The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-06-30
Fires In Paris

~ Paris enjoys q remarkable immunity from
o. res. Excepting in the case OF one large 1re
Chat occurred some three weeks ago, the Pa
tisian fires are suppressed in the apartments In
!. Which they break out, and cOnhagratlon OF
,eAny size occurs only at long intervals. During
elhe last twenty years the annual M average OF i9ss
9bv fire has been only S164 900. In Paris the
whole number of fremen is only 1850, though
athe city contains 2000. 900 OF people. They are
fpicked, by their own consent, from the army,
and must unite intelligence to activity OF per.
son. They are paraded IN regiments, and
do military training the same as she Ma
tional Guard. For all that relates " fire they
ara % under the control of the Head Of Police; IN
case of war or lnsurrection, the Minister OF
War controls their movements. Their uniform
on fire duty ia dark blue gray jacket and
trousers, shiny brass helmet, and strong
girth, With rings, around the waist. On
parade days they wear dark blue frock coat;
red epaulettes and trimmings. They are paid
nine dollars month, and are furnished IN
everything essential. They have large large
barracks, and then small stations, with
engines, at which they take turns in
doing duty. There is no fire alarm
because there is no need OF one; the men on
watch at the stations are informed of fire by
citizens or policemen, who run to them with
the news, or else it is telegraphed to them.
The fire engines Of Paris, however, are nothing
to compare with those in America. Steam fire
engines are unknown theee, and, strangely
position. The engiGes in use are small affairs,
that hold but few pals full Of water, and are
easily drawn by two men on the run. No i'm
portant change has been made in their con-
siruction in quarter OF century. The hose
companies appear to be as old-fashioned and
inefficient as the engines. for, whenever there
is any considerable fire, the policemen impress
the citizens into line to pass buckets in the old
time style. Yet this apparently inefficient sys-
tenn accompishes the end in Paris Of sup
pressing fires, aud the Parisians are aston
ished at the number and extent OF Ameri-
can f-es. They belleve in prevention rather
than cure and construct their houses 30 that
thew will not burn. Cores spondents say the
immunity from fire in Paris is secured by q
rigid svstem OF building, which has long
ceased to be burdensome to architects and
groprietors, because SO W. wei H. unaersso9d a;tn
.,eesS before it is inhabited, and every de-
parture from fixed rules in subsequent
Changes makes the proprietor suffer heavy
damages in case Of fire. For example,
three-fourths Of the fires or commencement
of fires come from gas, and for this reason
the city does not encourage its use IN houses,
but it lays such taxes and Restrictions as 70
cause it's almost complete banishment from prlf
yate houses. No gas pipe, among other re-
strictions, is ever allowed to be covered up in
the wall or ceiling Of ths..room. Two;thirds OF
its thickness must be exposed to the air, SO
that in case OF an escape of. gas from flaw it
Will come into open air and be discovered at
once. Other regulations are equally usefnl,
and all infringements are punished ine1orably::
The same care is exercised in the building OF
the chimneys and the Kitchens. The foors are
laid with heavy pieces OF oak that wiz mo. ouin,
stead of wood, and nothing Is left 10 hazard.
II is thus that the subject OF fire never enters
into Parisinn calculations as question OF Sc
nous interest.