The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-11-27
About the Fifr.

Hessrs. Editors Some Of these days
If we are not careful message will be
flying over the tclegraphic wires Of the
west announcing that 1.-The Furnishing
town Of McGRRGoR is in ashes" The men
Of this little city about that time vii. be
sitting on the sides or tops Of the bluffs
which enwall our location, surrounded BY
their wives and children and possibly few
pairs Of beu quilts and old boots which
they have saved from the wreck, looking
agonizingly into the ashes to see il they
can discover any remains of the fortune
they possessed the day before. The re-
mains they will doubtless see; the wives
and babies will weep over the criminal neg
Iect of the husbands, fathers and bachelors
OF the place, and then those who thought
they had "a good start in life" will be set
back ten or twenty years to begin anew
the toll which they fattered themselves was
never more to be endured.
The burning Of little * Q stable, on
Friday night last, called out 500 men to
arrest the flames. The cry of Fire ~ is
terrifying in any town or city, but there is
probably no place where the alarm is great.
err than at McGregor. Our town is so sit.
mted and Of such material that when it
gets ready to burn there will be but little
chance to save it.. We have no engine, no
hook and ladder company, no buckets, no
hose, no reservoirs, no organization, no
anything Providence or Fate has thus far
preserved us from destruction. We should
feel very grateful for past favors but really
our neglect is such that We ought to be
ashamed to ask for future exemption. We
pay extra insurance because of our want
of facilities to C, ntrol fire; we sleep in
continual hazard We now and then receive
a frightful warning and yet We 60 on as
careless as though we were oil Universal
lists and did not fear burning here or here
after. The Times. to my certain knowledge,
has brought this subject before the people.
monthly, for the last five years and ,,t
nothing is done. Everybody says "What
fools we are to live in this unsafe manner
and everybody keeps on in the old way
paying no attention to anything but trade
and dicker, extensive Fourth Of July dem
onstrations, &C., &c.
But enough of this subject GEO. NJ.
COLGATE q beg his pardon for launching
his name unasked before the public can
gre COMMITTEES Of citizens or "any other
man. all the figures as to cost of engine.
the expense of machinery for hook and
ladder company &C., &c. Mr.. c. had sup
piled himself with facts relating 20 this
matter, and unless he has forgotten what
he knew year ago his advice to the town
council will b. very valuable. The County
Supervisors have lifted the war debt from
our Corporation--lrt us put a Fire Protec
ton debt in its place! If We have not en-
terprzc sufficient to back up the Council in
this work We should 60 at once to an In
surance office and make ourselves safe and
get ready TO see the town burn.
\ little sitter wind ON Friday night las,
would have blotted McGrcgor out from
PearSall's Livery Stable to ,he river. Shall
we permit the burning Of a $40 stable to
again menace hundreds of thousands of
dollars of property and threaten the all of |
hundreds of our citizens?