The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-11-10
Fire.PrOOf Cities.

| III upon the pfODleIn now 10 Dullu citics
so as to avoid the recurrence of such q
disaster. 1t is preposterous to suppose
! that, in the nineteenth century, a city
of three hundred thousand inhabitants
with well.organized fire department
and lakeful of water at its doors and
penetrating even its cellars, need be AT
the absolute mercy of COW and kero
sene lamp. The fact. as it appears to
have been, is disgraceful to our ciyiliza
ton. We give no prominence to the
mere cause OF the catastrophe in this
case. Substitute for COW and kerosene
rat and bunch of matches, or any
other "spark which $50 great fire
kindleth." The fame from kerosene is
no more destructive than that frsaT fish
oil-the torch of thc'incendiary amounts
to the same as a defective flue.. Fire in
one form or another, like the poor, is
always with us, and in every form IS
liable at any morhent to burst from seq
vice into danger. The question is how
TO recover the mastery.
The fire at Chicago, like that of Port
land and all other great historic fires,
shows that there is poins beyond which
all subd ling contriYances fail and be.
come utterly power50ss. Engines are
burnt UP, water supplies become IN.
available, fire departments resolve them
selves in TO part Of the distracted,
nerveless and overawed mass of specta-
tors, and ever the blowing up of greet
blocks cannot make a gap to- arrest the
overlapping flames in tie h Gated fur
mace Of the air. AT that stage FIRE proof
buildings become mockery, after, per
haps, having proved most fatal delu-
sion to those Who have sought them for
safety. In Chicago this point CT hope
less effort was quickly reached, in con-
sequence Of Oh wind prevailing at
the time, and the abundant feeders of
the flames supplied on every,hand by
the very constructions of the city. Great
planning mills, with their stores of com.
eustible msteriab acted like receiving
and distributing reservoirs Of FIRE.
Wooden buildings were everywhere
We ICED in tc.pass on the flames as last
as they arrived Wooden pavemepts,
saturated with their ipaanomable~ sub
stances, made river OF fire along! the
ground, echoing to. the rear of that
which the marsard speeded above.
The 6re-fiend to use the reporters
rh sboric-founA himself at home, and
positively welcomed 10 tAe freedom OF
the city. Now the p9int Of general com
sideration is, that what happened in
Chicago may happen N ali our cities if
not on SO extended u scaie, yet with
results sufficiently disastrous 10 make.
the question of precautionary measures
one of the most Yital importance. Port.
lan8 had no Doden pavements, ana,
probably much less than Chicag0's pro
portion of wooden bui,ding5-it was, il,
fact, On average American city IN this
respect, with an unusually good supply
of water in front End rear. And yet il
went the same w3y TO destruction. How
much better would Boston. New York
Or Philadelphia fare under circum-
stances which might combine at any
unforeseen moment? The fires already
suffered in each Cf these cities give
response which is ominous enough.
1t is evident, thea, that whatever inn
movement may be- exhibitedin oIr fire
organizations, our water resources and
other remedial contriyapces, they cam
not wholly cure the detect of the I'M
prcper constructions OF our cities. For
the first, and at every stage OF 5heir
growth. the dangers by ire need to be
kept in mind and provided. Cor by the
municipal authorities The laying out
Of streets, their width and direction,
the nature of the pqxe@entsy the ma
terial, form and Use of the buildings,
should be under wise and intsexible
supervision. The IDEA thai an individual
in crowded city hes right 10 build as
he pleases. is as absurd az that he should
be allowed to discharge tse arms at
pleasure in the streets The common
safety becomes the supreme law, and TO
consult il is-to take the lowest view
the most sensible kind of business ope.
ration, which pays, as~we can now see
plainly enough in the neglect Of 1t by
Chicago. We need not say that the
requirements of this rule will absolutely
demand the disuses of wooden buildings,
within at least we'll defined Limits in the
heart Of each of our cities, and the
use of brick, stone and iron, in the
interior as well as on the outside Of our
buildings, to much greater degree than
has heretofore prevailed anywhere
among MS. In another respect, the con-
aitions of health apd civic beauty will
be found hand III hand with those OF
securi,y-we mean tbs laying out of
ample squares within city limits. La
the little peninsular area of Portland
they thong hit their land was too valua
BILE, and so they had nothing OF the kind
that is, previous to the fire; aow they
are wiser and in Chicago, where thare
was whole prairie at command, the
same woful Lack of foresight was
evinced, an incident perhaps, OF the
greed for profitable city lots. The oonse-
ouence was, there were no natural barri-
ers against the continuous spread ofthe
flames. In our older cities it max now
be difficult to secure this precaution,
except in their still growing sections.
But the younger cities, and the villages
growing into cities, should see to it al
once. The squares should be distributed
in series. in form and size expressly
adapted to afford the best resistance to
the spread of fires, and with some re-
gard to the prevailing winds OF the
locality.
The problem here stated may be
n greater and difficult one, but its solu
| l. nd tVc