Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-07-23
The Chicago journal has the follow.
Ing TO say Of the causes and effects OF
the recent fire in that city:

r - r y p.
The Tribune attributes tho extent Of
the conAsgration Of last night to the
inaammsbie character OF the nest Of
frame rookeries In which IL started
and through whole squares Of which
the flames swept with such unoontrol.
liable iury-it was the tinder-box cause
Of the calamity OF 1871 over again.
On the other hand, the Zymee attributes
The rapid and wide spreading or the
AAmes to the lamentable inefacisncy Of
the Fire Departmsnt--ehe hsad OF the
Department showing himself unequal
TO great emergency, and those under
his command becoming demoraliged 10
consequence. Both these reasons put
together explain the vastuess OF the
coDdagration, but that Of the 1vases
comes nearest hitting the nail squarely
on the head. Il appears utterly in.
excusable that, with the f0rce and the
machinery under their control, the Fire
Marshal and his Asaistants allowed
this 6rs to spread - it did ct the be-
ginning, or to extend over 90 wide an
area. It 10 inexplicable under any
oil1er theory than that Of utter inefi-
cheney. The fire broke ont In the day.
time, IN the vicinity Of engine houses,
and In locality that Was readily
acccssible from every part Of the city,
and where tho, water supply was
abundant There must have been
very bungling Management q the out
set, and al through tho progress OF
tho burning.
A. regards the tinder-box or fire.
trap character of the structures destroy
ed, west Of State street, except % fAF
= & 10 hardship 70 many of tho poor
occupants, nov homeless, the general
sentimen: 10 good riddance TO bad
rubbish" That mass Of small and
Aimsy rookeries have oil along be.n .
6re menace to the entire south side,
and although thsir destruction led TO
the loss Of many valuable buildinGs,
yet the business section OF the city
may well feel thankful that they no
longer exist.
The older Chicago grows, and with
each additional year Of experience II
shall receive, tho moro apparent will
become tie fact that, In the long rom,
no wiser measure can be adopted than
the ertension Of the J9rs-9inits to tie
city limits and that IL, as community
and city, We would be safe in onr
homes and property, We must take the
appointments and centrol Of the Fire
Department of the hands OF the
scaiawsg politicians, and place them
10 the hands Of men who have
sOme higher motive than making
places for political or persousl, pets Of
ard-bummers. The emismanagement
and developments Of the recent fire on
Madison street, which destroyed
Wells extensive boot and shoe house,
prepared the public in . great measure
tor just such Q state Of things % oc-
Cured last night. The entire Fire De-
partment, commencing with the Board
OF Commissioner and ending with
the drivers and pipe-men, should be,
must be, at once and completely reor-
ganized; else Chicago, ths snffering
victim of great fires. must prepare tor
more of these calamities, and perhaps
even greater ones. Itis dino the prop
erty owners OF Chicago were activeiy.
awake 70 their duties TO themselves
and the community In this matter Of
fires and anii-6re protection.
L