Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-28

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such CalaIntlSs as that OF the burning of the
opera house al Nice, aud the destruction OF hu-
man lire attending 1t. never fail to awaken In
The public mind feeling Of apprehension OF a
repetition OF such fSightful scenes. This appre.
hensiOn takes possession OF localities and espe-
ciai!y Of cities containing large buildings for
The purposes OF amusement, worship or other
public gatherings. The misfortune Is that the
feeling OF dread and the impression OF the ne
cesslty Of providing for the safety of the com
munlty. usually dies out before any great
amount of good is accomplished. 1t has been
officially announced In Baltimore that In thirty
Of the public schools OF that city. the only
means OF egress from the second story is by
single stairway, and In some cases very mar
row stairway: also, that IN these upper story
school rooms as many as three hundrc1 Chi
hren. many OF them little girls, usually wear
Ing clothing OF tBH lmInable material, are
gathered daily for the purposes OF instruction
In the event OF fire breaking ont, say In the
basement OF one OF these buildings, and getting
any Roadway before those In the upper story
are aware OF 10. how would It be possible TO
save all the three hundred little ones? IL Is
possible and practicable to take that pumber
from the upper windows by means OF ladders
and fire escapes, out to successfully save them
al II would be necessary for them to exercise
self control not TO be expected from grown per.
sons 10 Is quite likely that the public school
buildings Ia other cities are, In the average. In
no better condition for the rescue OF
1he pupils and teachers In case OF fire
Than those OF Baltimore. Il has been
found TO De Iext to impossible In this
country 70 enforce laws requiring all public
buildings 20 be amply provided with means
of egress- The disastrous Southern Hotel fire
In ST. Louis, several years ago, admonished all
fs1 ff 4aon fg ha
The same disaster threatened them nightly,
state laws and municipal ordinances were en-.
acted in almost every city Of any ste, requiring
hotels, theaters, churches, public halls, etc.. to
De- at once supplied with fire escapes and also
with the best known means of extinguishing
lnciplent ires as well as OF preventing the rapid
spread OF the flames after 1t was found impoSsi-
Die TO suppress them. AS rule these require
mentS were either ignored or resisted excaot
In Just so far as the pToprietors OF public estao-
lishments felt willing TO so. Many OF the hotel,
were provided With few fire-e5capeS which
would only be serviceable to a person after
practicing upon them long enough to become
expert in their use Tue proprietors' objection
generally was that these laws required too great
an expenditure; that to make the out lay de-
Inanded would consume all the profits of the
theater. hotel or whatever the character OF the
building owned. for years. This, however
Goes not apply 10 public school buildings which
are constructed and maintained at the expense
: OF the people. There Is no compulsion as to
going to hotels and places of pubnc amusement.
III shy public place Is deemed unsafe 10 ths
event or fire, people can remain away IL they
Gaoose; out the education of the children Is
matter OF the very greatest Importance, and
there Is not community In the land perhaps
when would hesitate moment to provide the
money UnPpSaQYy 10
safe Under all circumstances as ia practicable
---~~~>-
Judge LaWTence, OF the supreme Court of
New YORK. regards the rapid increase OF
hiFofce SUITS s one OF the alarming features OF
lie times Nearly ole-f1fth OF the business OF
the present term OF the New York Supreme
Court. In chambers, says Judge Lawrence, re-
iateS 10 matrimonial troubles. PERHAPS tho
chief reason for the growing increase lies In the
itciiity With which divorces can be obtained,
1, IS lot an uncommon thing for attorneys to
advertise Their ability to OBTAIN divorces with.
Guy publicity and without annoyance to applt.
cants. That such divorces have frequently
been bad,the court records of the land prove In
the numerous trials brought to set aside de-
rTeeS OF that character. IL all the courts hay-
Ing jurisdiction q such cases would refuse to
grant DEGREES OF divorce except where every
lining In law, In justice. and In consideration OF
The welfare OF children OF the parties asking to
De separated demand It. no doubt this "alarn.
lDg feature would De checked.
considerable cirCumstantial evidence has ac-
cdmuIated from time to time indicating thai
The Nihilists have confederates II not active
agents. among the military and police OF the
Tar OF Russia IN fact there has been reason
10 believe that the secret order penetrated the
very household Of the late Car Recent cable
Information relating 10 the capture by Nlhilists
disguised as Russian officials, Of lot OF dynam
lie on the AuStro- Russian frontier appears to
warrant a suspicion that the genuine police
were Intentionally too late in arriving at the
spot At any rate, after the explosive materfa
or the same character which DESTROYED the late
Car had been Intercepted by the Austrian DO.
lice, and the Russian authorities had notice OF
IT'S being forwarded, and all other Information
That would seem TO be necessary, the Nlhilsts
got away with the dynamite.
the destruction by FIRE OF the opera house al
Nice the other day goes far to dispel the com.
mon Illusion that most buildings In Europe
public or private, are fire proof In point OF
TACT IL Is impossible 10 construct any building
50 'bal IL may not DC destroyed by fire. pro.
Fided IL contains combustible material. as most
houses DO and provided also that il Is lighted
by gas or heated either by open fires or by a
hot air furnace. Aud IN the latter point lies
the great advantage OF European houses over
ours. They are. as a matter OF course. butlt in
a more durable manner than most Eousas in
this country, and as rule more precautions
are observed 20 secure safety from fire: but,
after all, their Immunity from danger OF that
Kind Is largely due 10 the fact that large fires
FitheT for warming or cooking purposes are the
Exception rather han the rule In European
houses. II the homes OF the middle and poorer
rlas8s there were as generously heated and
lighted as those OF corresponding classes In this
country, destructive eonfag rations with them
would be. II not as common as here ar least
much more common than they now are
The New York S,na seems to be aching for a
fuss in The republican family. To-day it has
<staccato editorial egging Mr. Conkling on to
fight the administration. IL tells him that he
must flight or perish; that his political exIs.
tence Is at stake" that II Rober .son is con.
nrmed, he (Conkling) will De sin minority In
The republican party OF his own state within a
year" that II he does not fight, 1.-THE day of his
glory IS over. but not his years of shame" and
so on. according TO reports from New York,
the Conkling men are not only disposed to fight