The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-06-04

IF guarding against conaagrations, is not
attended to as it should DC. The con-
slant fire items in the columns of our
utter no insignificant warn
ing on this point. While many Of them
occur from malice, by the touch of incen-
diary, multitudes occur from careless
ness in the structure Of buildings, to say
nothing Of a frequent want Of unwatch-
fulness,o over such as are, from their pecu-
liary dangerous business, liable to take
fire.
Especially in such climate as ours,
where the cold mouths out-number the
warm, and where fires, consequently, are
so much and SO long required, do we need
to take special pains with all apparatus
for heating purposes. But particularly
in those manufacturing Embellishments,
where furnaces are kept constantly in
blast, is it needful that the utmost pre-
cautions should be put forth And where,
as is the case with us here in Middlebury,
buildings ola very combustible character,
wooden structures and where material OF
combustible nature are used in them,
are so contiguous as they must necessari-
ly be, in order to avail ourselves OF the
power of water, the most available means
should be within reach, in case fire
should break out. And it is quite i'm
possible to prevent such an occurrence al
ways. There will be, do the best we can,
more or less liability.
But where the facilities are so great
as they are with u.s. to provide means for
the extinguishment of fires, ought we not
to avail ourselves of those facilities, and
put them to such use, as will prove
quite an effectual safeguard against any
very extensive conAagration ?
The late fire threatened such one.
And it was only in consequence ola com.
bination Of circumstances, such as we can
not reasonable expect to occur again, that
the whole business center of our flourish.
ing village was not swept away. 1t was
a warning to us-a most significant warn
ing-and the more so, because tempered
with mercy. Had Providence not fav'
ored us, vain would have been the utmos.
exertions of man. But let us not temp
Providence again. As having beer
thoroughly warned, let us profit by the
warning.
We are glad to note the enterprise
which is to replace at once the papermi
on its old foundations. We doubt not it
proprietors will build and arrange fol
greater security than before. But thu
papermill when rebuilt as we'll as othel
mills will have, do the best can be don'
by way Of prevention in their construc.
ton, arrangement and superintendent,
liability to take fire, even from ordnar,
causes. But we ought to guard agains
the extraordinary, against all causes, 81
far as we may, for great interests are a
stake.
We urge, therefore, upon the proprie
tors Of all these mills, and the villag
authorities and citizens to cooperate, t
place i'll each and all Of them, separate
independent and efficient force.pump
with sufficient of hose, not only for tn
protection of the building in which sue
an engine is placed, but also to be abb
to cooperate in mutual assistance an
defence. 1t is not enough to have on
such machine for lifting the abundan
waters Of the creek, in some one build
ing, for such may be the situation of tn
lire as to prevent its use from the yer
first. But, il all the mills would arrang
to connect such pump with their driv
wheels, by such a mechanical connection
as would render them certain in thei
action, and with hose sufficient to rende
help from mill to mill, and from building
TO building, so that every building i
the immediate vicinity could be imme
dlatcly deluged with water, it woul
seem to be what the business and we ma
add the social economy Of orr village dc
mands.
Let the ounce of prevention be at ono
applied.