Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-01-11


the incumbent Of the imp ,riant Sic ssh - y2a
now hold may. IN tn. ,lr~e 81 hl,nan ese'its.
AM speedily IT, h..m L. ,n,re directly rep m
siblo than he snow II the ''inmense crowd of Cit
zens," to which yea refer n having been pre-
sent at the late fire-a vast majority of whom, It
is currently thought, we're fully impressed with
the belief that thcra was, through some neglect
an insuficieney of water, aud also with the ri
diculous idea that the starting of the pumps
at the river and giving fuller head of water in
the reservoir would have materially affected
the supply of water at the fire.
But do not design entering into a eontro-
yersy with Mr.. Miller. nor shall we attempt to
fling back aught of the ''abslrditie," for which
ho seems To have such special fondness The
Common Council have already properly entered
into investigation of the matter, and in the re-
suit of that investigation may doubtless
cheorfully acqnesce. We designed no wrong 10
Mr.. Miller in remarks Oh Monlay AMI he
must trace TO the spirit of his own article the
tone That pervades this Personally we do not
know him. If we have done him any wrong, we
shall, when advised of it by the result Of tho in
yestigaton ON hand cheeriuy make all necessa-
ry amends but as an officer Of the city he is al
together mistaken if he suppo,es that hi actions
will not be deemed aud treated by the conductors
of this paper as at all times subject to just com
ment however severe.
We are by no moaus indi.posed 10 give the
fullest credenee to any declaration which Mr.
Miller may make on personal knowledge. We
can therefore certainly not deny any fact which
he has 80 stated in reference to the fire plugs aud
the reservoir, rs we have fIOm personal obscr-
walton no assurances to the contrary. What we
stated Monday was the current, and We may say
undisputcd remark at the fire. In fact thai there
cas an nsuflieicney of water at the tire-that ne
of the plugs from some cause could not be worked,
and that owing solely to these causes, at least
four-ifths of the property consumed was des-
troyed, are propositions which presume Mr..
Miller does not deny.
But he says there suflieieney of water
in the reservoir and that the plug nearest the fire
was rendered useless by yioence'-by some
inexperienced person zen the first arrival of the
Hose at the plug" We leave an investigation
of these facts to the committee Of the Com
mon Council promising that it may rroha-
bly, be found that the examination made by Mr.
Miller of the supply of water in the reservoir as
nearly if not quite ieo hours after the fire broke
out and further that the violence" To the
plug, of which he speaks if committed at all,
was done by m old and experienced Ioscman.
A word or two more and we are done with Mr.
Miller for the present. He regards cur remarks
on Monday as an "upoIogy for the Hose Com
pany," and aus b ing from them We beg
leave to assure Mr.. Miller that they were written
without consultation with, or the knowledge of
any member of the Hose Company if h. will
except the author of them
Further-We had stated that "the supply
of water, understand, in the reservoir was en-
tircly insufficient, &c Mr.. Miller positively
contradicts this statcmrnt-nud uncivilly says
it is untrue. He states also that l.e found the
reservoir full 10 the raising main" Wedidnot
make the statement own, and accept the
correction of Mr.. Miller. But the fire broke out
little after three ociock, and, as we have above
stated the Committee of the Common Council
may perhaps ascertain that the examination made
by Mr.. Miller about ttr0 hours after that
time, and when the supply of water was fuller thm
it had been ut any previous time during the fire.
The Committee will doubtless look to it.
Mr.. Miller says stated that the fire plug by
the Noryell House had been out of order eight
or ten days" and expresses desire to low
our informant. He will please observe that we
did not make the statement, but gave it only as
"rcported." Mr.. Miller on enquiry will find that
it areport freely circulated.
In conclusion, we repeat we have never de.
signed ndulging in any unjust remarks towards
Mr.. Miller; and it. after an examination, it is
found that no ''blane' should rest ON himwe shall
without regard to personal relations, most cheer
fully assist in relieving him of undue respon-i-
bihty. The apothegm of Mr.. Miller about man
kinds promptncss to charge their sins others,
shall keep for special guidance, and beg leave
to suggest the same course to him. Like other
persons, he doubtless possesses a small moitie Of
the human nature and other incidental weakness
SEES belonging to 'mankind."