, 1879-08-13
THE IKCEND1AR1Es AGAIN At WORK

geation.
THE NCEND1AR1Es AGAIN At WORK.
4 class Of people who. for sothsh pur-
poses, aro willing to subject tho City Of Chi
cago to conslnnt danger from general con-
migration like that Of 1871, aro again at
work, through their agonta III tho Common
Council, to secure eithor radical modiflca+
tion Of tbs present firc-liHits, Or such mn OK
ception under tho nnno OF sheds rs will de-
feat tho aim aud scope Of tho llro-ordinauce.
This sohomo comes mp in soma shape or
other every few months, to poster the honest
and prudent members Of the Council, and to
menace the business men and property
owners Of the city. Tho very suggestion of
departure from the rigid exclusion Of fire.
traps from tho entire territory bounded by
the city limits-a rule which it required the
experience Of two disastrous fireH to ostab-
1;all-is sufficient to creato alarm n,nong all
men who hive property interests ut stake,
and to furnish proto1t for increasing tho
rates Of insurance and otherwise disturbing
business. The Aldermen who agitate those
changes arc public enemies, and 1t Is pity
that; they cannot bo renched by indictment
for conspiring against tho public welfare.
At tho last meeting Of tho Conncil, ono of
the bridgeport Aldermen introduced au Or
dlnanoa which completely revises the exist
ing fire-limits mud excepts from, tue pro-
hibition against erecting framo structures n
large strip Of territory in each division Of tho
city. The districts which it ia titus proposed
to open up to tho occupation OF firo'trapB l,o
at tho weat, and one of them at The south
west, Of those portions Of tho city where tho
most valuable property is looated, and 1t is
from tho west mud southwest that tho pre-.
vsi1ing winds Of this region sweep across tic
city. Heneo tho districts selected for exemp-
ton from tho operation Of tho present fro
restrictions are those in which tho ordinance
should be moHt rigidly enforced. Tho city
Is already in sufficient danger from tho pres
onco Of largo number Of franc ho1,Bcs, set
upon wooden posts, in these worry dstricts,
and the effect Of further exemption would bo
to Increase the, existing danger indefinitely.
All people who do not believe that
ano!her gonoral conAagration would be a
blessing to Ohicago, Ms WINS suggested
by ono or two lunaticz who pnt III an ap.
pearanoa before Wa1onT;s Congressional
Committee, must feel that any now liccnse
for tho erection Of wooden houses In tho
woBtern md southwestern portions OF the
city will be a constant menace to tho public
welfare, md, If ever agreed to. will seriously
impair the growth md bnHinoss enterprise
Of Chicago. There liz no condition nmong
tho Inhabitants Of these districts whiol, d.
tnanda that IN exception DO Inalo In their
case from complying with tho requirements
OF the rroaopt flrc-ordinanco, while all tho
interests OF tho city would DO damaged by
tho proposed exception.
Tho proposition to amend tho building
ordinance 30 ~ 10 allo9 tho erection OF shotle
eighteen feet high anywhere within tho
city limits Ia acnrco'y loss incendtary than
the general design Of changing tho
1rc-lin'its. Tho extension to everybody
Of tho privilege to build so.called
sheds otghteen feet high would bo
tautamouut to universal liconsa for
the construction OF two.story ahanties
TINT might be tsod for residences, or barns,
or shops of every description. Tho afors-
eaid bridgeport Alderman road letter whiol,
purportod to couo from Mayor HAnRtsoa's
superintendent Of buildings, approving OF
The proposition to amend tue present orll-
nance 30 AZ to admit OF tho two.story shan
ties, which would DO 80 many b!ola upon tho
fair appearance ct tho city, and not %
kindling-wood for starting fires IN The moat
central business and residence districts. II
Mr.. HAnRlsos's Superintendent Of Buildings
MI. Enthusiastically wrote any such
letter A. sllis, 1t Is sufficient provocatlon for
tia Mayor to call upon him TO hand In his
resignation, and, iu case OF refusal, to ro.
move him at once. Such lattor would show
KIRKLAND to bo utterly unfit for the plaza
be holaa. lpdood, there has already boe,.
too much license in the erection Of sheds
Under this name, bsrna aro TO DO found
In alley-ways In the business parts Of ths
city which should not 10 permitted to stana
. single dayi It may be, IN somo caaes, TINT
special privileges havs been secured from
tho Council, but we think that, in majority
Of tho cases, tic tlEa-ordinanoo has boon yio-
lated because tho Building Department OF
tho city has eithor neglected its duty or
wiuked at the infraosion. Mayor HAuu1soa
will not uoed his horse and buggy to dis
cover glaing violations Of tlo ordinance,
] and he should provide himself with Super.