Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-08-12
The Great Summer Danger.

Inc burning OF hotel at Beach Haven last
Wednesday night will be very apt to make
sojoiners at summer resorts nervous, and
more afraid of fire than ever. And well may it
have that effect. The danger from this source is
greater than most persons suspect, unless they
have carefully considered the subject and coolly
calculated the probabilities OF a fire. in the first
place, and secondly. the chances of escape in
case one should occur. The fact is that most of
these summer hotels are merely vast finder
boxes. constructed with little reference to the
prevention of a cOnfiagration and provided with
few or no means Tor subduing one should it
once get started. The chances are therefore
at least ninety in a hundred that fire breaking
out in a watering place hotel will result i'm the
total destruction Of both building and contents:
and We may add that if the inmates escape with
their lives they may count themselves fortunate,
indeed
How can the matter be helped? IT is hard to
say. From the nature of the case the situation
Is surrounded with difficulties. the number and
Character of which make it almost if not entirely
impossible to provide complete security. Mani
testify the expense of constructing fire-proof
building for hotel to be occupied only two or
three months in the year would be so great and
make the cost of staying in it so high, as to put
that provision entirely out of the question
Neither is it possible to provide in all cases a
supply of water sufficient to amount to anything
In a fight with the flames. There seems to be
left, then, nothing but vigilance and caution.-on
the part of host and guest alike; and these
ought to be exercised always, and in the ex-
tremest degree. No person should ever become
an inmate of one of these mammoth establish
ments for night-or of any hotel, for that mat
ter,-withOut first becoming entirely familiar with
all its stairways, passages and exits, and de-
hberately planning route of escape in case
OF fire or any alarm of danger These precau-
lions should then be supplemented on the part of
the guest with the greatest possible care in the
use of matches, lights and fires. On the other
side, the management of hotel owes it both to
Hseif and TO its customers to use every means
within reach to prevent the occurrence of fire.
"a well as to keep the danger from it within the
smallest limit possible. In this direction GER
tainly nothing should be accepted as an effort in
good faith which does not include the furnishing
OF reliable fire extnguishers, and also plentiful
supply of well-filled water-buckets in every hall
OF the house, together with vgilant watchJ
man on every floor, whose duty 1t should be to
Keep awake and constantly patrol all its passages
the whole night through. These precautions
Vu-he W Vt Ic4ulEeu Dy law OF every MOTEL stu
ated remote from first class means of subduing
serious fire; but. law or no law, proprietors
ought to take them, and the public should make
1t point to studiously and firmly decline TO pa
tronize any house where they are not afforded.
The murder of the Fisher children is the most
shocking crime that has been perpetrated in this
vicinity for long time. 1t was simply the act
OF fiend There is that in little child which
appeals to every sentiment of humanity. Its
very innocence and helpleSsness inspire within
the heart that is not devoid Of every human SEN
sibility feeling of tenderness. 1t was evident
that these two children, scarcely more than
babes. had been killed without proyocation of
any kind. They were incapable of provoking
IN attack. Now, the mystery as to who perpe-
trated the act has been cleared up The old
negro woman. Christina Taylor has confessed
the inhuman, the mOnstrous deed; but the cause
or motive for it remains unexplained. She
does not pretend to assign any reason for the
dendsh act, which, it is easy to believe. must
have been committed under some sudden and
insane impulse. Still, that plea can hardly be
successfully urged in her defence. The murder
ess was sane enough to conceal her guilt as best
she could. and the welfare of society requires
that she should be made to pay the extreme PEN
Atty provided by law for her offence.