The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-08
The Lesson OF the Fire.

The great fire of Saturday night makes
two things very clear. One is that the
city's water supply is not sufficient TO meet
a great demand upon it, and the other is
that more precautions against fire are nee
essary. There were times during the fire
when water could not be had where it was
most needed, and where it could have been
! used to the greatest advantage. 1t is be-
lieved by those who were in position to
know that the Guards armory could have
been saved if water could have been OBJ
tanned in sufficient quantities at the rigut
time.
If it is found impracticable TO increase
the pressure by means Of the water works
now in use, would it not be- advisable to
construct an elevated reservoir which could
be kept filled for emergencies, and into
which, in the case of urgent necessity,
water could be pumped. I he pressure thus
obtained would be sufficient to carry water
TO the tops of the highest buildings without
the use of engines. Whether or not this
plan is practicable it is for the city author
tiles to say. 1t will not be denied, how
ever, that occasions are liable to occur when
more water is needed than can now be OBJ
tanned.
| 1t is reported that the chief fireman says
that he, at all times, had as much water as
! he could use. If that be the case may it
not be that the mains in some localities are
not large enoughl 1t is certain that the
| pressure was so mich reduced that Others
than the firemen could not obtain what
water they wanted.
There ought to be an inspector Of build
ings, and the city should see to it that
every building that is erected has no archi-
tectural defects, and has fire escapes and
as few danger points as possible. If it had
not been for the unprotected wooden cupola
of the Hanley building it is probable that
it would have withstood the fire. It was
not so much exposed as the Whitfield
building, and yet the latter is as sound as
it was before the fire. II the Hanley build
ing had resisted the flames many other
| buildings would have escaped destruction.
The chief of the fire department should be
clothed with authority to compel the occu-
pants Of buildings to keep them in a condi
ton that would not invite fires. He should
danger points, and that imflammable mate
rails are not habitually handled in a careless
manner Such precautions are insis ed upon
in other cities aud why not herel
The attention of the city authorities is
called to these defects in our methods Of pro-
lection against fires, not only that the
proper remedy may be applied to them. but
also for another reason: If these defects
are permitted to continue to exist Insurance
rates may be raised. 1t is much wiser to
provide better means for fighting fires and
guarding against them than to continue to
pay to insurance companies what these
means would cost, and still be without them
S turday nights fire was, Of course, an
extraordinary one. The high wind made it
almost impossible to control it. 1t may be
that the damage would not have bee less
had there been abundance Of water.
There is a probability, however, that it
would. But whether it would or not, it is
the duty Of the city to guard against fires
in every possible way.