The Republican journal., 1882-11-23

| Protection Against Fires.
The summer drouth has continued into the
fail. and if winter sets in sharply as it bids fair
to dot will shut of the supply of water for wells
| and reservoirs. which are now unusually low
! How, then, are we 10 cope successfully with a
| fire should one break out in The business por-
| ton of The city: 1t is but few months ago
that we had what may well be termed provi-
| dental escape from a cOnt1agraiOn that would
have dealt the material interests of the city Il
terrible blow. The journal then. as it had done
| on many occasions heretofore. called atten-
! ton to this matter and urged that something
| should be done to secure additional protection
against fires. 1t is better to take steps in this
| direction now than to wait until after the city
| is crippled in its resources and business. as il
| would be by an extensive fire The old hand
engine has been discarded in all enterprising
places. and is practically useless when buildings
are more than two stories in height. A steam
engine which can throw a greater Volume Of
water. to greater distance. and with better
effect. Is needed. The scant supply of water
would even then be disadvantage; but the
J
the hand engine. and in large portion Of the
city could use water from the harbor. We need,
of course. and should have. an ample supply of
water throughout the city, and the cost would
be n nothing compared with the loss of such
fire as swept the city in 1873 and is liable to oc-
eur again Then with these additional safe
guards we should have reduced rates of insur-
anee. There i, 40 question but that something
should be done, and that quickly. 1t is ASSUME
cd By some persons that any expenditure for
protecting he city from fires would be opposed
by those living outside the city proper We
trust. however. there is 10 such feeling. Ii
would certainly be a mistaken view of the mat
ter, for if large amount OF property is destroy
Ell, there must necessarily be an increased valu-
alton Oh that remaining, 10 meet the city cX-
penses. and the burden would fall upon all
within the city limits. The journal is no more
and no less interested than others, but calls the
attention Of citizens and authorities to this sub
jet in the line Of public duty.
The Shore Line Railroad Scheme
The Portland Press reports revival of the
Shore Line Railroad project, and change Of
route. The plan now is, not 10 make Bangor
the terminus of the road, as first proposed, but
to extend the line from Ellsworth to Bucks
port. thence through TO Belfast, Camden, ETC.,
10 connection at Rockland with the Knox &
Lincoln, thence to Bath over that road from
which point obey expect to get an outlet to Bos-
ton, independent of the Eastern combination.
The Press says that ''-All the papers relating to
the route, construction. and amount of business,
are now in the hands of prominent railroad men
in Boston for their inspection and considera-
ton"
The publication of these statements has set
the Bangor Commercial by the ears That pa
per says that if the road is to cross the Penob-
scot at Bucksport, ''either bridge or IA ferry
would be required,' and that Il bridge will
never be built. while the attempt to use trans
fer boats would not be successful. This may be
| very true, although such things have been done
elsewhere. AS to the engineering difficulties,
they are not Sc great as the Commercial seems
TO imagine. 1t is not to be supposed the road
| would be run up and down the Prospect and
Bucksport hills. 1t would be easy enough to
| carry the line along the banks of the river. But
neither the bridge, transfer boats, nor hills are
| likely to stand so much in the way of the enter
prise the doubt that must arise as to the road
proving financial success when completed,
and the raising of the money to build it. We
| doubt if the city of Belfast would be willing to
anything in the project.
| Washington is filling up with Senators and
| members, and there is every indication of u
| buster and gayer winter than ever before in
| Washington
tional Capitol was established at Washington
| tEat the above statement was not made prior
TO the assembling of Congress. The Washing