The Portland daily press., 1874-07-15
The Cnst of Sham.

We all had quite forgotten the Mill River
ca amity not to say tragedy, when the in
quest of the coroner's jury with its charges of
sham and cupidity brought the subject again
to our minds, but as something disagreeable
TO be recalled and possibly that would not
again occur for many years. To be sure, the
sad event, its loss Of life equal to that of a
small battle, its destruction of property and
interruption of production, was the topic OF
conversation for several days at home, in
shop, store and office, but when we were
fully assured that only one hundred and
forty four persons HAD lost their lives, and
the engineers and dam builders had busted
themselves in looking into the soundness OF
their reservoirs, the catastrophe at Mill
River after few weeks time was talked of
as serious accident, and after greater lapse
OF time will be alluded to as an occurrence
something by which to illustrate the uncer-
tainty of life, and the mysterious ways of
Providence.
Aud now we have another reservoir break,
only requiring difference of time at which
the accident took place to add loss of life
w ehC SiOdo WaobC VI Plot;Slby anu NCoodoiou
OF labor in workshops. 1t brings again the
painful impression hat all bodies Of water
retained above manufacturing villages by
dams are possible agents of destruction ac-
cumulated by the owners to overwhelm their
property, and endanger the lives not only of
those they employ, but OF their own families.
Nor are these two reservoir accidents the
only evidences of the cost of sham within the
past few weeks. The other evening, fes-
tive occasion in a large church in flourish
ing interior city in New York was without
moments warning turned into a scene OF
horror and death simply because contractor
or builder had saved few dollars by making
an imperfect truss to support the second floor
of the building The result was that the
hoor gave way and dozen persons were
killed, as many MANNED for life, and hun
dred more or less injured. These are only
the more noticeable costs of sham. Nearly
every issue of the daily paper has its account
OF tie explosion Of a worn-out steam boiler,
the loss of property by fires, which have their
origin in sham building.
As people we claim degree of shrewd-
ness above the average Of the human race
consequently we ought to see by this time
that in the matter of dollars, sham does not
pay, and that the policy of sit will answer
the purpose has not only proved to be the
most extravagant one, but usually the most
calamitous. On the mere ground OF policy.
the construction of brick buildings with thin
walls liable to fall at almost any time, and Of
high and trail wooden blocks in the midst of
populous localities,is the worst possible course
aside from the criminal aspect. More than
any other cause, such buildings have been
productive OF the disastrous fires, which
during the present decade have scourged
cities and desolated villages, not only involv-
ing loss to the builders and insurers, but
serving to double the cost of insurance to
ALL
The latest reservoir accident in Massachu-
sets indicates that instead of proiting by ex-
perience, we are becoming more reckless
The dam Of the lower reservoir, built thirty
years ago, would doubtless Lave stood for a
time longer at least but the one causing the
disaster, the upper reservoir, had been built
but twelve years. We sometimes smile at
what the presens age regards as tie waste of
our fathers in the erection of buildings-at
the thick walls and heavy timber used in
construction ofhouses, bridges, etc, yet the
losses aud casualties of every day prove that
when measured by the standard of wisdom
and economy, we may well study their
models.
The oan 10
large dividends, to reap quick and large re
turns from small investments, too infatuated
by the reckless spirit of speculation, to give
heed to safety or count the fearful cost OF
sham. 1t seems, however, that if we are not
deaf to the lessons of frequently recurring
catastrophes, we should at once conclude
that in any direction, shams do not pay, and
as result seek surer foundations even out
side of dam-building.