For the first 80 years of the Haverstraw Fire Department, leadership was in the form of 1 Engineer, or Chief, and 2 Assistants, who were duly elected from 3 of the 5 companies. The Machine played a dominate role in early Haverstraw, and firehouses were the center of political life in the village. Politics also played a starring role in the election of officers, who along with the Boss would work hard to get their man in. Reading the newspaper’s of the day, you would see that the department went through periods of intense controversy, including disbanding and re-organizations of companies, though often with the same political plot line. By the 1930’s, Haverstraw was to reform the process, abandon the old and begin an election of 1 Chief Officer from each of the 5 companies, and this tradition stands today.
This story is told by members, both past and present. The chain of events border on folklore in the H.F.D. As with many hotly debated firehouse issues over the years, the story you were taught just depended on what company you belonged to. To some, the lesson learned was of equal representation. To others, it was about time.
This is the story of The Combination.
On February 14, 1859 the New York State Legislature passed an Act which provided for, and regulated the election of a Chief Engineer and two Assistant Engineers of the Fire Department of the Village of Warren in the County of Rockland. Throughout the 19th century, the system of picking Chief Engineers held, and an annual convention became routine to elect a chief and 2 assistants for the following year, with the older more established companies holding sway over the others. The candidates themselves, at times surrounded in controversy, were often at odds with the Board of Engineers over company issues, and often would get the ‘boot’.
By 1900, with 5 companies represented by 3 Engineers, and political clout in the guise of easy assignments and better equipment for the companies involved, politics played a big role in the Department. Back door political maneuverings would find the Chiefs banding together, and of course dissent followed in the companies not represented in the combination. They had good candidates for Chief but couldn’t get enough votes. The first eight years of the 20th century would find General Warren #2, Lady Warren #5, and Relief Hose #3 in control of the combination.
In 1908, the two companies not represented, Rescue #1 and Cosgriff #4 used their influence to swing #2’s their way, and this would last until 1914, when Bernie Fox, the Democratic Party leader in the village, and a member of #5’s would vie for chief. This would set off a another change in the combination that would ultimately bring it down. The year is 1914, and Haverstraw was hosting the Hudson Valley Parade and Convention. Thomas Flynn of #1’s was in step for Chief. Obviously, Bernie Fox wanted to be chief for the big convention and #5’s needed the combination to secure this honor. Through political maneuvering, the combination changed again, with #3’s and #5’s joining #2’s in electing Fox. The big loser was Tom Flynn and The Rescue Hook and Ladder #1.
In 1921, a young man joined General Warren and his name was Charles Fales. He was the step-son of Thomas Flynn, and being that the only thing deeper than politics is family, Smokey never forgot that Flynn got the ‘boot’. Working the ranks of General Warren, serving as Secretary and Captain of the company as well as Village clerk, Smokey was elected in 1930 as 2nd assistant engineer. Smokey was quickly named chairman of the By Law committee and soon had a group of rules up for review. Among them was a rule to allow the Election of a Chief Officer from each of the 5 companies. The matter of equal representation was voted down in committee, with #3’s and #5’s dissenting.
Now, nearly 20 years later, and after 4 years of constant political maneuverings with the Middle Street companies to remain in office, Smokey was elected Chief on April 5th, 1934. For years, General Warren #2 had enough votes for their man, and this year Smokey was no exception. He was to be the last Chief to be elected by The Combination. Meanwhile Relief #3’s and Lady Warren #5’s had nothing to gain and everything to lose in this 1934 election, and went along electing Harry Joachim of Relief Hose #3 and Jack Feeney of Lady Warren #5 for the ensuing year. This was the final election for the Combination.
Meanwhile, both Middle Street companies, #1’s and #4’s, had been out of the combination since Tom Flynn got the boot in 1914. Now, a generation later reform of the system came from within The Combination, and the matter of Equal Representation on the Board of the Haverstraw Fire Department was proposed as a bylaw change to that board.
The Department Minutes show that during the Department re-organizational meeting on April 27, 1934, Smokey proposed an amendment to the By-Laws to allow equal representation to the Board from all five companies. On June 7, 1934 a special meeting of the Board of Chief Engineers was held for the purpose of adopting an amendment to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Haverstraw Fire Department to allow equal representation to the board by allowing election of one Chief Engineer and 4 assistants for the ensuing year. The amendment passed and an election was held that night to elect Chiefs from Rescue #1 and Cosgriff #4. The the close of that meeting the Board consisted of the following:
Charles Fales General Warren #2
Harry Joachim Relief Hose #3
Jack Feeney Lady Warren #5
William Babcock Cosgriff Hose #4
William Pallett Rescue #1
To this day, on the first Thursday after the First Tuesday in the month of April, the Haverstraw Fire Department convenes a Chiefs Convention at 8pm to select 1 Chief and 4 Assistant Chiefs to represent each of the five companies of the Haverstraw Fire Department.
