The morning call., 1893-06-08
FIGHTING THE FIRE.

Yesterday morning the people living in
the neighborhood of the burned district
were loud in their condemnation of Chief
Sullivan and his men. 1t was claimed that
houses with women and children In them
we're allowed to burn down, while the
Chief saved a school-house block and a
half away. Owners of burned dwellings
said that the Chief had refused to send a
stream of water to save their homes when
it could have been done easily enough.
Still others blamed the Chief for the death
of the three fremen, and said he sent his
men into the very jaws of death" without
reason or warrant
When the excitement died down, and
people began to look about them. they re-
allied that in acting as he had done Chief
Sullivan had saved millions of dollars
worth of property, and prevented untold
suffering, to say nothing Of probable loss
of life.
With q fire burning on three sides of
him and a scant water supply. Chief Sulli-
van was startled by reports that buildings
block and half away were ablaze from
ubers that had been carried by the wind
and lodged on the roofs. The school
house near the corner of Baker and Page
streets was ablaze, and below it in the d-
rection the wind was blowing Law acres
and acres of dwellings At the same me-
ment 1t was announced that the row of
houses on Baker street, above Page, and
elegant residences they are, too, was
ablaZe.
There was no time to be lost. Sullivan
realized that once the fire got square
away from him his department would be
well nigh helpless.
Then it was that he concentrated every
effort in checking the flames eastward and
westward on Page street, northward on
Lyon street and southwark Cn Baker
street, at the same time sending his men
armed with eXthgnishers to the school
building and other houses reported on fire.
He was compelled to let the houses already
on fire burn and gave his attention TO
checking the srread Of the flames.
When people realized the gravity of the
situation the very men who were lOudest
in their condemnation of the Chief were the
most eager 10 commend his policy. 1t
seemed hard on those who owned houses
in the block along Page street that were
burning, but had the crippled department
devoted its attention to these houses alone
the whole West End would have probab bly
been in ashes now.
Many and presumably just complaints
come from citizens regarding the actions of
hoodlums who claimed to be, and NAV
have been, firemen. Houses were entered
and numerous articles stolen, not to speak
OF destruction OF property that was wan
ton. The fact that nine-tenths of the Fire
Department is made up of men who ordi-
narlly have some other business and who
belong TO the Fire Department in semi
detached way that saves them polltax and
gives them standing among the ward
politicians, is the cause Of the continual
complaints of larcenies a fires.
The firemen have no uniforms, and not
one in ten is known by sight by the Dis
trict Engineer. They get to the fire as
soon as they can, supposedly, and when
there are only distinguished from the
crowd, if at all. by badge easily counter
feited. In many cases this badge is not
worn. and it is difficult for citizen to tell
whether the man who rushes up to his
door and demands access to the roof of