:- -      CHAPTER VI.

F. C   A.  .VDMINISTR.VTION—FIRST DECADE,  18.56   to   ISO.i.

The Contr.mt Svste.m Begun—Improvement of Api'.\R.\rus—J.\( kson
Statue Cflerr.vtion—Twenty-First Anniversary, 185S—Prksknta-
TioN TO President ]\L\rks—First Steam Engine In rRoDucED—F.\tal
FiRE.s—Fire Alarm Telegraph Installed, 1859—Second Contr.vct
Adjudig.vted to the Assogi.vtion, i860—Clay St.vti-e Celedr.vtion—
The War ,\nd the Fire Dep.vrt.ment—The Fire Bkioade—F\)urth
OF M.vrch Par.vde Suspended—Ffdkk.vl Occupation of New Orleans
—Ben Butler and President M.\rks—Neutrality   of  the   Firemen

ARR.VNGED—A    GoXERNMENT    W'.VREIIOUSE    S.WED—F4rE.MI:N   KXE.MPTED

from   Federal   Draft—Fourth   of   Margit   Parade Ri;su,mkii, 1865—
Resume of the First Decade of Contract Syste.m.

[XDER the direction and control of the Firemen's Charitable
Association, the affairs of the fire department started off in
promising shape with the beginning of 1856. Mr. Marks'
inaugural address on again assuming the presidenc)- struck the
ke)'note for the department, and bespoke that careful discharge of the
obligations assumed towards the city and that rigid scrutiny of expendi¬
tures on internal relief, which it afterwards became so frequently nec¬
essary for him to renew, as the reckless enthusiasm of the delegates ran
the Association beyond its means. Had President Marks' advice been
followed from the start, there would have been a record made by the
new department even more glorious than that we have to describe, and
many difficulties which arose later would never have confronted the
Association-, and even its career might have been prolonged.

The payment to the companies of appropriations from the contract
money received from the city dated from the day of the contract, Dec.
15,   1855, and  these  funds were  applied at once to  the rehabilitation of