Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-12-01

Inc Union. as was to be expec ed. flies
10 the defense of Rock island's antsaua-
ted System OF fire protection and attempts
TO excuse the delay of the fire men 10
reaching Saturday fire on Marke seu re,
on the ground that .the alarms were not
properly given;" that in one of Il e houses
Two men we're working and n at they
heard bell ring and asked the ce ltrsi If it
was IRE. The telephone gur,lee back
something about Market square. and they
Immediately pu. out for that phlce. The
experience at the other hose houses was
similar After making this startling
confession as to the unreliability Of the
present system of fire alarm whica the
linton has always defended 90 hrayely in
connection with its advocacy of volunteer
nremen as more to be desired tb an paid
department it closes in This wise
strain:
II there was paid company On every
corner and an incipient blaze should
state how they would know anything
about il ii they were not infor mel. As
to the hook aud ladder truck, its sbseuce
was dsplorable, if ladder WIS needed
with which TO climb up into the cellar.
The linton is so utterly ignorant of the
subject it attempts to discuss that one
places bis self respect in danger in stop
ping to discuss the subject with the
morning paper. The public must know,
however, if the Union don't. that a re-
quisite Of paid Experimentation which
the ARGUS has so long conte lded, and
which is now actually in Sights sn cleo
trio alarm system. which, under q paid
chief. understanding his duty. would all
ways be in repair. With this srrange-
ment Saturday the alarm woulli have been
speedily sent from an alarm box and in
less than five minutes'time the DE been
under control. With an electric alarm there
would have been no misun Outstanding
aud no borrowed opportunity such as the
Union made yesterday morning to cast
slurs and reflections on the operators of
the telephone exchange. II order to
defend the ridiculous system of IRE
protection which has been tie laughing
stock for strangers in Rock Island for
years the Union has once OF twice re-
sorted to attempts to shoulder the short>
comings of the service on Others. but this
last effort to charge the telephone girls
with the blame is the most unjust and
outrageous of all. The ope rators at the
central exchange say that they gifted all
of the hose houses promptly Saturday
morning. and that they did so again this
morning. and that fully 1--WE minutes
elapsed before response came from any
hose house. The telephone girls are not
TO blame; the blame for the delay and
danger of the present system is chargea-
BILE solely to the city of Rock Island which
permits and encourages it.
The Unions excuse for the failure Of
the hook and ladder truck to put In an
appearance at Saturdays FIRE Is on q par
with its contemplate fling at the tele.
phone girls. Because there did not hap
pen to be any use for ladders in this par
ticular instance does not explain the fact
| that the truck was not there any more
than lie the public satisfied with the ex-
| cuse that the team was in ilse hauling q
hearse. The men in charge of the hook
and ladder truck are not supposed to
| know whether they ere wa nte6 or not be-
fore they go to fire. Their business is
to get there and then find out whether
their services are required or rot
This mornings alarm from the First
ward which brought out The usual de.
| partment feats of bareback riding and
other features so highly iifyang to pub
lie spirited citizens. was caused by the
discovery of fire 10 the roof Of q frame
dwelling at 400 Seventh street., owned by
John Maker aud occupied by two fami-
lies. James Bowling and George Brown.
The fire, which was caused By defective
fiue. was quickly extinguislied by the
Phoenix company. The loss was nomi.
nal.
The large two store building of John
Dougherty in Andalusa caught fire
Saturday morning. but was subdaed by
Andalusias valiant fire service before Il
l