Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-12-12
Beccher on tho Boston Fire.

! think may say without any fear
Of contradiction that this fire is not an
accident; it is not an event sprung of
from the great natural law. The city
had Violated certain great natural laws
Was it right to have streets so narrow
that the flames could rcacl, across so ca
sily? People say it>has been 80 three
bundled years, and there has been no
fire. Yes; shcrc arc plants that take
one hundred years to bloom, but they
do bloom every hundred years. There
is a city not far from here that may
learn lesson about this one Of these
days. Was it necessary that buildings
should be caraied up, story upon story,
not rc-pro.f, vast in height; and that
then Il cap should he set upon them,
quick to take fire aud out Of reach OF
tho fircmtn?
Is it wise to lay the foundations of
them solid, to carry up the first story
6re-proof, the second fre.proof-the
third, the fourth, the fifth story all fire.
proof and then put Mausard roof
on top Of all. to take fire and scatter
sparks around the neighborhood? Those
great buildings which are our pride and
admiration, admirable for business pur-
poses, and now, as it proves, although
this was not intended by the arthitect,
admirable for fire But territory is
small and land is valuable j.; and they
cannot afford to build other than mar
now streets. Can they afford to burn
up again? Do you suppose that if the
streets had been broad, vida avenues,
do you suppose if there had been in.
terjected here and there m open square
or some small park, would there have
been any such conaagration =? Do you
not see what contracted lane there
was-a direct provocation and tempta-
tation to fire, with an invitation to the
fre-dcvil sitting on every Mansard root?
If Boston repeats her error now, after
suffering it will be because this FIRE has
been without profit. We also learn
that it is not enough in constructing
public buildings that they should be
made convenient for that business;
there is q lesson in this that every COM
pletc business house should be a FIRE
department 40 well that there should be
such instrumentalities, such hydraulic
cont,ivanccs, that every house should
take care of itself. We have learned
to build hollow walls, how to carry air,
and light, and heat, and water through
all the house, and it is but step be-
You'd this to make every house an en-
sine-housc, and every man fireman,
every building fi:e-proof. or with the
means Of extinguishinS fire. There arc
lessons to be learnt by this fire. In
stead Of asking if God meant to hum
bic Boston. let US look into the future
and see what are the lessons to be learn
cd from such conaagrstion as this
Let US hope that in ten years hence
Boston, that to night mou-ns the cslam-
ity, will give thanks to God Tor the
benefaction. Meanwhile there are some
thoughts that are proper. You should
never see = calamity befall another man
without taking home the consideration
i may bctaIl me. When death knocks
at your neighbours door it may be on
its way to you. When blight desolates
another mans field, it is to teach you
likewise that your own fields may come
t. canker and sorrow. when great Ca
lamities befall other cities, it ought to
warn US that it might befall ours. Mr..
Bcecher concluded with an earnest hope
that the nation would come to tho re.
lief Of the suffering city, and help to
bear its burden.