Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-17
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE.

@S~
The event Of . night has again demonstra-
ted the absolute necessity for some means Of
protection against fire: tOncs again have
We been compelled to witaess. the destruc-
tion o fproperty which could hsve saved BY
= few minutes work with the right sort Of
appliances. Examples Of this nature are
more potent thar all the argument which
can be brought to bear, though they are by
far to expensive to be employed towards
the accomplishment of even 70 beneficial an
object as the purchase of fire apparatus.
This mornings FIRE burned all the material
within its reach and then went out. One
steam engine would have .aved property
Of sufficient value to have paid for the
machine. The next fire which OCCURS may
cause the destruction Of ten times that
amount Of property. We can never tell
when aud where . calamity of this nature is
to end, 80 long as WI remain powerless to
control it. At this mornings fire it was
pretty clearly demonstrated that the talked
of hand machine would have been of little
value. There were plenty of spectators
standing about, yet it was next to an impos-
ability to procure a sufficient number Of
volunteers to man the ropes and
hooks of the fire company. Policemen i'm.
plored and almost threatened, but either
the spirit was unwilling or the flesh was
weak. One can readily imagine what that
crowd would have done with a hand engine,
which requires a change Of men every ten
minutes. Our people do not differ from the
people Of other communities in energen.
ciea of this nature. In this age of steam
and steel and iron, men will not perform
severe manual labor in any other .xigency
than that which threatens their individual
lives or property. We have lived in a com.
munity where it was made a punishable
offence for men to refuse to man the brake.
of a hand machine, and, under that regula'
ton, have seen respectable citizens led of
to Jail for disobeying the orders Of the fir
marshal. All of this awaited nothing i,
the direction Of rendering effective this Ia
boriocs- means for extinguishing fires, ane
the steam engine was finally substituted
This instance We refer to as an example 0
the ineficiency Of the hand engine, which i
just now a ~favorite in the minds of many Q
our citizens. For . few months, until tn
novelty was over, it might answer the pu,
pose intended for it and then become com
paratively valueless. The hand engine re
quires the same expense for hose, cisternf
engine house and hose carts as the steam
engine. The machine itself can be pur
chased for considerably less money
and can be maintained al les
expense. But it seems to us to be q sure,
economy to pay more and procure tia,
which will afford the protection than to nav
less and find ourselves with but little more
protection than ne possessed before the out.
lay. The project of instituting water works
has also been extensively discussed, and the
conclusion has been reached that they will
be just the thing if we can afford the outlay.
Of their efficiency and desirability there
can be no doubt. They furnish absolute fire
protection, and are a convenient and eco
nominal means for furnishing the people
with water for other purposes. The only
question to consider in this connection is
the money outlay and our ability to meesit.
A fire like the one which occurred this
morning brings to the surface all sorts of
suggestions and experiences which will have
their weight in determining the vote to be
cast next week upon the engine project to be
placed before the people. In common with
Others, We give our views.