Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-12-30


Of the imperative necessity of some or
ganization for the protection OF our vii
lage from fire, all our citizens are aware.
Both papers have urged it in the strong
est terms, and, above all, the disastrous
fire last season taught it III most I'M
mistakable manner. There are few, ii
any, who doubt that, had there been
some efficient organization at the time OF
that fire, the greater portion of the loss
might have been averted. Immediately
after the fire everybody was aroused to
the necessity of something being done to
avoid like calamity, if possible, and
steam hre engines. water-works, fire ex-
tinguishers, were the general topics of
conversation; but we regret to say that
it all ended in talk. 1t is true the vii
lage council expended small sum in
overhauling the village engine, but here
the matter seemed 10 stop. No steps
were taken towards the organization of a
company TO take charge of it and oper-
ate it at the time of a fire. Every citi-
zen seemed to have relapsed into the
same lethargic condition they were in
previous to the fire, apparently thinking
that as the village had escaped so re-
markedly from the devastating flames in
former years, so would it be for all the
future time and thus matters in this re-
gard were allowed to remain until few
weeks ago, when some OF our citizens be-
came again interested in the organization
of fire company. A committee was APP
pointed to canvass the village for signers
To a pledge to become members of such
an organization, and the alacrity with
which such paper was signed. by our
best citizens, the property owners, and
those most interested in the preservation
of our village from loss by fire, was such
as to give the greatest encouragement
that at least something was about to be
accomplished toward the desired end.
Meetings have been held, at which it was
expected that those who had signed the
paper would have been present, but we
regret to say, to judge from the attend
ance upon these meetings, that the in
terest of many of our citizens seemed to
end in attaching their names to the
pledge. This should not be. If there is
to be an efficient organization for cur
protection, those who are most deeply in
terested in the matter must take hold
and work to that end. At the meetings
held. by the few who were present, COM
mittees have been appointed to confer
with the village council in regard to the
organization, and the council have given
every encouragement and seem disposed
to do anything in their power to make
the organization effective, but what is
wanting Is the active coop
Grafton of the property owners of the
village, and especially of those who have
agreed to become members. With this,
there is no doubt but that good and eff
ficient company can be organized and
sustained; without it, very little can be
expected i'm the way of an efficient, active
and live company. There is no telling
how soon the bosom of destruction may
be upon us. AS we have said before, we
should not judge from the immunity in
the past, what to expect in the future.
Every paper that comes to hand contains
accounts ofSome disastrous fire in some
portion Of the state, and it may be that it !
will be our own village that will be next |
visited, and should it come now, what
could be done in our present condition to
check the flames? Now is the time to |
prepare for the emergency. Let us pre-
pare for it in order to be ready in case
we should be visited, and then if we es-
cape any danger, so much the better for
us. Let the interest be kept up while
our citizens are in measure;awake to the
necessities, and do not wait until another
destructive fire occurs to arouse us in a
more effective manner. Let all take hold |
with will, and success is assured. There |
Is no reason why Cheboygan should not
have some organized means to protect
the property of our citizens.