The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-04

When items grow scarce the 'cncrgetic' re
porter putteth on his cyeglass and rusheth
about like hen in II pansy-bcd seeking some
hing to reform Reforms are like rcviyalS and
crusades--very. popular when there isn't any
Thing else to do. Whenever there is big cry Of
reform you can generally depend upon it, the
soft side of the chair has disappeared in the mid
Idle Of the board or the chairs are screwed down
land can't be turned over We have numerous
Performers in Ottawa, who would be always at
work, and the way they branch out with new
projects reminds us of the once celebrated orator
Henley who, for shilling guaranteed to teach
any art san of ordinary skill how to make six
pairs of good shoes day-nay amy number of
pairs day provided there was sutliciency Of
materials. He taught his large audience in this
way: Taking pair of boots and large pair Of
shears he cut Off the tops Of The boots, and be
hold, q pair of shoes, and so on cd htinj'"m.
Lively reform in the making of shoes, that.
The latest reform we have heard of is Il reform
Of the Fire Department of this city The Suggcs-
lions are quite uniquc-havc quite II "fuwin"
odor the "smcll of brine from the ocean, and
| SIGH.
OF course, an animal is needed to draw the new
| hose carriage That suggestion is all right, but
is so selfevidcnt that few words are necessary al
ter the speech Of the TRADER on the subject
which brought the horse that was lost by the
fire at the City lIatl.
But the ntimation that the Department is
lpoor-lacks training, and is inefficient is rdcu-
| Ions TO any who do not draw ON the seat OF Il
Tho only mart pt the
denortmcnt lacking training is the Hook X Lad
der Co., though n company that throw up Il %
foot ladder and send man to the top in ~ sec
opds is not in very bad way. Yes, but the de-
p-pt,nnr. docs not nut out the fires that occur!
Does il not; Let us see. IN the city OF Chicago
is the best FIRE dcpartment--bcSt equipped best
ORGANIZED in the world-thc outcome OF three
fearful screenings. We wish some one wuuiu
toll us how many fires occur in Chicago that do
not "clean out' the interior OF Tie buildings in
which they begin. Is il nIt the policy Of that
department to prevent The spreading of fire in
the first place. End is not the saving Of the
building in witch the fire starts secondary mat.
ter? II certainly Is so, as any one acquainted
With As tactics wen knows. If the original
hr;ding can be saved, well and good, but IN
Zine cases ont of ten the inside burns out. Com
pare that with the record of Ottawa. Thus fan
this year there have been 10 fires in Ottawa. II
only four cases have the buildings been destroy
tcd-thc Scisco house, the Glass Works stray
she'd the City Hall and house on the mornin'
| of the 4th IN either case the best department %
earth could not have saved the building, In al
the other cases only slight or rrmediah'c damag
was sustained II there anywhere Il lettcr rccor
of volunteer department? We would like t
hear from il if there is.
Some people have the idea that the presence {
. fire department ought Of itself 10 be Il preyrr
tive of fire. We suppose it viii when Pandcm'
lnium stands on ice. In the meantime do not il
Ius ride the borrowed horse to death or grow u
the cherric, because the stones are not taken pa