Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1829-05-23

ted Dean Swift, which shows how the ERgllsh
ministry stood effected towards Ireland in his days,
and lIt they understood taxation pretty well then;
Lady Carteret. wife of the lord lieutenant, IL
Switts lime said TO 10 him, "Thc ar IN this cOun-
Try Is good swift fell down on his knees 10 her
aud said " For Gods sake madam, do not say 50
IN England for if you do, they Will certainly tax
H." The foregoing anecdotc was related 10y tie
witty Frcnchmn 10 Mr.. Sherlock.
We rcceivod the following circular by mail from
Philadelphia Should II be the means ofprevon.
ting loss Of property to any Of our readers, we
shall be fully paid for gylngt apllce in our co.ums.
FIRES
It's probable that there never was an instance
ola simple cheap aud eiicac0us plan of accoplish-
INC an important object, so often rultlessy urged
on the public attention, as the mode of preventing
the extension Off fires by providing sufficient sup
ply of coarse cloths 10 spread over roofs ofhouses
near such as arc in flames.
Procure as many course and thick cloths ofsult
able lengths as will suffice to cover the roofs often
or q dozen houses; rs soon as q fire breaks out
spread them over the roofs of the circumiacont
houses keeping them constantly saturated with
water by means of engines. Two engines would,
in such cases, afford more aifectual protection a.
gainstthe spread offires, than six or eight playing
on the naked roof For however numerous tic
engines may be, aud however groat the quantity
of water they discharge, the roofs, IN five MN
utes after the engines ceease, become as cOubus
able as before they begin. Whereas, a single
engine plying moderately on roofs covered with
cloths would afford protection to the hOnses on
each side Of the flames, however violently they
might rage.
Although this plan would he highly beneficial
every where, it is peculiarly important in places
where water is scarcc, as is Tire case in various
towns and cities ofthe t. States.
So far as regards expense, there cannot be
doubt that the cost ola single engine would pur-
chase cloths enough for the largest city IN The IL
mon; and If this plan were adopted, half the en-
zines now in use would be sufficient.
II might have been supposed that the benefit
derived from the use ola few blankets collected
occasionally from beds IN arresiing the career of
the devourng flames, would have removed all
doubt as to the efficacy Of The cloths IN question:
which would be far superior TO common blankets
as coving at once the entire roofs Of hOues; inde-
pendent OF beng n all times ready 10 be conveyed
10 scenes Of destruction with the engines. have
seen three buildings at the corner ola street, in
NewburypOrt the roofs Of which were covered
with blankets, preserved from injury, while the
houses on both sides were burned TO the ground,
and flames Were frequently blown, by high wind
over the blankets, which were preserved ia a
state OF saturation, and thus arrested the progress
of the flames.
1t appears that from the lst ofJauuary TO the 81
ofDecember, l-2o, there was a hundred and 81
houses injured or totally destroyed by fire IN
Newly ork, the loss estimated at tbe enormous sum
Of s6S0,000. From the sautary effect Of blank
cts used for the purpose 81 preventing tie spread
of fires II is probabeihit the cloths IN question
would have saved tifo thirds, or az least hall of
this sum- bat say ] tenth, or $4,000; whn an
immense saving for so small an expenditure as
would be Necessary To any single Office insur.
ing houses. IL would have been well worth while
to pay niold the sun necessary for the purpose
This plan bias been before the public about 10
years Suppose the annual loss THROUGHOUT the
L. s. TO be only equal 10 that experienced IN New.
York, as stated above from January lst 10 Decem.
Der 3D. 1t would make total Of about S3I OgB OOO
sum not beyond probability when we consider
the great frequency of fres and the extent of the
rayages IN many lnslenes; ~, 40. and 100 houses
Al a tlme Il would be a curious calculation 10
Try 10 ascertain how much Of this loss might have
probably been prevented by the adoption Of the
plain 10 question.
By The recent FIRE in Augusta, Il Is stated that
between three and four hundred houses have been
consumed; half million Of property destroyed
two hundred and fifty families reduced to poverty.
Il Is more than probable Judging from the expert
encc OF the use Of common blankets in preventing
the spread OF hres, that the plan proposed would
have peevented Two thirds Of he desuuctc.
PhisdelPhia April l5,.ls29.