Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1875-03-24
TIE WARNING YE,TERDAY.

THE WAhtNING EAeaSA
We have for several months vainly
endeavored to awaken the people OF
Eureka to the necessity of a more eff
fective Fire Department than we have
at present, but the business me- and
property holders appeared to evince
but little interest in the matter, at least
not to the extent of taking any active
measures for its better organization or
improvement. When talked to sepa-
rately, they would each admit its ne
cessity, and each appeared perfectly
willing for some one else to go ahead,
but no concert of action could be
brought about; and thus the matter has
dragged along up to the present time.
The Hook and Ladder Company, it is
true, has managed to keep up its Or
ganization through the efforts of a few
active members, but the call-roll is
exceedingly small and is compose !
mainly of men possessed of but little
property that the fiery element could
destroy, while large property-holders,
with their thousands upon thousands
at stake, have permitted those few
comparatively disinterested persons to
bear the entire labor and expense of
keeping up this remnant of an organi-
xation for their benefit. AS for the
Hose Company, it has no organization
whatever. There have been during the
past Winter several spa>modic at
tempts to get enough members to-
gether to form a quorum for the cleo
ton of officers and the transaction of
other business, but without succ ass,
and there has been no meeting of the
company for the past six months at
least. 1t is to be hoped that the lesson
OF yesterday morning will have the
effect to awaken our citizens to a real
izing sense of the imperative necessity
of at once adopting some measures
for the better protection OF their prop
erty. Too much praise a not he
awarded the members of both fire
companies for their almost super
human efforts in subduing the flames,
and to them and the citizens who vol
unteered their services, are. the owners
and o~cqipantssof all the wooden build
ings between the southern boundary
OF theburnt district and Clark street,
indebted for the escape of their prop
-.k.v fro.n 1atr,.ntfnn r. 10 ovidanf
however, that their efforts would have
proven futile hut for the fOrtuitous cir
cumstance that not a p%erceptible breath
OF air was stirring at the time. Had
there been a moderate breeze from the
north, with the Roadway the fire had
obtained before the unorganizeG vol
unteer hosemen could bring their APP
paratus to bear upon the flames, the
entire block, with the exception of the
fre-proof buildings, would have been
destroyed, and had a strong wind pre-
vailed the greater portion Of the bust
ness part of the town would doubtless
have been swept away. So calm a
morning Is a rare occurrence here, and
tho chances are heavily against another
fire occurring under such favorable cir
cumstances, and W. hope the event OF
yesterday will be regarded as a warn
ing by our citizens. and that prepare
tons will at once be made to give the
fre-fiend a fitting reception, under
whatever circumstances he may chance
to visit US. The statutes of 1865 en-
power the County Commissioners to
levy q special tax of one-fourth of one
per cent. upon the property OF an un-
incorporated town for fire purposes,
This will be sufficient to furnish all the
additional facilities for successfully
combating a fire that is required. Let
the missioners levy such a tax
let an engine be purchased, and a few
cisterns constructed at different points
on Main street. These, with the APP
paratus already on hand, will be suf
ficient, with the addition of the neces-
sary human power to utilize it. The
latter will be forthcoming whenever
the present burdensome expense at
tsndant upon the members in main
tanning the organization of the COM
panies is removed. There is plenty Of
material here for q frst-class engine
hose, and hook and ladder company
With three such organizations, eacl
with proper apparatus, our town l.
comparatively safe, and if the fire o
yesterday has the effect to bring this
about, although it may fall heavil,
upon q few, it will prove in the end
blessing TO the many.