The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-01-17
Fire Protection.

The loss OF life in the destruction of the
Newhall House, Milwaukee, and the inad-
equate provision for any such emergency
there, suggests the question: How may
we all, by proper forethought and a little
daily care, insure ourselves against de-
structive confagrationss In all our stores
are brought nearly every day, quantities of
the most combustible material, used in
packing goods for shipping. How many
have these promptly removed and safely
disposed of. so that they shall not add to
the danger of the store by fires Lighted
match stubs, and inextinguished cigars art
carelessly thrown down, and it is the ex-
ception for anyone to be careful about
them. Mice and matches are in as acces-
sible places as though no danger attended
the excessive liberty Of the one and the
convenient distribution of the other. The
careless storage and handling Of coal oil
and gasoline; badly fitting stove-pipe
joints; insecure chimneys, foul with SCOT
and with mortar faxed of, furnishing an
egress for flame and sparks next to wood
floors and partitions; the unsafe disposi-
tion of ashes containing fire; the excessive
use of kindling in making fire, and Of
fuel after it is made-all these furnish con-
ditions for starting confagration, and are
the frequent cause of them, as are also re-
fuse materials which furnish conditions
for spontaneous combustion. In well kept
hotels one always notices the rows Of flied
water pals in the hall ways upon every
floor. This is very inexpensive and GER
tain fire insurance Every house and store
provided with these would be ready for
any ordinary emergency of fire, and with
them at hand, how many times the fire
alarm would never have to be given
Wellington has expended not much less
than 100000 in Churches and Church fur
nishings. Is their one pail Of water habi-
tuaIly standing where il could be used in
case a flame was started from any cause
anywhere in these buildings2 And If there
is none, are we not criminally careless to
put so much hard-earned money into edi-
fees which we take no means to protect
In every fire that is started there is an in
sane rush for something in which to carry
water to put it out, and it is a common
thing for people under excitement not &c
remember where anything wanted is to be
found, as in the case of the woman whose
house was burning, in dazed way declar
ing they had no water pals in the house
when actually there were several. An old
army blanket snothered out two well
started fires in store in one month; ye'
who ever thinks of keeping big wooler
blanket at hand for this purpose, though il
is one of the most efficient fire extinguish
ers known
Examples are frequent enough of the
roasting of people crowded into building
without means OF quick egress; but 1t i
not possible to have so many sittings In
public hall that there are not people who
will rather fill up all the aisles with chair'
than take seats farther back with the bettel
chances of safety in case of an alarm OF IRE
The members of the Fire Company are
Obliged to peril life and health as often al
we have a fire. and it seems to be ief'
pretty much to them to save the town wher
a fire has been started. 1t is perilou'
trust TO enlist in such company. We
should have Board of Fire Commission
ers. whose duty it should be to investigate
the provision made against fire, and obigt
property owners and persons having th'
care of public buildings to take suitable
precautions to avoid them, and then i
xxouId not be quite so much like going u
war TO become member of the Fire Com
many. and il would be far more satisfactor,
than any sense of security that can be Cd
tanned from big yearly investment in in
surance companies.