The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-11-16
WHAT ARE ELkTON'S RELIANCES n
CASE or A SERIOUS FIRE.
SUGGESTION or TWO on THE SUBJECT.

October witnessed an unusual number
of destructive cnuil a.raiinnS through the
country. that in the town ri f. aston being
the most noticeable nue III Maryland. Al
ready the month Of November fnnrs up
twenty nur destructive fires ia diif.tent sc
tons of the States. those oi Pn.adrirhia
aud Cape MAY closing the list with l">ses
amounting 10 three q uarters of a million
dollars. lncendiarlsrn seem 10 be on the
increase. a. investigation shows that a large
proportion of recent fires of iucendlary
origin. Malice or wantonne>s apply the
torch To millions nj property each year,
aud the evil shows ut signs of abatement.
The greatest enemy the owners and the
insurers OF property have Ia fear as the
agent of loss through fire is cndiarism.
In some large towns, already. vigilance
committees have been organized 10 detect
aud punish this crime. But another
fact, equally important, in connection with
the ever present liability that we, a. a com
muuity, are exposed to, is, that the provi-
sIuns made 10y small towns against such
contingencies are totally inads quate and in
many Instances perfectly ridiculous One
fire could not he suppressed until 1t had
gained great Roadway. because the engine
was out of order, and the ample supply Of
water near at hand could not be applied.
Another engine or other engines were use
less, because no water was To be had Elk.
ton is really in both categories. as we shall
presently show. In the first place We in
sist that any provision in the shape of a
fire department in a town, unless it be an
adequate one and be maintained as such,
Is nearly as bad no provision at all.
For Instance of what avail, in the case of
serious lire, would two or even dozen
hand engines, prove, with an Insufficient
quantity of good OF superintendent guam
tity Of worthless hose? Yet the fact is,
that for months, indeed for years past. we
have allowed the cobwebs To accumulate on
our two old town hand engines, with one
half the hose bursted and unfit for use, and
the other half totally inadequate III quantity
tn serve us IN the hour of need. On no one
night, within the last three years, had we
been visited 10y 4 serious fire, under favor
able conditions of wind and weather, would
II have been possible To have exercised any
control over it. On Sunday night. the 4th
of June, 1871, the most serious fire, for
years past, occurred III the business porto
of the town. Nothing bur the courageous
,,t mr. III Il,
ditiou of weather saved us then 4 serious
conilagration, and such as Easten has re-
Gently experienced. The pressing neceS-
sIty of the town is, first, an adequate ma
chInery, and then proper water supply.
both Of which should be provided and main
tanned At such reasonable corporate expense
as is consistent with the public safety. Elk.
ton has not the necessary appliances in the
matter of hose. II is true that the hose
Row provided is being repaired and put in
order, the attention Of Our City Fathers hav-
ing recently been awakened upon the sub
Irct. But at least five hundred feet of ad
titIonal and durable hose is required. which
should he Immediately supplied, with the
~.
In this connection the suggestions recently
made At a town meeting in Easton are ex-
cred.ngly pertinent with reference to the
eater supply. That is another contingency
not now provided for in Elkton. While
an adequate supply Of hose would meet the
emergency of a serious fire located in The
Hollow, the creek being available up To
that point, beyond it there is but lin
tied water supply. The RECOMMENDATION
made at Easton, viz. that a number Of
public wells be sunk. Is good one for Elk
ton. These wells should be covered with
heavy pankiug, and through the covering
OF all of them boxed opening or fire plug
be Ihahc, al which L" ,ii4oIt :. SuctIoh hose.
No pumps are necessary, unless the cit
Z"ns ia section Of the town in which they
are located, in consideration Of their use.
he allowed to furnish them with pumps
la Easton the cost Of each well is only
1910, which would certainly cover the
cost Of each in Elkton. With the two hand
engines sufficiently prov idsd with hose aud
the water supply increased in the eastern
aud northern sections Of the town, but one
other requisite is necessary to secure com
paratively eiclent town lire Department.
volunteer fire company-with a chief Sc
lected by the Town Commissioners. When
the contiguity of the buildings aud bEsi.
ness places in the center Of the town is con-
sldcred, we think the precautions suggested
are sensible and timely, for if some such
more efficient provisions be not made. au
emergency may at any time arise, and our
citizens be comparatively helpless to meet
il. We have not herein indicated the supe-
rIor advantages of a steam lire engine, sim
ply hseiuse its purchase would involve an
expense that might prove burdensnme to
the tax payers Of the town. Next to that
means, however, the recommendations We
make should, in our opinion, be considered
and acted upon by our corporate authori-
ties. We know not al what hour We may
he called To defend our town against that
faithful servant but unruly master fire.
~ Gents driving gloves Ladies driving