The herald., 1893-11-19
A Plea for Fires.

EDITORS HERALD: During my 30
journ in Chicago have often heard dis
paraging statements about Southern
California by persons who had visited
this country in the winter season
though. as a rule. the reports from such
persons are decidedly favorable. The
chief complaint is of the cold expert
enced while here. 1t may seem absurd
for people who have all their lives been
accustomed to the rigors of eastern win
ters to grumble over the cold weather OF
this semi-tropicsl climate. Yet they
frequently do that very thing, and not
without cause. The cause, however, is
not in the climate OF this country, but
in the stupidity or parsimony of many
of our own people. Very frequently
have l heard eastern people declare:
IL suffered more from cold in Caliior-
mia, while indoors, than ever suffered
in the east. | was chilled half to death
nights and mornings"
Such a statement is very true. And
why? Because OF the notorious lack of
artificial heat provided in public build
ings, private offices and dwellings.
During several months every year the
atmosphere in evory habitable building
in California should be srtificially
warmed not all the time, but generally
nights and mornings, and occasionally
throughout the entire day. Without
some aort of artificial heat
every building is sure to be
uncomfortably cold for any human
being except one as tough as lap
lauder. And yet how many offices,
dwellings, hotels, halls and auditoriums
are unprovided with means for properly
warming them. The prevalent idea
seems to be to produce warmth in q
room not by the use of fuel, but by keep
ing the room Theoretically closed against
elr from outdoors, and warming it by
The exhalations of the imprisoned occu-
pants. This plan may be called econ
omy, but it looks more like idiocy. 1t is
undoubtedly prolific source of human
illness.
Rather than shiver indoors half OF
the time through Southern California
winter from lack of little fire, person
had perhaps better wade through east
ern snowdrifts, face fierce billiards. and
encounter cold that drives the mercury
below zero, as l did last winter, and yet
enjoy plenty of warmth within each
building and room occupied. The ex-
perience of many a visitor while here
hurts this country in the east. Many
one, to my personal knowledge, on re-
turning home has denounced our "glo
rious winter climate" as fraud, simply
because OF the cold shivers experienced
in q land where only comfort was ex-
pected. Such reports excite prejudice
among eastern people who have never
tested this climate but who
have contemplated investigating it
for themselves. In reality this
grows out of no defect in the
climate itself; it is the fault of existing
which residents of this coun-
Try can and should change for the bet
.er. But disgruntled visitors are not
disposed to probe very deeply for the
,auss of their discomfort. They know
hat they were cold, and very naturally
hey make unfavorable reports to their
riends east.
This is not tropical country-it is
,emi-tropical. A little fire at times is as
needful for human health and
Kan KANSAS, i. Uiicgg ID ff4esle 4eslewi ia in
folly to try to convince ''tenderfeet"
that this country is "a land of perpetual
where frosts and chilling
winds are entirely unknown. Only a
very small percentage of the American
people wish to live in a climate that is
'hot, hot, hot" the whole year through.
Those who do should 60 to Honolulu,
where all sudden and radical changes
occur not in the weather, but in the
government. California is good enough
for most people, and there is no excuse
Ior fictitious appearances, misrepresenta-
tions or exsggerations.
1t is true that prices of fuel in this
region are extraordinarily high, but this
TACT does not obviate the necessity for
1t only emphasizes the need
Of some new enterprise by which good
fuel shall be brought to our doors at
reasonable cost to consumers.
An early solution of the fuel problem
ia "a contamination devoutly to be
by every friend of Southern
California. RALPH b. HoYT.
Los Angeles, Nov. IS. 1898.
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