, 1874-12-23

4nnnc Comments OF tho Enhtcrn Prcag.
It IL apparently tho custom. cast of tho Allc-
ghanioa. to piece out an editorial page, whenever
master is needed, with atereotyped idiocy Oh tue
subject OF tho dangers Of fro In Chicago. It Is
charitable to suppose that tho writer's Of this
Fort Of stuff are wholly ignorant Of tho facts.
II not thoy arc guilty Of somo stupentlous lying.
No roason Is soon howevor, to doubt their cuul-
plo:o ignorance. Their comments show a Iaoz
OF invention. q stnlencss Of stupidity, and
rohaBhing Of e1-facts TINT became factions years
ago, which forbid onoa accepting tho hypothesis
tint their frghsful bundora are mado for effect.
It is oyidcnt that they DO not know any botter.
Tho
NEW yonK COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER
is tho last sheet to proclaim itB own Ignorance.
1t gravcly remarks thnt tho heart Of Chicago
is now partly occupied by wooden buildings, mad
that tho authorltios really ought to have Inv
passed which should forbid tho oraction OF sramo
sLhtltios IN the business quarter!
It ID intended to tako pity on tho benigited
beings who acribble such stiff and toll them cx-
aetly what the raai condition Of Chicago now ia,
80 fur aa fro affairs nre concerned. II they to-
publish our atatstica they can rely upon 1t tboy
will bo fully up to tho Eastoru standard Of truth
i'll Chicago neWH.
THE PRESENT Law,
which is strictly enforced compois every builder
to construct tho walls Of his louao or uloro Of IL
thioltnegs Of feet Of Htono, :, Of brick, OF
iron, and l OF icc. Tho leo III kept frozen
throughout the warn'est weather by machinery.
Every building in tho city III now surrounded ~
d yard 100 feet wide, which is plaurod thickly
with gigantic troos. Experience haa taught III
TINT traos check flames admirably. EACH build
ltg las cornico composed entirely Of chemical
tlro-oxtiugutnhera. Each oornice is connected by
electricity with the City Hn!l, and it IL the duty
OF Mayor Colvin md Gen. Bhalor to sit there day
aud night in order to turn OIL
4 MILE OF ExT1Ndu1aHEna
In tho noighborhooa Of any fire. Tho foot OF
iron In oysry wall consists Of a sorios of stand
pipes which radate through all tho floors and
partitions Of tho building in such q way that
thirty y-BoYen and one-half different streams can
DO concentrated on any square inch Of floor or
wall. Another section Of tho law, Which IL also
strictly enforced, requires four stonm-hro-en-
ginos to bo located In every block. These on
gines throw Bnoh enormous aud stoady Btroams
Of water that bono of tho GOO t'remen who form
tho complement Of each engine invariably
CLIMB UP ON THE WATER
to the highest stories Of q burning building, and
then slide down tho steady Btream, holding tho
noraons they haye rescued in their arms. 4 very
system prints in tho bedroom Of the most
prominent oitizeu In each block 4 correct de-
ecription Of tho location Of fro. It's nature, and
It's cause, as soon as tho thermometer in the
burning building indcntes heat Of 10 degrceu.
The flush OF lightning which prints tho message
discharges q cannon in front Of tho prominent
residents house. It ia tho p. RS duty
to jump Up at once, road from
which has already nssolnbod (910 reward ia
given to zach OF tho frat twenty mon on tho
ground), and thon load the multitude to tho
scono Of tho alarm. AS tho Pruasan pooplo
form an army, SO tho Chicago people form q fire.
department.
THE wATEE-sUPpLY
of tho city, onco deficient, is simply perfect.
Tho cast sido Of tho city, located cast Of Mcht-
gan nvonuo and Ruah street, is one gigantic rea-
oryoir. It's multitude OF inhabitants, viz.: tho
man Mt tho crib md the mau ut tho lighthouse,
have several squaro miles Of wator apiece with
which to extinguisA fire. From tho city Water
Worha, which now cover 10 square nilcs. 5000
tunnels, each 40 feet in diametor, full Of wator,
ratlato throughout tho city. Their roofs aro
OF iron. A paculiar arrangement Of springs en-
ableY tho authoritios to remove section OF tho
roof and drop any house which il fire directly
into tho tunnel boNoath it. Tho Nicolaon pavo-
nonts which, according to EaHtoru correspond
oItB, spread tho fro OF 1871, layo all been ro-
| moved. Tho streets arc now filled with asbastoa
to 1opth 1t Is inchos. ..
These nro, Of course, only the main features
of tile new systom. Space forbda skatchng tho
unumerablo details. Tho Commercial Adverf'sc1'
can, howovor, rely upon it TINT Chicago is now
fra.proof to nu oxtout which would mako Mo!
shaoh, 6laasaoh, md Abadnego aiek.