St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-06
MINNEAPOLIS.
Additional CITY News on Page S.
LOCAL tOPiIS.

The city uncil has done a wise
thing in deciding 10 allow tarpaulinS to
be purchased for the fire department so
that goods may be saved from the de-
strOying influences of water. 1t is a
good thing Save the goods by all means.
But while considering this matter of
purchasing supplies for the fire depart
ment, why not do little tor the depart
ment III the way of facilities for putting
out fires. Admitting that the fire de-
partment has facilities for the manage
ment OF CONGREGATIONS, little and big.
the fact remains that the department.
does not handle fires as 1t should. the
Minneapolis firemen have not been called
upon u handle very extensive fires for
the past few years, with one exception.
When that one occasion arose, the de
partmant did such work as called forth
a good deal of criticism. The boys
seemed to be willing enough, but evinced
lack of discipline. This is Il matter
which deserves some attention, but does
not seem to be getting it. There was
another fire ont near the High school
Thursday night, and small one at that.
which did not seem to be handled just
as it should have been. The Minneapo-
lis Fire department certainly needs
good shaking up.
There are several other things which
the fire department needs besides a
shaking up, A few appliances for and
few drills of the men in the moduS
DpeTandi of the saving of human life
from high buildings during the progress
of fires would not come amiss. There
are any number of buildings i'll Mime
apulis which are over six stories high,
but there is not ladder in the city
which will reach above that height.
Other cities with buildings no higher
than those to be found in Minneapolis,
and with no greater exposure to con-
flagrations, deem human lives of
sufficient Importance to be worth saw
ing. Not SO in Minneapolis, it seems
from the apathy displayed concerning
the matter. For a few days after the
Tribune fire little interest was taken
in this matter. But it died out before
the victims of that disaster We're carried
to their last resting place. Human lives
are probably not worth much after all.
Appr0pos to the protection Of houses
of designation and houses of proStitu-
ton. which question was involved in
the Brackett-Aiaben affair, is not now
good opportunity for a little discussion
of the filming of the First street ma
danes? Some of the ministers have
torn their scanty locks in rage over the
iniquity of what they call the 'licens-
ing'' of the houses of ill-fame. AS
matter of fact, the houses of ill-fame are
not licensed. a license preSuppoSes
recognition by the law, and the licenS-
ing of a certain business entities the
conductors of that line Of traffic to the
protection of the law. The law does
not recognize houses of ill-fame except
as criminal enterprises, and their keep
erS as criminals. The running OF
house for purposes OF prostitution is
forbidden by law. Yet every month
the First street madames are brought
into the municipal court and compelled
TO put up good fat fine, from $50 to
$50. according to certain scale.
Their business goes on just the same.
Saloons are licensed, and SaloOnkeeperS
are sent to Jail and their business is
often broken up because they violate
the law. Keepers of houses Of ill-fame
are not licensed. but they are compelled
to put up certain amount of money
every month without there being
shadow of authority for the taxation,
and are then allowed to pursue their
work uninterruptedly. This filming of
the madames is clearly illegal. When
houses of ill-fame are licensed by due
process of law, as they should he, then
they can be taxed for the support of
the municipal government. AS it is,
the city authorities are doing something
every month for which there is no war
rant.
When church members quarrel, even
ministers Of the gospel being drawn
into it, and insinuate that the Opposi-
ton is composed of liars, dishonest men
and generally diSreputable characters,
what can be expected of ordinary,
everyday mOrtals who are subjected to
all the failings and frailties of the flesh?
Emmanuel Baptist church and the MEM
bers thereof are having pleasant little
time just now all by themselves. Pas
tor MacLaurin has a quarrel on with
three Of the trustees of the church,
among whom is w. X. Hicks, the ia
nous South Minneapoltan. Hicks is
hard-hpaded ScOtchman of the fighting
type, and he was never known to sur
render. There is no doubt but that he
can make it interesting for his oppo
nents. He and his two colleagues have
been removed from their offices as
trustees, but they declare that they will
not resign and will continue TO serve on
the church board. The end of the fight
is not yet. And it all goes to prove that
even the am-hOler-than-thou sort Of
church members are much like ordinary