, 1874-08-16


| 10 the Editor " Tie Chlcago tribune:
| 61R: l wish to call the attention Of those
| your readers who witnessed your late conf1agra
ton to few important considerations. Whe
tho fire lad become contlagration, hundreds o
buildings were burning, aud the heat from then
waa setting fire to the 1idcs of wooden building
and the exposed portions OF wood on the brcl
buildings, or away on distant roofs new fire.
sprung into existence from burning brands upo1
them; while every engine was either at work a
the maiu fire or taking new positions after the.
were forced by the fire to retreat, do You no
now perceive how efficient few hundred of th
small engines would have been? On tht
exposed portions Of each wooden house, On eacl
piece Of ornamental wood Of bricx houses. ane
on their windows, continuous stream Of watel
would have been playing, directed from the in
side of the building back upon its heated o.
burning wood. Not one building Of the many
such burned would have gone On setting new
tires, with such Il defense. Upon the roofs, too
every spark, burning brand, ETC. wond. bayf
been flooded tho moment It FELL, thus leaving the
great engines only the work of fighting the malr
ire, which they would have soon conquered.
Again: IN 50 large city as Chicago, and in q
gale OF wiud, it Is not unlikely that . hIa may
occur in another location Willie every engine is
system OF large aud small engines such diBas-
ter could hardly occur, for the small engines
would never be taken frs'n one locality to
another. and there would always be at 1and,
this second forco which, niue times out Of tell,
would dash out the fire or hold it until steamer
could be sent for.
Tint this Inst fire would have been prevented Is
certain But il it had not bean discovered until
TOO large for the small engines to cops With,
that they would have prevented the spread Of
fires by playing back upon tho heated ortious
OF exposed places, is certain. THIS efficient
help would bnye insured the SUCCESS OF the
united system Of large aud small engines and
tue coutlagratlon would hare been cut down to
small tire. Not one building Oh the east side
OF Wabash avenue would hnye been lost. How
easy with one Of them to have protected the
splendid mansion WHICH was, when soeu, only Oh
tlre in the attic. How easy TO have Kept the
woodwork from burning OH tho church on the
same side.
How ridiculous to hare but ono string to
bow the one failing, all il lost, white With two
or more, success would be almost certain. What
hope would all army with only batteries hare of
deteating all equal amount Of men armed with
batteries, Infantry, and cavalry? just tho same
chance is there that your ono idea department.
no mattar how earnest every man may be, and
how perfect every engine, eau compete with your
crowded wooded buildings and your monstrous
warehouses. in the Mgn winds which 10 often
prevail III your citv.
The great conaagrations Of your city have
frightened tue busi,lass people OF all cities and
large town. Adopt this system by which ali
fires will be efficiently attacked i'll moment
after discovery, aud if the FIRE had progressed 20
far thai they or the large engines could not pre-
vent the first building from burning. then every
exposed place on every o1ler building would be
held safo by the small streams, while With
the M large ones pouring rivers o. water
one location instead Of becoming river VI fire.
Tie ''doonael city would thus not only instre
its own safete, but would teach all other cit4es
low to be safely and cheaply protected
One other idea- Some may suppose that the
expense o! the ongi>1en is to he enor1nous. So
az 11om TINT, I tell you that before you can
lavo expended 100000 over the city Q2,0o0
.ugiues), the future cost Of which would not be
2iU. 900 Der annum, the rate Of insurance Will
lave fallen more than 81, ,0Uo,00 per aunnn.
josEPd BIRD.
BosToE, Aug. II, 1874,