The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-27
THE BURNING OF RUTLAND.

If Boston is fearfully excited over her
murder record, and her journals go so far
AS to express regret that the popular indig-
nation and the assassin did not meet
together at the nearest amp post, the feel
ing is no lels intense il Rutland over our
fire record, and the popular Indignation is
no more temperate III its expression. We
heard, yesterday morning, staid, respect
able citizens, God fearing, law abiding
men, men who have the confidence of their
fellows and to whom our citizens are wont
to look to for counsel and advice, de,iber-
ately give utterancc 10 the wish that the
incendiary, or incendiaries, who infest our
community, might I've brought forth that
they might then aud there feast their eyes
with the comforting sight of these double
dyed villains dangling from the nearest
post. We doubt not that the popular feel
ing was correctly expressed. We are
law abiding, law respecting people, but our
patience has been tried past all endurance.
For months, incendlarism has been riot in
Rutland, and there seems nc check to it.
We retire to rest at night with our proper
ty and possessions intact, but we are
haunted with the fear that the mOrrow's
sun may rise upon our desolation, upon
Rutland In ashes.
This constant, wearying feeling OF un-
rest, apprehension, danger, is enough to un-
settle even the calmest mind. Is there no
safety? we constantly ask ourselves, and
receive our answer in the fire alarm, iii de-
stroying flames, in ashes. Is it any Won
der. then. that each increasing fire intnnsi
fies the excitement, and incites the com
munity to think, to dare, to do If neces-
sary, anything and everything, lawful or
unlawful, which may tend to rid us of
these terrible pests 1t is fortunate for
Rutland, and we congratulate our fellow
citizens that it SO happened, that these in
cendiares were not detected in the midst
of their crime. We shudder to think of
the ineffaceable stain which might have
rested upon Rutland's name had the oppor-
tunity offered for putting mob law in inl-
mediate force. We believe that, had the
felons been known during the progress OF
the fire, they might have made speedy
acquaintance with eternity. The opportu.
nifty was not presented-let US be thankful
that it was not, but let us, at the same
time, hope that their detection and arres
may be speedy, and that they may receive
mcrited punishment at the hands of thu
accredited ministers of the law.
1t may be, after all, that these fires, ant
the intensity of feeling consequent thereon
are needed by Rutland. We passed through
similar experience some eight years ago
and it required fire after fire to awaken III
from our stupor and arouse US to action
At last we became fully alive to the situa
ton, We acted like men, we provided add
tional means for battling fires, we set il
motion the train which resulted In break
ing up nest of vipers, and in their arrest
trial and consignment to prison. Wit
their incarceration, fires ceased, and we re
Taxed our vigilance, stayed our exerton
and tell back into stupor. We needed to b.
awakened again, and we believe that Rut
land IS once more thoroughly aroused. lie
us remain so-not alone until the presen
danger is passed, but for all future time
With our supply of water rendered ade
quate, with suitable night police force
with greater capacity and efficiency il
our fire apparatus, with increased energ'
and watchfulness on the part of our au
thorites. we may prepare for the imme
diate future, but with the least relaxation
of our vigilance, danger is again invited
We can purchase comparative immunity i
we will-but it will not be secured by &C
tivity now and supineness six months,
year or five years from now. Eterni Wig
lance is the price of safety as well az q
liberty-let us practice it.