, 1876-02-11

Tho New York World has at last had tho
chnlico commended to it's own lirs. After in
d1striously and inccssautly bowling that Chi
cago Is not protected against fire and belit-
Ting nll her efforts in that direction, 1t is
compelled to rocor,l In Its columns tho nar11,-
tive Of fire in TINT city which in four hourB
destroyed over ton times as much property ns
WIS destroyed In Chicago ali Inst year, md
wiped out m entire square of buildings In
tho heart of the city, where it Is to DO pre-
g1,med buildings are as proof against fire as
thoy aro in any other section of New York,
Tho IKoru accompanies its narrative with
some editorial comments. It says: "Tho
absolute waste of human labor and ita gar-
nercd results involved iu such fire as this il
distressing in any place md at amy time"
We can apprcciato this remark in Chicago.
1t applics tho remark thus: ait is particu-
larly distressing in Now York ut this ti1no,
when all industries aro just beginning 10 pick
up from tho prostration in which they hayo
lain since tho beginning Of the reaction from
tho unhealthy stimulation of War times al-
lowed tho real and unrefleomcd waste Of tho
War to make itself felt" Tho application
was thousandfo!l more rointcd.in tho case
OF Chicago, but tho World hns not hatl the
grace to mako It; on tho other hand, has
sought to throw every obstacle In tho wny Of
oar replacing what was lost. Tho Eorhl
also makes 6omo suggestive admissions. It
says: at is very sod TINT in this gonera-
tion of tho world wo should DO forced to find
out how to build lrc-proof buildings by
burning down city, as Chicago, Or oyon tho
best part OF 4 squire, ns in New York Inst
night. It is very certain, however, TINT this
lesson, moro Or less expensive, will bo 3D.
ministerel until wo hayo learned It," So,
then, the buildings Of Now York City aro not
Arc-proof, and ti1oy must have further Arcs
| before they learn the lesson. according to tho
WorM,-an admission which leads M TO In.
quire, If this be thu case, why tho World has
,nalo such fusa about tho character Of tho
! buildings in Chicago. In reading tho &c
count Of the ilro In that paper we find TINT
tho buildings burned quito rs tlercely and
melted away guite ms rapidly as did ours in
the great coni!agratiou, although ours were
exposed to n hcat Infinitely more intense.
Again, says tho World: "There arc too many
dangerous quarters left in Nav York" Can
this bo 30? Why did not the lEorh think OF
this when bolaborlng our dangerous qunrters7
| Once moro, VIC 4noto from the IYorll'
The occurrence Of such fro "a that Of last night,
| undee no iuore dasdyansageous circumstances ttan
thoso attending this enc, u Of itself IN indictment
against tho Fire Department. Tho Indictment Is sn!u-
forced by tho iataccs Which Tho ort report Of the
FIRE gives OF roaso shortcomings which At least
to pont 10 gcuesn! a1ity OF discipline Ia lilo Depart
1ncnt. We ray an indictment; are far from mean.
ug conviction. Uus tho offered by tho ss lssi
uKhtiu al least caso for prompt aud thorough In.
yestisat!on At the hands Of tho proper officers,
We now turn from the World to the Herald
for still more startling statement, in view
Of previous criticisms upon Chicago. The
Herald aays:
Ono Of ta principal for tie rapid destructive
course Of the tla.nes tho positive lack OF suticen
water To fecd tho brought upon The ground
These powerful machines sctually drstned the by
drsns the natural pressure In the mains being nau{
feieut to supply them Tho tsct was apparoas BY th
Of force In tho streams thrown upon The building
aud tho frequent aattsaing Of tho leAdin8 hose lines
ihe lsboriny streams fsiled to i'll thsul- Tbs Fir
Commissioners, who we1o on tho ground frcquently
staed that their nrc1uen hepiaas, becsuAe Of tt
iusuacency Vi water. 1nleed this vogui lack OF sh
ntccssaEy element 10 tztlnguAh ita antagonist u
subject OF comment among insursnoe officials N,
others couye1saus with ths needs Of hs city In iii
respect
Now let III conBide. the admissions Of th
WorM. It has admitted ~ TINT they hay