The Republican journal., 1885-07-16
The Fire and its Lessons,

The fire LAST Sunday morning, with its attend
ant loss of life, destruction of real and personal
property. and the losses incidental thereto, was
bad enough; but it is best to look on the bright
side. Let us be thankful that it was no worse.
And it needed but brief survey OF the stua-
ton after the contest with the re-fiend was
over TO show that but for favoring circumstan-
ces and herculean work on the part of the fire.
men and citizens Il much larger area of our city
would today be in ashes. Indeed. it Is wonder
full that, even with the advantage of an album
dant water supply, due to recent rains, andt the
absence of high wind, the flames should have
been checked as they Were. To have stopped
the progress of the ire in one direction would
have been doing well, but it had to be fought.
and fought with a will, at all points of the com
pass, while men We're subject TO heat SO intense
that it could be borne but a short time. There
were individual cases of heroism deserving of
the highest praise, and we trust that these will
be remembered, and that the debt of gratitude
the community owe to the Chief Engineer, Mr..
Richards, and to the fire department generally.
will not be forgotten.
And now what is to be done: for of
course our citizens do not propose to sit
down and cry over business losses which may
yet, in some degree. be turned to advan-
Ia &C. In the first place we trust this fire has
emphasized the need for a steam tire-engine.
The hand-machines are out of date, and cannot
perform the work of "a steamer. There is Just
Is much water for steamer for the hand
engines. and the former can draw water from
distances where il could not be reached by the
latter. Men willing to work the brakes are not
always 10 be had-we regret to say that there
was some difficulty in this regard on sunday
and those who are willing to help their neigh
b0r> and the community in such a crisis would
iiud work enough in other directions, as a re-
lief corps, or with hooks and ladders.
Another need. and one long felt, is a hotel
with modern comforts and conveniences. The
buildings u>ed for this purpose, as all must
admit, are not what they should be- and how
ever capable The landlord, it is impossible to
meet the requirements of the travelling public.
For this reason our hotels have been bv-word
ana a reproach, and the city mas suffered there
by. There is now an opportunity, if the own
er> of the land just cleared by fire will act in
harmony. for putting up hctel ample for our
needs, and building that we believe would
pay satisfactory dividends. Ii is suggested that
the site of the American House aud of the old
Telegraph Building be devoted to This purpose.
with stores on the High street side and an
entrance to the hotel on that street As well as
on Mann street. If thought desirable there
might also be one store on Main street. leaving
ample room for office, parlors, sample room
and dining room on the first floor. These how
ever. are details for The architect and the pro-
.ieclor> of the enterprise, which we trust may
be put on foot wthou. delay. The time is
favorable for building, and the employment
the work would give would be a help to many
of ouf DpOulp