The force, at this writing, consists of a Chief Engineer, an Assistant Engineer, ten District Engineers, and five hundred and eighty-seven officers and men. Each Company consists of a Foreman and his Assistant, an Engineer, and nine firemen. Each Company is provided with a house, with appropriate rooms for rest, drill, and study. The basement of the building contains the furnace which keeps the water in the engine hot; the horses are harnessed, and everything ready so that when the signal of a fire is received, ten or fifteen seconds only elapse before the whole company is flying to the scene. These twelve men accomplish with six times the dispatch, and with no noise, insubordination, or theft, what forty but poorly accomplished under the old regime. When on duty they have the right of way, taking precedence of everything, save the U. S. Mail, and their smoking engines go dashing through crowded streets at a fearful pace, but as everybody takes pains to clear the track, few collisions occur. The men undergo the most rigid examination, both physical and moral, before they are admitted, and are only discharged on account of failing health or bad conduct. No nationality, political sentiment, or religious belief is taken into the account; but good moral conduct, tidiness, subordination, and fidelity to duty are always required, and compensated with timely promotions.

The Department has thirty-seven steam-engines, second size, costing four thousand dollars each, and manufactured by the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company of Manchester, New Hampshire. It has also a floating engine which throws several powerful streams, which is used to extinguish fires on the piers, or in vessels anchored in the bay.

The horses, which now number one hundred and fifty-six, are the finest and best-trained in America. They are large, well-formed, fleshy, and perfectly docile. They understand their business as well as the firemen. The sound of the gong puts them on needles until they are fastened to the engine, which they whirl through storm, mud, or snow-banks with a speed which is often surprising.Occasionally an unhappy circumstance occurs. A false step in the haste of departure precipitates a poor fireman near the door of the engine-house, just in time to be crushed by the pondrous wheels of the engine in its rapid exit, and his sorrow-stricken comrades toil on for hours against the raging element, before they have a moment to return and shed a friendly tear over his remains. Sometimes New Yorkers sit down to their breakfast-tables, and glancing at the morning paper, read of an immense fire that has occurred during the night, where several devoted firemen were crushed beneath the falling walls, or went hopelessly down into a sea of flame from the roof or floor of a building, while in discharge of a perilous duty. Sometimes an engine bursts, spreading terror and death on every side. The means of public safety are attended with private toils and woes that would fill volumes.

The signals are now mostly given by telegraph, and few people hear of a fire within a few blocks of their door, until all is over. The police have charge of the order to be observed in the vicinity of a fire; they frequently draw ropes, at a proper distance, inside of which none are allowed but the firemen, and those directly interested. Though the city is, constantly enlarging, the loss by fires is steadily diminishing. In 1866, there were 796 fires, with a loss of $6,428,000. In 1867, there were 873 fires, with a loss of $5,711,000. In, 1868, there were 740 fires, with a loss of $4,342,371; and in 1869, there were 850 fires, with a loss of but $2,626,393. But forty-three of the 850 fires of the last year extended to, adjoining buildings, which gives some idea of the rapidity with which the work of extinction is conducted. The headquarters at 127 Mercer street contain the offices of the Commissioners, Chief Engineer, Secretary, Medical Officer, Telegraph, Bureau of Combustible Materials, and Fireman's Lyceum. The last-named, organized quite recently, now contains a library of over 4,000 volumes, besides many curious engravings, and relics of the Department. Beside the thirty-seven engine-houses, and fifteen truck-houses, the Department has a repair yard in Elizabeth street, where most of its work is now done, a number of hospital stables in Chrystie street, and eleven bell-towers. All fines imposed on firemen, and all imposed on citizens for violating the hatchway and kerosene ordinances, go to the "Fire Department Relief Fund," for the relief of the widows and orphans of firemen.