Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-24
TIE NEED OF THE HOUR.

and the Prospects OF its Introduc-
Neutrality-suspicious. as 10 the Best
Means Of Securing Ii.
Young yet as the Rock Island Citizens
Improvement association is, has already |
accomplished much for Rock Islands
good. Much of its work, though not ap-
parent at present, has nevertheless taken |
firm root and when the growth Of the
seeds thus sown comes to the surface, it
will show that the association has real
lied its aim of putting Rock Island on
the high road to prosperity. What has
it failed in? In what one of its endeav-
ors has it reason to be In the least dis
courageds Its initiatory steps were to
open the Milan toll bridges, to institute
the building of union depot, to open
up all desirable thoroughfares through
the city or leading to other cities and to
inauguIate system of public improve
ment by means of special assessment. In
regard to both the first two projects, it is
gratifying to note that steady Roadway is
being made and before another year both
will be accomplished. The matter Of
opening up thoroughfares has already
commenced, while the special assessment
idea has been successful far in excess Of
the hopes of the promoters of it. An Or
dinance prepared by the association
promptly passed the council and one of
the first results will. from all present in
dications, be the paving of Second
avenue early next spring by special taxa
ton.
All this must afford much qualification
to the members OF this association and
should act as an incentive to still further
efforts in behalf of the city. One of the
most urgent needs now, and one that is
essential to every growing town, is paid
fire department. The city needs it and
must have it, il 1t expects to keep
pace with modern enterprise and
advancement. The ARGUS has long
since and quite often. too, endesv-
ored to impress upon the council the
necessity of such means of protection and
if new industries and new business enter
prises are TO be encouraged hither the
city must extend to them the protection
against fire and incidental damages that
other cities the re Of this elsewhere will
give. Up in Clinton the idea is being
sgitated and is likely 10 result in the
equipment of paid system. The Neans
of that city voices the sentiments of the
ARGUS when it says:
There is no question but Clinton needs
paid fire department. While our vol
unteer companies are second TO none,
they cannot do as effective work as could
be done by much smaller paid departs
ment. Nearly all the hrcmeu are EN-,
ployed as clerks, OF in mills or factories,
and when an alarm is sounded they must
leave their business and rush to the hose
houses, where, after sufficient num-
Der have coHgregated the carts are pulled
by hand to the district in which the fire
is located, and after the exact location
has been busted up streams are at last
put upon the blaze. Much precious time
is lost in this way. The well directed
efforts of few trained men at the begin
ming OF fire Is worth that of half dozen
companies after the fire has gotten under
good hesdway. and with an electric alarm
system and trained men and horses
resdy at moments notice TO fly TO the
exact location of q fire the loss car
often be confined TO few dollars when
by the slower process many thousands
can be consumed Especially is this true
of lumber fire and with such large lum
Der in erests as Clinton possesses it il
folly To be without some such system. A
least one regularly paid company cen
trslly located. could be used to great ad.
vantage and with good electric alarm
system they would save the propert,
owners of Clinton thousands of dollar
every year. Such system would cos
but little if any more than the presen
volunteer system and everybody SHOULD
encourage the members of the council t
go ahead and arrange for something o
this kind.
The ARGUS in its advocacy of the pai
department, does not desire to re
fleet upon the present volunteer fire
men. 1t has only praise for the
self sacrificing faithful, and at all time
ready efforts to save property, and fc
which they receive no remuneration; BIT
with all the good intentions of voluntet
fremen, they are Of comparatively no us
in the majority Of cases, because so muc
time is consumed in getting around
- fires that when they do arrive they cs
, only resort to the indiscriminste use
water, which is as destructive as the fl
itself. A fire company is not organized f.
the sole purpose of throwing water Fir
may be subdued in other ways, e,
cept flooding the entire buildings
which they are located, What is wah
ed is system that will respol
promptly and control a fire before
spreads-confine it to the place where
breaks out, if possible, and quench
there with as little loss or damage to a
joining property as possible. Only pa
and disciplined department can do thi
The Inauguration o. a paid departing
. need not necessarily cause the city gre
expense. Two companies of three m
VI each, one provided with the hook q
' ladder truck at present in use, and t
other with hose cart, and both havi
horses always on duty at the houl
with automatically adjustable harnesses
and three volunteer companies in the Of
skirts-woulG cover Rock Island and q
abundant satisfaction, for the present
course an electric alarm system would
necessary, but such system once est
lished would not cost the city so mt
more than the present arrangement
people may think. The city has t
good hose houses, those of the VII
awake and Rescue companies, VIII
would need but little remodeling to
them in shape for the two paid co
MI panies, and both are well located for 81
nurnoses Sig maid men with the sd