Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-20
DAILY 3iennrbet Sournal.
a u G L STA,
WEDNESDAY MORNING, April 40. 1870
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE.

NV L OAs <bN'hAAf - Il fhHs
Along with the account of the almost
total destruction of the village of Medina
In Ohio, comes the statement that the town
was provided with no means for the eX-
tinguishing of fire. Thus the people of
another town have been taught by terri
BILE lesson the fatal neglect of not supply
ing themselves with engines and other
apparatus to stay the ravages of fire. Two
hundred thousand dollars worth of proper
ty is converted to ashes, and how MANY
people are houseless and ruined we do not
know, when fair outlay for engines and
reservoirs would probably have saved near
" the whole. After the havoc is done it
is easy enough to see the neglect Before
the fire came there was no thought of the
need of fire department in that doomed
town, and probably if it was ever men,
toned in town meeting it was voted down
as useless expenditure by the close listed,
managing part of the community, whose
economy consists in saving lat the spigot
and wasting at the bung.' In the long
run it would be difficult to tell which would
cost towns the most, the niggardly policy
of conducting public affairs, or the lavish
and extravagant expenditure of public
money for useless purposes, but if the
books could be fairly balanced we have
no doubt that the former would be shown
the most expensive.
In spite of warnings like this at Medina
which are sent from time to time to demon
strate the danger of making none or poor
preparations against fire, the general rule
all over the country is inadequate arrange
ments, apparatus and organization to pre-
vent confagrations. We venture to say
there is not city or town in this State so
well prepared rs it should be. Some have
engines but insufficient hose and perhaps
no reservoirs, while some have not even
an engine or bucket brigade. On some
day fire occurs in Portland, Augusta, or
Belfast, and after it has destroyed all the
property within its reach and died for want
of something to feed upon, or on account
of some lucky turn Of the wind, we find
that the fire department was unreliable,
the engineer inefficient, the machines out
Of order, a scarcity of hose, or worst of
all, the failure of wells and reservoirs be-
fore the work of arresting the fire was
scarcely begun. After the destruction is
ended, the city or town laid in ashes, it
is plain enough TO be seen what should
have been done to prevent such disaster,
but it is too late then for the city cannot be
reconstructed by regrets or fault finding.
We should think that such scourging only
once would answer for lifetime, but
freedom from heavy fires few years en-
genders carelessness again, and before we
are aware of it we return to the old sense
of security and ways of neglect, and lucky
is it for us if the former lesson is not re-
peated. Men of property should take
more interest in the fire department Gf
there is one) than they do, and its over
sight should always be placed in the most
competent and skillful hands which COM
munities have.
The fire department is not mere thing
Of show and parade. The community de-
pend upon it for protection, and heavy is
the sin of that department if it be found
wanting when the day of trial comes, as
come it may when least expected. Our
cities and towns have responsibility in
the prevention of fires, which we hope
they feel, but fear that in spite of what may
be. said upon the subject they do not re-
alize it as they should. Let them look to
their fire departments, if they have any
and if they have none. then organize at
once.