, 1873-09-19
WARNINGS OF THE WEsT.9IDE FIRE.

From ono point OF Wow, Wednesdays fire
might be regarded as 4 boneflt to Chicago. Tho
aggregate loss WAS small, though it was unfor-
tuuately distributed among class Of people
who aro poorly prepared to sustain it. But
while wo commisorato their temporary suffer-
ings it cannot bo donied that the welfare Of Chi
cago depends upon the ultimate destruction Of
just such buildings as those destroyed day be-
foro yesterday. It is essential to tho protection
Of tho city from repetition Of tho disaster Of
two years ago TINT tho largo and humorous dis
triots Of franc houses shall be got rid Of, and
It is probably through tho ordeal by
fro that this will in the end DO &C.
comp1shod. So long as tho western and
southwestern portions Of tho city oonaist largely
Of wooden buildings, aud tho prevailing winds
Of Chicago are from tho BANJO directions, tho
moro valuable districts arc in constant peril
Every fro, therefore, Which thins out oonsid-
orablo portion OF this vast tindor-box must DO
considered in tho Light Of benefit to tho city at
largo. Tho community, in ita governing capaci-
ty, may not lay hands upon individual property
and pull it down, nor apply tho brand to it,
ovon though 1t DO constant danger, but
whom destroying eloment comes unbiddou
VIC havo tho right to be thankful that 1t has pro-
parod tue way for better class Of buildings.
aud has ronowod warning which cannot bo inn
pressed too yividly upon the people. THIS is
precisely what tho ualstod atroot aro has done.
Il has suggested soriouH dofoots in tho present
dro~ordinauco. Tho IRE originated In q shed
whoro hay WAS storod. 4 spark from passing
locomotive ignited tho hay and started con-
Migration which might easily have extended as
far as the great FIRE Of 1871. It was not the first
timo that fro had boon started In tho
samo place and tho aamo wsy. Two incipi-
ent con1agrations, originating In tho Same
way, had boon extinguishol by moro good
luck. Yot the warnings were not sufficient.
The fact Is TINT there should haro boen no shed
md no lay at that place. Tho hro.ordinance
should have prohibited it, and tho police should
haye enforced tho prohibition. Tho 1ro-ordi-
nance doos prohibit tho dopositing Of hay, atraw,
Or other oombustible substance within 100 foot
of any dwelling-houso, barn. stnble, or outhouse,
but hero 1t Was allowed to remain within easy
range Of flying sparks from railroad locomotives
incessantly running by the sido Of 1t, Two pro-
ylous but unimporsant ignitions goro not
enough to induce tho authorities to enforce ita
removal,
The preaont fro-ordinance loaycs opcn vida
gap for coullagrationH in tho concession that is
made for building wooden Sheds nithin tho fire.
lilnits. BhedH which hayo root sloping one
way and leaving ono side open may bo con-
Btruotod anywhoro In tho city. Az result OF
this concession, hundreds Of wooden sbols hayo
boon built within tho past two,4e inside the
are-llmits. Every dwolling-house which llas no
barn, and largo proportion Of the smaller re-
tail HtoroB, have wooden shedH Of thia descrip-
tion in tho back yard. 30 long ns tho shod ia
not absolutely closed on all ados and locked up,
1t doos not fall within tho prohibition.
TAko block Of brick houses within
tho t1re-llmits, aud there Ia an inaldo block of
woodan structures lining tho alleys and oyor
ready to soryo as tlro-branda when tho t1amo IL
once s!artod. This section Of tho ordinance
should DO repealed. It should bo tho purpose
ot tho City Government to diminish ~ rapidly