614 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

elections for chief and assistant engineers, and to return the result thereof to the common council for confirmation, and the exclusive right to issue certificates to firemen; as, also, to nominate the fire wardens of the Eastern District, subject to the confirmation or rejection of the common council.

It also provided for the election, by a convention of two delegates from each company, and one from the board of engineers, five commissioners, to be denominated The Commissioners of the Fire Department of Eastern District. These were duly chosen on the second Tuesday of May, 1857; their duties being in every respect similar to those of the commissioners of the Western District. The first president of the board was Mr. R. H. Harding, who filled the position acceptably for a period of ten years, and on retiring from the board was succeeded by Mr. R. Van Valkenburgh for the three ensuing years. This gentleman resigned from the board in the spring of 1868, since which time Mr. Daniel Donevan has been the presiding officer. The remaining members of the board were Messrs. Robert Murphy, George W. Williams, William Johnson, and Patrick F. Morris.

In 1869, this department, together with that of the Western District, was consolidated in the new paid organization, at which time the force of the Eastern District consisted of seventeen companies, divided into four engine companies, ten hose and three truck companies.

PART VII.

The Metropolitan Boards of Health, of Excise and of Police are alluded to briefly in the annals of the city, for 1857 and 1866.

The Police Board headquarters are at No. 300 Mulberry street, New York, whence orders emanate from four commissioners and a general superintendent. To Brooklyn is assigned one inspector (John S. Folk) and ten captains; and the city is divided into ten precincts, numbered (in continuation of the number of New York city precincts) from 41 to 50, inclusive, with sub-stations for the 43rd and 49th precincts. In addition to the force of 368 employed in these precincts, there is the Atlantic Dock squad, of fourteen, detailed to the protection of that important interest, and paid by the Atlantic Dock Company; and a Sanitary Squad of seven and a sergeant, detailed to execute the orders of the Health Board in Brooklyn. A very interesting and detailed history of all these Brooklyn precincts, and of Brooklyn police matters, generally, was given in a series of articles published in the columns of the Brooklyn Eayle, during November, 1866.