Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-27

pressiOns that have gone abroad as 70 the
origin Of the recent fire and attendant
circumstances.
After the meeting was organized, hon.
:. c. Littlefeld offered the resolutions ioI-
lowing:
Psso7rsL. That q committee Of i've be ap-
noirtef bv the chair TO draft suitable resolu-
lions and a communication 70 the people
through the Savannah MORNING NEWS. New
York Herald and the Atlanta constitution 70
remove the erroneous impression which mas
zone abroad relative to the origin OF the re-
cent fire. and attendant circumstance.
Res0luef. rurfher, That the committee re-
port its action TO the meeting Tor consldera-
lion
Col. J. B. Bingham offered as a substi-
tute the following:
Reso7red. That a committee Of three be APP
pointed TO make such statements or such an
ADDRESS to the people, through the M0RNING
NEWS. New York Herald and Atlanta C0nSa-
tuition. as shall have a tendency 10 restore
confidence at home and abroad.
ResoIred. That this meeting Is convinced
that the better class OF colored people nave
uniformly demeaned themselves as good cltl-
zens. and they have our confidence IN their
nerfect innocence of all wrongful utterances
On the occasion Of the recent FIRE.
The substitute was lost.
The Char then appointed the following
committee: :. {. Littleield, L. G.. Stacy.
J.. F. Nelson, W. E. sutton, and Z. Z.
Goodyear.
The committee retired, and soon made a
| reDort. which was adopted. 1t follows:
R-RrSswTCK. GA. Nov. 20.-Ed5t0r AorHing
Vs,rs. In view Of the injustice done our COM
munitv and the serious injury 70 our business
interests likely 70 be produced Dy tne reports
of the recent fire in BruI swick, we the under
signed citizens and roper owners some OF
Us losers by the fire deem II proper to pu1llsn
2 correct and uDprejudiced report OF the ca
Iamitv. combining ourselves TO the plain trutbs
fraa from unlIrIeE. personal dnlUlus ana MA-
nicipal election mOtives-elements consp'cu-
ous In your correspondents reports already
a The origin of the fire, while at first IN
ceDdiar sm seemed Enthusiastically apparent.
subsequent investigation mas 80 lar lalieo 70
confirm that impression, We stronsl! con-
denim the tenacity with which your cores
Doudenr adheres 70 that idea. and haStens 10
charge il ito the negroes" Moreover, ne
eagerly sicZes on hearsay remarks, Doubtless
in every case uttered by drunken or Ln0ugut
less perzOns. to s~ubstantiate his theory that
the town was fred by negroes because Cleve-
land was elected.
OF a public calamity are disseminated ana
read in all parts Of the country. especially 10y
the business element, now lmpontlc' 20 say
the least. that the DARK side Of the picture
should be 0 promptly paraded and empha-
sized: that. too. before an investigation could
be had and the facts established. Our city has
already struggled hard 10 attain It's present
place on the highway OF prosperity anu q
famuorarv setback bv nTe Is itself sufficiently
depiorable. and a desire TO set ourselves arlgnt
and correct the unjust impressions evoked by
such reports abroad impels this emphatic anu
positive contradiction OF your orrespo9Ient
reports, basing our statements ana c~onclu-lOns
on fact. reason and common sense.
again. the Chief Of the Fire Department Is
reported a indorsing the idea that the nose
had been cut.
unwen. and did not reach the nre until after
the frequent bursting OF the hose had occurred
and other hose had been substituted On Mon
dav following the fire tne Chief examined a
section OF hose which appeared TO nave been
cut. and so stated his opinion at the time.
subsequently, he was informed by tine eng4-
neer that that particular section OF nose di1
not burst during the fire. but did burst on
sunday afternoon following the fire. the hose
getting caught under a pile OF lumber while
the engine wa playing on the runs. rms,
then. Is the correspondence mares nest As 10
Chief Littleielt saying the nose hAu Deen
cut" several ~wel-knOwn citizens were
within a few feet Of the bursting hose at the
IRE. and all agree in saying that detective
hose. and Lot cutting, CAUSED the tronple ana
antoine could readily discern the difference In
Now. sSto the .sfears Of q riot on which
special stress is laid by your correspondent,
this startling Information BENG turnl-ned uy
Foreman Merriheld." Careful inquiry
since the fire and ample observation during
its progress. alike fail 70 disclose the least
foundation for such a fear, save IN the fertile
Imagination Of your able correspondent anu
his informant. Il has been remarked. anu
truly, that less noise than usual attended 80
large a IRE. chl less any threatening demon
s~tratiOn. and we are at q loss 70 account Tor
this riot" idea other than as above.
Foreman Merrifeld also regales~ youreorres-
pOndent with much as 10 OOuncli
DENYING privileges TO the EIreDepartment.etc-.
to the derriment of the latter. The avIdltY
with which this Is heralded Is bus another
sample Of the snap-judgment hearsay ideas
OF your correspondent, It's prominence IN me-
report clearly e7lnclng the "methOu IN MS
madness in all municipal matters OF late.
There has never been a CLASH, strictly
speaking, between Council and the IRE De-
partment. The horses have always been sub
iect 10 the call of the foreman for pTacuce, or
service, and have been well drilled. Al TINS
can be attested by members Of the IRE CON-
panv and citizens. The only privilege ever re
fused the fire Ompany by Council was the use
Of the alarm bell for company meetings; but,
in lieu thereof, the Committee on tlre De-
partment was instructed to erect the old and
smaller bell for that purpose. and such has
been done. Thus. II will be seen, the effect
iveness OF the Fire Department has been IN no
wise impaired by any action of Council. the
assertions Of the foreman and other preJudIced
parties to the contrary Notwithstanding.
A word Is to the cOlOred population OF
Brunswick. No town IN the South can boast OF
a more peaceable and law-abiding class than
the cOlCFed people Otthls city especially among
the better class. Political differences have
never been the cause OF an outbreak or serl-
Gus disturbance in the history OF the place.
In view Of the recent charges III connection
with the fire they feel much aggrieyed. and a
public meeting Will be held by them tO-mor-
row evening to give expression TO their feel
ings, and protest against the injustice which
they feel has been done them.
Much has been said OF the short supply OF
water and poor facilities for handling fire. In
this conn elton II Is well to state that TINS
trouble Is soon to be efectually remedied by
utilizing the artesian wells recently bored by
Council largely for this purpose. Arrange
are already IN progress for a system OF
piping and fire wells covering an area here
: h~ u-arnF summit a. TlIN
as increasing the facilities in the present hre
limits. The art6sian wells both being COM
pleted within the past few weeks, sufficient
time had not elapsed 70 put the new system In
operation. and we were thus dependent on
such supply as already existed. In the near
future there will be no Lack Of water for all
il is with pleasure we announce
that rebuilding viii commence Immediately
and another year will witness the waste
ulaces occupied by substantial. permanent
Already have the brick been or
dered for several handsome blocks.
The burned area being all embraced in the
fire limits. the existing ordinance viii be
enforced. and nothing but brick, stone
or concrete buildings permitted.
The foregoing Is respectfully submitted 10
the consideration OF the puOlic and a careful
perusalis solicited.
brunswick, GA, NoY. p, 1854
At a meeting Of citizens a committee Of five /
was appointed to draft a suitable article for
publication in the Savannah NEWS, New York
Herald and Atlanta Consultation. and the
cOmmunica alton was reported aud
Uy said meetings.
A true statement of the cUnhagratlOn IN
Nov. l6. 1854.
JAMES f. L~AMBRIGHT.
Chairman Of citizens meeting.
& r. MABRY. Secretary citizens meeting.
THE SECOND MEETING.
BRUNSWICK, Nov. 24.-EdttOr Morn
ina Netcs: You have already been ad-
vised that al a so-called public meeting,
held last Friday. 81 persons adopted what