Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-11
DOING SOME GOOD.
HazelwOOd Property Sells Up on Ac-
count of Rapid Transit.
AN INSURANCE AGENT TALKS.
He Thinks Pittsburg Has a Good Fire Ap-
paratus, but it is Too Light.
WISE WORDS TO TIE APPRENTICES

One of the largest sales yet made as a di-
rect result of the electric railroad at Hazel
wood was closed up yesterday. One acre OF
ground, with frontage of less than 200 feet
on Second avenue, passed into the posses
sion of prominent business man, who paid
Ss. 500 for it. He will lay it out in small
lots, for which there is large and growing
demand in that locality.
Last week s., 800 was offered for the same
property and refused. About half of the
lots, of which there will be 10, were engaged
before the deed passed. The improvements
made and making in transit facilities are bring
ing the Hazelwood district forward as favor
lite for residence as well as business purposes.
Talking about fires, prominent underwater
remarked yesterday They are inevitable.
The great conhagrations of antiquity are par
alleled in modern times. The burning of Chi
cago involved greater loss of property and. per-
haps of life, than the destruction Of Rome
during the reign of Nero. while the disaster
to Pittsburg in lS45 was incomparably greater
than that which overlook Alexandria. The
confiagration at London in the beginning Of the
fourteenth century was perhaps the greatest
fire on record. So you see fires are nothing
new.
From the earliest times architects and
builders have exhausted their ingenuity to de-
wise system whereby buildings would be rem
dered freproof, but they have utterly failed
in their undertaking. Iron, granite and glass
yield almost as readily to the flames as wood.
Scores Of houses iE Chicago, Pittsburg and
Boston, supposed to be freproof. melted like
wax before the flames. From this conclude
that it is impossible to erect a building which
will resist fire under all circumstances, and to
attempt it is a waste of money.
This being So what are we to do to render
our property reasonably secure? My idea is
that we should pay Jess attention to so-called
fireproof buildings and more to means Of
prevention and extinguishment of fires after
they have broken OUT We have good fire
department. but think it is inadequate. Both
engines and hose are too small What we
want is a machine powerful enough to throw
an immense stream Of water to any desired
height. The Lana machine used in Cincinnati
Is or 80 years ago, was of this kind One of
these, called The Citizens Gift acquired
national reput alton. 1t threw large
volume Of water with such force as to
knock shingles off the roofs of seven
and eight-story buildings 1t was a little
slow to move, requiring six horses to draw it,
but when it got to work its performances were
astonishing The engines in use in this city
are pretty, easily and quickly transported, and
do well enough at small 6res, but they are too
light and throw too little water to meet the re-
quirements of conhagration.
"The remedy Is in the hands Of the people.
They should insist upon ample protection from
fire. II it can be demonstrated that the ap-
paratus now in use is insufficient they should
insist upon change. This is one of the cases in
which the best is the cheapest. 1twould be far
cheaper TO support fire department twice the
size and eff cheney of the present one than to
make good the losses sustained by such con-
hagrations as have recently occurred in various
cities OF the country and which are liable to
occur here at any time. Every citizen is inter-
ested in this matter, and the agitation of it
should not be allowed to subside until Pitts
burg has the best protection which it Is pos
sible for money and skill to afford"
A prominent manufacturer gives some good
advice to apprentices. He says: I'm the first
place an apprentice must be anxious for in
formation pertaining to his work, and not be
afraid to ask questions, and, whatever he does,
make an effort at neatness. In commencing in
a careless way, he will be apt t. keep on in this
line throughout his time of service. Whatever
he attempts to do, he should try and make it as
neat as he can, and always try and improve on
everything he makes never saw a boy yet
become perfect in his trade that had something
else on his mind that was outside of his place
of work-dissatisfied turn of mind, always wish
ing for the time to pass so he could get away
from his work. This is all wrong. and he who
does SO will be sorry for it sometime.
TT is the duty of the apprentice to ask for in
formation regarding his work, and, if not act
lively engaged, to keep a watchful eye on others
in the same room with him. He should discard
all hobbies from his mind while in the shop. and
apply himself to mastering his trade, and when
his time expires. if he sees proper to undertake
some other business, and is not successful. he
will have good trade to fall back upon. He
should avoid keeping late hours, and be punct-
ual in attendance at the shop or place of busi-