The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-17

are as safe as If placed miles away The
use of the requisite materials renders a
house, shop or store safe from the attack
of fire, unless it may come from the negli-
gence Of some careless Inmate, or the torch
Of the incendiary. Even then, science, in.
yestigatlon and invention have given man
the mastery. The steam, or hand, fire cn-
ginc the fire extinguisher," ETC., if prop
crly and promptly used, renders disas-
trous fire, except III most extraordinary
cases, well nigh impossible. Boston and
Chicago may seem to disprovc this state
ment; but with the class Of buildings,
which We are Informed, have bcen--tbcy
certainly ought TO have bccn--sinco erected
and proper management of the fire depart
ment with, OF course, q sufliciency of en-
gines and other apparatus, such fires would
have been impossible. All these advances
have been made for tho protection Of life
and property, simply because the attention
of Thoughtful men have been directed to
these subjects, and their suggestions more
VI lA77 ANllUN''if htNNl'lltAl dhu lillIlpNNN
upon. There Is another element, frcightcd
With tn equal If not greater amount of
damage, against whose approach no pre-.
cautions are taken. Unlike coal damp"
lightning or fire, It's approach can be con
lidcntly and certainly predicted. At
certain seasons Of the year, its ravagcs arc
as sure as the rising and setting Of the sun.
Why, then, are moi precautions taken so
that It's approach may be prevented, or its
coming shorn of IFS dircful results?
We refer 10 frcshcts, more particularly
those caused Ivy the breaking up of the ice.
Every year NO arc compelled TO record, as
yesterday, its work OF destruction, but it
finds no one prepared TO meet and stay its
ravagcs. Warehouses are built where they
are sure to be dclugcd; goods arc stored
where they must be damaged, il not de-
stroyed; bridges, roads, and railroads are
SO constructed, aud In such places, that
they are swept away as If they were mere
cobwohs. There is no necessity Jor tbs It
may be q matter Of individual concern, but
it is, also, OF public concern. Every dol
lars worth Of property destroyed is loss
to the nation The experience of Holland
shows that these dangers can be guarded
against and prevented. The evecs along
the Mississippi show the same thing. Five
per cent of the amount of property annu-
ally destroyed III the Hudson river would
prevent, II properly expended, any danger
from this breaking up Of the ice. Many an
individual, working for self alone, could so
construct his Warehouses, in Troy or Alba
ny for example, at the sum annually lost,
that he would be safe from inuudation. II
is not for Us to suggest the remedy What
man has done man can do. If man can
guard against the dangers from coal damp,
lightning and fire, can he not, also,
guard against water? Holland answers
that he can. An ice blockade was broken
up in the Connecticut river, year or two
ago, and all danger and damage prevented
by the engineering skill of one man The
same thing can be done again, but that,
alone, will not meet the emergency. What
is wanted is something that shall prevent
the inundaiion Of streets. the destruction of
roads and bridges, the sweeping away of
house and store, and the total loss of prop
erty by that power which every person of
common sense knows is surely coming
We. that is those directly or indirectly in
terested, cannot afford to wait until the
danger stares Us in the face, and then
''al hands turn to" in order to see what
may be saved. We do not take this course
to guard against fire and lightning The
same patient study, investigation and cX-
pertinent will, in our judgment, provide
the remedy for flood as well as fire