to sing what he had to say about Linen hose. He declined the invitation, but expatiated upon the advantages of rubber-lined linen hose.

The following was adopted :

The undersigned Committee appointed to consider the exhibits of manufacturers, would submit the following resolution :

ResQlved, That the thanks of this Convention are due to the following named manufacturers who have exhibited their goods before the Convention, and also to the agents of these manufacturers who have been at so much pains to explain the nature and value of the goods in their charge.

Signed— CRAPSER, THOMPSON, NEWMAN, YORK, MULLOCK.

Firemen’s shirts and material—C. R. Sherwood, Ithaca, N. Y.

The Providence adjustable hitch—H. E. Chadwick, Providence, R. I.

Noyes hose oiler and tester—Boston, Mass. ; represented by Geo. Norweod.

White Anchor fire hose—Akron, O.

ClevelandTlubber Company fire hose—Cleveland, O.

Eureka Fire Hose Company—New York City.

Regulation hose spanner—John E. Taber, Fall River, Mass.

Fire escape—New York City.

Leather hose, leather buckets and leather play pipes, hose jackets, ladder straps—Darrow & Turner, No. 35 Spruce street, New York City ; represented by F. A. Brown, Ithaca, N. Y.

* Protective Fire Annihilator Company—F. W. Sanborn, New York.

Smith’s hitching apparatus—M. M. Smith. Ithaca, N. Y.

Leather hose—Samuel Eastman, East Concord, N. H.; represented by G. W. Wales.

Combined hose spanner and hook—represented by the patentee, James A. McIntosh, 126 Niagara street Buffalo,

Leggett’s patent variable fire nozzle—Win. Leggett & Co., Middletown, N. Y.

New England Linen Hose Manufacturing Co., Boston, Mass. ; represented by J. Heilborn.

Firemen pictures—Currier & Ives, 115 Nassau street, New York.

Double or Jacket hose—American Fire Hose Co , Chelsea, Mass. ; represented by Chas. Curtis.

System fire alarm telegraph—Barber, Palmer & Jones, Utica, N. Y.

Fire Department equipments and supplies—Anderson & Jones, 199 Grand street, New York.

Case of gold and silver badges—Charles L. Hecox. Seneca Falls, N. Y.

Bell Telephone Co., Boston. Mass.; represented by Dr. J. N. Culbertson, Buffalo, N. Y.

Union Fire Alarm Telegraph Co., 234 Broadway, New York; represented by C. H. Pond, manager.

Caswell Improved Coupling Co., manufacturers of The Automatic Expanded Ring Coupling, The Caswell Improved Coupling, and Fire Department Supplies generally ; represented by E. A. Street, 108 Liberty street, N. Y.

Smoke respirating mask—Neally & Bloomingdale, 56and 58 William street, New York ; represented by E. A. Street, agent.

Dominion fire escape ladder, Montreal, Canada—represented by G. W. Wales, East Concord, N. H.

Hose clamp—W. J. Holleran, Waterloo, N. Y.

The Convention then adjourned to meet at call at Canandaigua.

On leaving the hall, the delegates proceeded to the basement of the build ing where the exhibits of manufacturers were placed, and carefully examined all the goods on exhibition, and listened to the explanations of the agents. The practical working of the two systems of fire alarm were carefully examined, and much interest exhibited in the telephone and all other nppliances.

A CHEMICAL EXHIBITION.

By invitation, many of the delegates proceeded to a vacant lot where Mr. F. W. Sanborn gave an exhibition of fire extinguishment. A large number of empty barrels were piled up and liberally covered with tar and kerosene, A match being applied, a vigorous blaze was soon produced, which Mr. Sanborn proceeded to extinguish with the Fire Annihilator. This is simply a bucket with a small pump attached, which throws the King chemical compound. The wind was blowing briskly, and, as Mr. Sanborn was not used to exhibitions of this character, the fire rather “got away with him.’ He nevertheless showed that the Annihilator is a cheap and ready means for the extinguishment of fires; also that the King compound possesses great virtue in the extinguishment of fires, for wherever it struck the burning pile, the flames were extinguished, and the charred wood only re-ignited under intense heat. Mr. Mathews, of Rochester, taking the last gallon of the compound, showed how successfully it could be used in the hands of an experienced Firemen. While the experiment was a failure, so far as putting out the fire was concerned, enough was demonstrated to show that the failure was due to Mr. Sanborn’s inexperience, rather that to any fault of the Annihilator or the Compound. But Mr. Sanborn made a favorable impression upon all the delegates, who cordially wished him “better luck next time.”

Thus ended the business connected with the Convention. A description of the magnificent parade that occurred in the afternoon will be found in other columns.