The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-02-25
THE DAILY HERALD.
ID. McCALEI3, Editor.
Our Agents.

there been another steam fire engine, Us
there should be, We are satisfied that
much valuable property could have been
saved-enough, indeed, to purchase two
or three engines. The thanks of the pro.
perty holders and business men Of Shreve-
port are due to the gallant fremen who
under extraordinary difficulties saved the
city from destruction.
The foregoing, which we clip
from the Shreveport Times Of the
Goth inst, we take as the text ofan
article it 70 our purpose to write to
tho city fathers and citizens of DIAL
las. 1t is but q fragment of the
general report given in that paper
of the fearful fire which occurred
in Shreveport on the 10th inst,
and by which moro than 81 100000
of property was consumed. Had
the authorities of that City taken
time by the forelock and provided
the necessary means for the extin-
guishment of the fire fend, there
would have been no occasion now
for the journals of that place sug-
costing that chad there boon an
other steam fire engine, much val
liable, property could have been
saved--enough, indeed, to pur.
chase two or three steam engints."
They have fire department. in
Shreveport, however, and sufficient
ly strong to render valuable servi-
ces in the protection Of the proper
ty of it's merchants and lords,
and by the heroic labors perform
cd by its members, the city was
saved from perfect and complete
destruction not moro than one
week ago.
! Howwould it BIO with Dallas, should
q fire break out on Elm or Main ST.,
during one Of the heavy north.
ers which not unfrequently prevail
in these regions? Can any math-
ematcian in our city compute how
many mon and blue buckets it
would take to save the best pro-
tected building along either ofthose
streets, taking into consideration
the Trinity river as the only and
most available water facility Mt our
command? Suppose that an inven-
tory Of any Block frcm the cra!ch
field House to the street below III.
G. Hoskins Drug Store was taken,
and at,the most reasonable estimate,
how many steamers with the nee
essary compliment of hose at $4,000
each, would the value Of such block
purchase ? Again how much would
be annually saved to the merchants
on their stocks and to the landlords
on their buildings in the reduced
rates of Insurance, should they go
earnestly TO work and organize and
equip two companies Of fremen
In one year, we venture, the asser-
ton, that the sayingsi in the premi-
ums Of insurance alone, would yield
every dollar necessary to establish
a fire department.. But IL is COM
planned that the city Is in debt, that
its treasury is empty and that it is
entirely unableto provide the means
necessary to suppress the most
frightful and destructive element
on earth. We do not wish to die
tate, but to suggest remedy, and
ask that the live men Of our city
take into consideration the crude
theory in advance and from it di
gest something tangible and feast
bio, and calculated to protect the
great interest of this city from the
ravages of fire which may occur in
our midst at any moment. We
weuld therefore suggest that
meeting of the substantial men O.
the place be called and that this idea
DO discussed and systematized so at
to secure the end sought, viz; That
the city fathers be requested to ado
an additional tax upon the assessed
valuation of the property in oul
city sufficient to raiseSl5, 900, and
that each taxpayer pledge himself
to pay in cash this tax upon de-
mand by the proper officer to col
lect it. No man in onr city would
be required to pay over slOO, anc
this sum, thus expended, would b,