DO WE NEED SAPPERS AND MINERS?

DO WE NEED SAPPERS AND MINERS?

The fire commissioners of this city, says the New York "Sun," have applied to the board of estimate and apportionment for an allowance of $2,000 to be used for the maintenance of a corps of suppers and miners. The Chicago fire demonstrated the need of a corps of firemen instructed and equipped for the demolition by the use of high explosives of buildings in the pathway of a great conflagration. The New York legislature in 1878 enacted a law authorizing the organization of such a force. The law empowered the fire commissioners to form a corps of net more than three members, either officers or private firemen, of each company, who were to be nominated by the chief engineer. The board was to employ a suitable off! eer skilled in the use of explosives, whose duty it was to instruct and drill the corps in the use of explosives, who was to receive an annual salary of $2,000.

I he board of estimate and aportionment a year ago rejected the application of tlx* fire commissioners for this item of appropriation . for the reason, it is generally believed, that they could see no necessity for it. and believed that the money could be more satisfactorily employed elsewhere. Serious differences of opinio^i exist on this point. It is thought by many fire fighters in New York that the danger of a conflagration here requiring the services of sappers and mineis to blow up houses is so remote as to be really out of thequestion. Unlike Chicago, the business portion of New York city is entirely surrounded by water, and the hydrant supply of water is ample for all uses. Again, the city is shielded from any such wind storms as Chicago is subject to from time to time, and thus a lire could hardly secure the start, that it might get in the Windy City, that might be thought to justify the employment. of a corps of sappers and miners there.