Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-12
IN SPLENDID SHAPE.
The Real Estate Interest Promises to
be Lively Next Year.
HILAED AND PENN AVENUES
A Business Man Reviews the Fire Depart
ment, Tells What is Needed and
POKEs UP THE INSURANCE PEOPLE

as encouraging as at any previous time In
the history of the city, and the outlook for
next year is particularly rosy. December
usually affords an index to the winter busi-
ness. If this holds good there will be
lively times between now and next March,
as dealings so far this month have been
exceptionally large. From now on until
spring, as general thing, the inquiry is
largely for downtown business property.
After that, more attention is paid to the
suburbs As to values, if owners do not
become extravagant in their demands, and
there is no particular reason for thinking
they will, they are likely to remain about
as they are. This will insure ready sale for
nearly all the property that will be on the
market next year.
In regard to the East End, Mr.. F. o. Van
Gorder sends the following to THE DISPATCH:
Heretofore Hiland avenue has been recognized
as the dividing line between the business and
residence portions of Penn avenue on the west
side of East Liberty, but the scarcity Of tusl-
ness sites east of Hiland avenue has turned the
attention of business men and investors to that
portion of Penn avenue lying between Hlland
and Negley avenues. which, without doubt,
/ will be the center of the town in the near
| future. considerable amount of property in
this vicinity has already changed hands, nota-
bly, the Negley property, corner Of Penn and
| Negley avenues, to James c. Dick, and the
character of the buildings now being erected
clearly indicates the place which this thorough
fare will occupy as business center.
To the Financial Editor Of The Dispatch:
The mild criticism of the Pittsburg Fire De-
partment by "A Prominent Underwater" an
L.. nrTr nrd
PATCH this morning was timely and for the
most part to the point. There is nothing of
more commanding importance than the sue
cessful treatment of fires. 1t involves all our
earthly possessions weak and temporizing
policy by municipalities, corporations or indi-
viduals, with such great interests at stake,
should not be permitted. Fires, like war and
pestileDce demand heroic treatment Mild
measures would be like applying bread and
milk poultice to the bite of vipor or rattle
snake.
Pittsburg has splendid fire department.. 1t
is brilliant. 1 have never seen one that made a
finer show on parade. And it does good work
when on duty. 1t is admirably managed.
doubt If there is fire department in the United
States that is conducted with more signal
ability. Its defects are not those of manage
ment Its shortcomings cannot be laid on the
shoulders of the officers or men. They get out
of it all that it is capable of doing. They
work it to its full capacity. The ap-
paratus is too light. To set one or several
of our little engines against a great fire is like
trying to stop hurricane with a handkerchief.
They are good enough in small fires. where
raDidIty of action counts for everything; but
they are totally inadequate to the demands of
a confagration. This was shown in the last
great fire in Allegheny City. when several hun
dred houses were destroyed, and in subse-
ouent fires, the last one being that at the Mo-
nongahela House. We need something more
powerful-something that will be as effective
with the tallest building as with the lowest.
There are such engines. They are on the mar
ket, for sale. They are as accessible to us as
they are to others They cost more money than
the toys we so frequently see rushing gayly
through our streets; but what is money to so
wealthy city as Pittsburg : Safety should be
the only consideration in matter of such vital
importance. We had better pay for protection
than fire losses. 1t is cheaper.
But there is one thing which the prominent
Underwater overlooked to which 1 desire to
call attention. He seems very anxious for pro-
lection against fires would remind him and
all others engaged in the insurance business
that they have more important duty to per-
form in this matter than formulating COM
plants of remissness against:others. No class
of citizens derive greater benefits from pro-
lection than they. 1t is a question of money
with them, and they should embrace every op-
portunity to cooperate with the authorities in
improving the fire service. Heretofore II am
not at fault, they have chiefly distinguished
themselves in this direction by reap
ing the benefits of protection and
allowing others to pay the cost They
collect large premiums while the rest of the
community pay the taxes-double taxes, in
fact one to keepup the fire department and
one to sustain the insurance companies. This
is hardly fair. There is ground for reform
here. Insurance people are bound by every
consideration of equity to bear their share of
the burden which a fire department devolves
upon the community, and until they do so they
lave no right to complain. To look on while
the people do the work and foot the bills is un-
just as well as ungenerous. They should will
ingly cooperate in everything to improve the
fire service, and until they do this the full |
measure Of reform nseded and demanded can
not be secured. BUSINESS.
Pittsburg, December II.
Many men miss great fortunes because their |
minds are always full of big schemes. The |
man with his head above the clouds is gener- |
ally failure. A man must know how to utilize |
the common things of life if he would prosper |
in material way. This is strikingly illustrated
III AAfCS Va AnNtulOTc. w ueu du inventor
goes in for a big thing. like perpetual mo- |
tion, for instance he goes to the poor house, |
but when he puts rubber tip on the end of |
lead pencil he makes a cool 500, ,000 The man |
who knows how to handle the little opportuni- |
ties of life never fails to make his knowledge |
pay. The inventor of metal plates for soles |
and heels made about S6OOO,OO0 If he had |
scOrned such small matters, and turned his at |
tention to steel arrnor for vessels, he would |
have wasted his time and labor. The roller |
skate netted its inventor 81 900 900. The invent
ors of various little toys, puzzles and other |
trifes enjoy incomes ranging as high as $4,000 |
year.
Against all these successful men are arrayed /
a host of bright but unsuccessful inventors |
who spend their lives trying to accomplish |
something great 1t is so in every line of |
human endeavor. When man wants the
earth he gets nothing. When he expects to rake
in fortune in big scoops he dies in poverty /
The successful men of the world fix their at
tention ON the commonest things-the every
day matters and opportunities around them.
A Raid ON ELECTRIC,