The Baltimore County union., 1881-04-16
FIRES IN THE BELT.

The Baltimore SaH Of Saturday last contained
the following important local item;
AT the regular meeting Of the Beard of Fire
Commissioners last night resolution was offered
aud laid over for . week, directing the 0hief En-
gineer of the Fire Department that, unless by
special order OF the Board, none Of the apparatus
belonging 10 the Department shall hereafter be
sent beyond the city limits, and that the Police
Department be requested not TO send over the tel
cgraph any alarm for fire outside Of the limits of
the city Tho necessity for such action is forth
In preamble, stating that the cost Of maintain
ing the Fire Department is largely increased by
the custom Of sending the apparatus beyond the
city limits; that the appropriation made BY the
CITY Council Tor the support Of the Department
requires the exercise of the sirieiest economy lB
its management, and no contribution is made by
the authorities Of Baltimore county towards the
expenses Of the Department 80 increased by send
ing the apparatus outside the city linits."
The above information, u important to our Bal
timOre nsighbors. 10 certainly equally important
10 Us Of Baltimore county. The matter referred
to 10 indeed Of infinitely more moment TO Us Of the
eounty-particularly residents Of the Belt and im-
mediate 'uburbs-,han Il can possibly be to resi-
dents Of Baltimore city. Atpresent, nor has there
ever been, Ere engine or ere apparatus In the
Bel, except u small Holloway extinguisher and
hook and ladder apparatus at waveriy. These
have proven very useful in their place, and did
effective service when called into action, but they
are designed more to put out res in their ncipsnt
stages than 10 battle against them when under full
hsadway. Then again, this waverly fire eompa-
ny could scarcely get ready for action aud reach
= point near the boundary before ere had gained
dangerous proportions.
IL l.. Lii Al. n
scarcely be expected to rely upon Baltimore citys
Fire Department 10 assume . special GUARDIAN
ship over our valuable property, such nov ex-
lists and Is being constructed In the suburbs, when
that Department has much as Il can well do 10
attend TO fires within the city limits. II 10 not
only inconvenient but very expensive and trouble
some for the large steam engines to be dragged,
In either good or bad weather. day or night, q
long distance into the country to extinguish fire.
and more particularly to populous portions Of the
Belt, east, north aud west, where citizens are
amply able to provide their own apparatus and
organize their own Fire Departments. Baltimore
ans meet US with the rather cogent argument TO
the effect that if you people Of the Eelt refuse TO
come in with Us as proposed and ss We desire In
the annexation proposition, We will refuse To send
our fire engines to your county fires. This, Of
course. would seem very cruel, but IL is fair II is
nevertheless presumabc that humanity would out
Of pity step in and benevolcntly lend kindly aid.
Ifthc baltimore Fire Department at lie meet
ing this week should carry out what Is proposed
In the above announcement, and not permit its
engines to go outside the city limits in Of fires
in the county. residents of the Belt would indeed
be in n most dcplorab'e condition. Asat tpresent,
particularly in the northern and northwestern
sections Of the Belt, an Immense amount Of most
valuable property, estimated at some millions Of
dollars, paying u large revenue To our county
treasury, might be destroyed. The whole ques-
tion l. of very great moment both to our coun-
~ aud the city Of Baltimore aud demands careful
attention. II by this apparently coercive mode
our neighbors propose to force the Belt into an.
nexation, and no redress other means are adopt.
ed, the suburban residents will be obliged either
10 procure FIRE apparatus Of their own or avail Of
Daltimore's Fire Department facilities BY annex
ing themselves to that city. Its hoped. however,
the good people Of the city will not let their
brethren of the Belt cruelty, inhumanly suffer
Ill they have had chance Of doing something for
themselves.