, 1875-02-14
OBJ Gbaago UHibune.
Sunday Morning. February II, 1875.

o"*T1 ~%~~SA~
Sunday Mnrutne. February II. 1875.
TIE FIRE QUESTION.
We print in another pert Of this paper
long and hbored communication hom Mr. {
H. HEDEEsoS, who, rs an active member Q
ons branch Of the Citizens Association, ha
become one OF the most earnest partisans O
Gen. SRA1Eh's costly schemes. We print th,
communication, not because it brings out IN,
new facts, furnishes any new reasons for ad
vocating these expensive Recommendations
Or sheds any new Light upon the subject, but
because Mr. HENDERSON thinks That his sidt
Of the question is entitled to wider hearing
than it has received in our columns The
tone and spirit of the communication relative
to our right Of criticising Gen. SHA1HR will
scarcely mako any new converts to the lat
ters policy. There are other people besides
z4r. HENDERSON who are concerned in the
proposed expenditure Of 81, 200, 600 for new
machines, engine-houses, ETC., and,
though he does not seem to think SO, they
are just as much entitled to their opinion as
be ia entitled TO his opinion Premising only
this much relative to the somewhat supercil-
1ors tone which the writer has adopted. we
only now make The following points on his
cnsustained assertions
!. We zre told that Gen. SHl1Kn WIS
brought here to reorganiza the Fire Depart
fnent, md that he is not called upon to con-
6deF whether tho supply of water is adequate
Or not This is very remarkable statement
On tho same principle, q General called to the
command of routed army has only to rec
ommend doubling up the forces, without any
regard to the arms or ammunition on hand
tr to be procured Gen SHE1Ea thinks there
sre too few engines, and INN mediately sue-
Eesp the expenditure Of 81, zoo, 600 to get
double the number, and in the faca Of The
demonstrated fact that the water-supp1y is
hot sufficient, nor the watar-pipes large
enough, to furnish the engines We have al
ready when there is large fire. TO insist
upon increasing tho number of engines and
znen 100 per cent, TO remain idle when there is
large fire as well a. when thera is no fire, is
simply to double the number of new guns
and new troops when theirs is no ammunition
For tho one and no food for the other. Ithas
been the testimony Of the Fire Department |
and the people at every important fra for
many yeara down to the latest that the water
supply Is never adequate and never equal to
the force Of engines- Now, unless General
commanding IN army is justified in ignoring
the supply Of powder and food, we fail to sea
how Gen SnA1ER3s friends can Justify him in
ignoring the supply Of water, which il the
for guarding fre.
2 Tho recommendation as to the uurchnse
OF chemical machines as made by TIE TRm-
c6K yeara before Gen SHALEs's name was ever
beard in Chicago. It has been repeated from
time to time Is occasion suggested, and is now
pressed again principally because Of the ad-
n1sted iaadequacy Of the water-supply. Gen.
wants the City Of Chicago to spend
s1,oNo,0 COO, principally for machines and ap-
p.utenances that will be useless without
water, and for which water cannot be
furnished until other millions are spent,
ehue 1HE TRmuEE recommends machines
hat do not depend On this supply. Besides
his, tha chemical machines arc much cheaper.
md several can be bought and run for tha |
2z'cs which one steam fze-engine will cost.
lhey are lighter and can be got to the scene
Il the dra moro quickly. There is no time {
ost IN getting up steam+ attaching hose, or {
rating for water that never Gomez Attack ,
ag the fire in ita incipienoy, tho chemical
'ne1ns Il IN tho direction OF prevention, to
Fnch Mr. HEsDxnsoH seems deter1nined tn {
'oy no attention. &
3. The only material reduction suggested t
. Gen. saA1zR from his original recon- /
nendahon is found in the impracticable sue- 1
'eeuon that the city may rent its engine r
'oosea instead Of buying ground and build a
u 'nereon' 10 this We reply as before, that &
oca plan IL mora costly than the other. G
lnee' In the form OF rent, the people will Q
ny hucn more interest than II the nav d
ne1ne-housea were erected by the city on a
money. 1t viii slso be iupossibla II
ana such buildings in proper locations I
no Suitably constructed for engine-houses al
1ee8e amount Of money would be required 3
pus them into proper shape, md the {.
1anges would be dead loss to the citv d
nce it would not Own the BUILDINGS nor tha r,
improvements. =,
{. The original investment Of 1nore than a I c.
4lco dollars to furnish fre-cngiues that | b
mot be used at large fires for want Of suf- al
aent water to supply them will be followed p,
the necessary expenditure Of Gix to eight t.
nared thousand dollars year to maintain s,
{ increased force. Probnbly Gen. sH41xn's tt
ends will say that he has nothing more to ct
with this than he has with the sufficiencv til
tho water-supply end one argument will
as good as the other. Does d good Gencr u
ignore the Limit Of bis count1y's resources2 Il,
l. Where is al this money to coma from ? VT
read md .eroad Mr.. HExpknsoa's areu- tn
ut in vaio for the answer. We shall have IN
ooo, 600, he tails ns, when tho new law il In
saa 70 fscilitate tho collection Of past me
~ Had ~ not bottar unit I'LL Els Inv h MI