Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-07

nlgler elevation the metallic points, winch
are better conductors, would supply if
properly connected with the ground or
earth. When the laws of nature are
known, man will find method to utilize
them sooner or later.
When this is applied to our fire protec-
ton ON water and land it is strange that
man has not taken better advantage, since
many combustibles, hydrocarbons, etc, dan
gerous in their movement from one place
to another ought to be accompanied with
other liquids known to be more effective
than water in the suppression of such con.
fiagrations at the beginning. This has
no connection with those much-praised
glass TASKS filled with brine or ordinary
cooking salt, which are hung up as security
against fire.
A certain State lately enacted law
making it compulsory that any poison sold
must have printed upon its label three an
tidotes against that poison, in order to
know how to act when it becomes nece5-
sary.
This also, to . great extent, could be
carried out with combustibles while aboard
the ship, railroad or stored in warehouses
The liquid Tor gas generated by heat to
DC IiOSl GnNNlAfC fiuCll'iIS TIC
ought to be close at hand, as water often
will have a tendency to spread the flames
or have it (the combustible) to float upon
it. In the shipment of acids similar pre-
| cautionary measures should be taken.
Stables and all manufacturing enter
prises, requiring the strictest surveillance
against fire, should not use any matches,
excepting the Swedish, which never ignite
excepting when rubbed upon its own pre-
pared surface. They contain no phos-
phorus and are not ignited by mice, rats
or children, nor are they poisonous. These
matches ought to be more frequently used
in the United States, owing to their greater
| safety generally.
Strangest of all is, that in the protection
against fire, with its great sacrifice OF prop
erty, and frequently life of man and valu-
able animals, not the slightest step has
thus far been taken by the Federal, State
or the city authorities, nor the many bust
ness companies who have millions of dol
lars involved, when large conhagrations
are taking place, to counteract this grow
ing evil.
Is this evil to be left entirely to chance
in the future as in the past? 1t may not
be possible for us, yet, to evade the hail
storm that destroys our growing crop, but
it may be, and is possible to lessen the
numbers of fires and accidents.
If ignorance and carelessnesS causes the
destruction by fire of valuable and much
needed manufacturing plant, are the own
ers and insurance companies the only
| parties interested? Has a city, or have
! the people, not right to prevent it by
precautionary measures. which the city
itself imposes. While the firemans duty
! calls for prompt action to suppress fire,
his duty does not demand that he hunt
where danger often turks, and ever ready
to spring forth, sweeping everything be-
fore it.
The present age has done something in
the way of prevention, carried out by adj
vanced societies. the authorities also have
appointed in large cities as inspectors
men who see to our butter milk, build
ings, boilers, sanitary matters; but fire
! (light), water and air have thus far no
part in our welfare, or very little. Taking
fire in its destructive part, and the proven
ton of the same, nothing has yet been done
in large cities, as far as the inspection of
houses, manufactures, theaters, churches,
| schoos-houses, or wherever a large number
of people are congregated. Some provision
has been made in the way of escaping,
which in more than one case is imprac-
ticable, owing to the want of presence
Of mind necessary.
The main thing is to prevent conta-
grafton by the removal of the dangerous
parts, as after all most fires originate dur
ing the absence of man. There is such
! thing as spontaneous combustion brought
about in various ways, likewise organic
matter, as wood, paper, rags, ETC., taking
! fire even under red heat, although former
! " it was thought impossible.
The writer, when boy, saw in Cincin-
natl, Ohio, hole burnt through the floor,
although the floor had three bricks cover
ing it, and it had only the ashes above it,
the fire being removed about one and a
half feet from it. He has since observed
similar cases. With this there is an anal
| ogy to the fire quelled at the State build
! ing at Yosemite
Brickwork ought never to come in con-
tact with wood, if one end is subject to the
| heat of direct fire. 1t is probably not
/ generally known that many fireplaces right
! here in Sacramento are constructed with
/ this dangerous experiment. The advant-
! age we have in our climate Is, that fire
places are seldom used continuously, or
frequently not at all, as they play more of
an ornamental part with US; but in =
colder climate, if built on 4 similar loose
plan, fires must take place sooner or later.
The progress in electricity, too, for light
| ing and other purposes, has added to the
| danger, and as gas is being used more and
more for culinary purposes, it also requires
! !.
ought to be better placed, so that the gas
supply could be shut off, and not add to
/ the flames when the building has become
ignited.
In the use Of the more volatile liquids
known as hydrocarbons, and now fire.
quently used, sometimes by most incautious
persons for culinary purposes. lies very
great danger when used in tenement
houses, or where several families re-
side together. There are people who have
some respect for gunpowder; but the gases
of these liquids will take fire and explode
at 4 far lower temperature than gunpowder,
and yet people say that these combustibles
are absolutely safe"-they are so safe
that not even water will put out the
flame.
Oitt Vi iilC uibot StflOuS VI all ire evils
in which the whole country is interested
and the coming generations, are the forest
fires. Miles and miles, often of the finest
timber, in value representing millions Of
dollars, is annually sacrificed by wanton
destructiveness, carelessness, or cupidity
The after of that class which sacrifices
the SO cents belonging to the nation OF
State, if it only can gain the cent to fill its
own purse. Is it not high time, when
millions go up in smoke, and which many
years cannot replace, that this Govern
ment, be it the State or the Federal, show
a more active part in behalf of our valua,
bic timber land? 1t is not sufficient that
men are appointed who are politicians, be
it from one or the other party, who hold
the offices simply by remaining in their
private offices in large cities, sometimes
meet with their fellow Commissioners tc
devise means''which seldom hit the nail on
the head. In the meantime devastation
goes on by fire and other means not law
full. Why are not men appointed who
have made this matter study in European