The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-08

MOI only OO0s us slguluCSucc pcConao "PPsAoAs
in this country, but it will have equal weight
in Europe, as bearing upon certain important
political questions now sgitating both Italy
and France.
More ConHasratiens--R Remarks able Increase
Of Fires.
The fires of Saturday night last, in which the
Roman Catholic Cathedral in Mott street was
entirely destroyed, suggest that oft-recurring
and startling question: Why is it that the fire.
quency and destructiveness Of CONGREGATIONS
have been increasing in such q remarkable
degree? Is 1t for want of vigilance in our
police arrangements, lack of efficiency in our
Fire Department, carelessness in the construc-
ton of buildings, or a growing mania for
incendiarism! Perhaps all Of these causes
contribute their share toward producing this
social phenomenon and that the remedy for
the evil consists in paying closer attention to
all of these matters.
In the first place. the patrol system of our
Metropolitan Police is entirely inefficient In
stead of intrusting to one patrolman the duty
of looking after mile or two of streets, he
should not he required to watch over Q greater
extent than from one street or avenue to the
next street or avenue. In that case there
would be much greater security against fire.
and there would be also proper degree of
protection against burgaries, robberies and
other crimes accompanied with violence.
That is perhaps the first and greatest need Of
the metropolis and its suburbs. With patrol
man on the watch day and night there could
be no delay in reporting the outbreak of fire
and summoning prompt assistance. That would
prevent very large proportion Of fi'es from
attaining any Roadway.
We do not desire to cast any reflection upon
the Fire Department Of this city as at present
organized bit it is somewhat singular that,
instead of the diminution of destructive fires
which had been expected from the change
from the volunteer system to the paid system,
there has been remarkable increase. Where
the fault lies il is not for us to say; but such
an occurrence as the burning OF those poor
families in q tenement house in avenue A
week before last would hardly have taken
place, under similar circumstances, under the
volunteer system. If improvement can be
suggested and made in the discipline, or the
personnel, or the general arrangements Of the
Fire Department Of this city, it is OF the utmost
importance that it should be done speedily
and effectuaily.
Thcprinclpal cause Of the outbreak Of fires
Is undopbtedly the faulty construction Of
houses. The arrangements for artificial heat
ing are generally, almost universally, defective
aud dangerous. Therein lies the origin Of
large proportion OF the fires that take place.
And where pure accident is the cause, where
no foresight could have guarded against it,
then the defect In construction is made mani
fest, either in the very combustible nature Of
the materials used, or in the absence Of means
Of egress for the occupants. We believe there
is department Of our city government whose
duty il is 10 exercise supervision over new
buildings; but, like all the other municipal
duties, there is never any pretence Of execut
ing them. We know of theatres in this city,
recently erected, too, from which there would
be no possible means Of escape for fonr-nfths
Of the audience in case Of sudden danger. It
Is the same with churches and schools, and
factories and other places where large num-
bers Of persons generally congregate. The
tenement houses, however, are those which
particularly require the enforcement Of all the
powers possessed by the City Inspector. The
propretors Of them should really be required
TO take out licenses, and those licenses should
never be granted unless the building came up
fully to the requirements in regard to cleanli-
ness, water accommodations, perfect sewerage
aud means OF safe egress in case Of fire. The
construction Of iron staircases should be i'm
peratiye So far, too, o. those safeguards
ought to be applied 10 private dwellings, they
should be attended to in the erection Of new
buildings. But particularly should all new
edifices for business or public purposes be
rendered absolutely hreproor. No combusti-
BILE material should be nsed in any part Of
their construction. Where wood is now used
for rafters and flooring iron and ground glass
should be substituted. The difference in cost
would soon be more than made up by the
saving Of insurance, while another great oh
ject would be attained in the exclusion OF
destructive vermin.
II is very probable that there has been
Of late an unusual tendency in this coun-
try to commit the crime of arson--iu
some cases TO crafty . feeling of revenge,
and in others to dsfraud insurance companies.
No punishmsnt can be toe severe for the mis-
creant who commits such crime from either
motive. But the misfortune is that II il very
difficult, often impossible, to get such evidence
~ win warrant the conviction Of the criminal
There il no class OF offence which ID 30 seldom
followed BY punishment And really the only
way to guard against incendiarism ia by IN.
creasng the police force so ~ TO have every
portion Of every street thoroughly nAlrolled nj