Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-02-23
FIRE. FIRE. FIRE.
rorre Democrat.

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The above cry is being iterated aud
reiterated through the public press
from one extreme portion OF our
over charred humanity and the sweep
| ing destruction of both public and pri-
| waite property by this uncomfortable
| fire element has been of a wider range
and more destructive to human lite
within the past few months than at
any previous period of time within the
memory of the present generation. In
deed. it would seem as though it WAS
about to proclaim itself master of the
situation" even IN those cities and
towns where the most perfect organ
lied system for effectual work against
these fearful outbreaks, the means
thus provided have proved powerleSs
to save human life or rescue millions
of property from its irresistible dis
play of destruetivenesS. If this be
true as to those places where preyen-
tive and protective measures have been
supposed to be amply provided for any
and every emergency. what excuse can
be rendered for one of the oldest towns
in Wisconsin; one. too, that has kept
pace in its business relations with
most OF the inland towns of the state
happen ON any day or night to our city
interest, and that, too, without the
first effort on the part of city author.
lty or popular consultation to ward
off calamity that would certainly re-
suit in the most deplorable consequent
ces, not only the endangering of haman
life bat in the blazing fight of invested
capital and labor-Saving accumu.a-
tions.
Ii there is the first organized pretsl-
ration for effective action in a Suddeu
outbreak of fire in this city or one eS-
sential attribute that has even a ten
dency to meet an exigency of this kind,
| have yet TO learn the fact. We viii |
suppose, for instance, that we are call |
ed from our beds of slumber in the |
night time when the thermometer is |
ranging down 70 its thirty or even |
twenty degrees, panic-stricken voices
crying, fire, bells ringing their solemn |
pealS of alarm, with neither head TO |
direct or means To apply, would ell
looked for emergency, No buckets in !
store or reservoir of water TO fill them,
or indeed any previous preparation i'll
d matter that might involve a whole !
community of interests either directly |
or indirectly.
Truly. this is no fancy sketch to |
brighten the timid or visionary spec
ulation to alarm the credulouS, but |
that an incident of this kind (which is
quite poSSlble) would be sure to cause
sort of babel confusion among those |
persons led to the scene of attraction
by the tumulous cry of fire although |
we might not have Nero to make us
merry with his enlivening strains of !
music, nevertheless we would have !
the ignoble reflection TO console us that
the illumination was not the signal
for festive gathering but the result !
of our own stupidity-a want of fore
cast action. Again, have we no "hre
traps" in in our midst? THIS | appre-
bend is no mooted question, hel-ce a
very important matter for future con-
Indeed it is well for lis TO re-
aliZe the fact that such finder structures
like Pandoras box carry within their
confines Il multitude ot evils
and further, it will be we'll to memOriZe
the truism that the slightest friction
of lucifer match in the hands of an
or Il spark through some
accidental happening will by the
merest touch kindle into terrific
obutburst of combustible material.
1t should also be borne in mind that
the most disastrous consequences both
to life and property have been the re-
suit of incOmpeIency or carelessness on
The part of individuals intrusted with
important and responsible duties, OF
through the needless neglect of provid-
ing community safeguards in munich
pal regulations. We may, however,
have ordinances ad infinitum spread
upon our municipal record and YET UNI
less enforced according to the letter
and spirit of the ordinance, might us
well be written in some old cast off
luack almanac. SPECTATOR.