Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-06-11
PICKED UP BY THE WAY.
THINGS SEEN AND HEARD IN THE
TOWN AND VICINITY.

Matters of Local Nature Written Up
and Placed Before the Readers OF the
"Tribune" by the Saunterer-something
Here May Interest You.
There must be some tall
wire-pulling going on in the
fourth district legislative cir
Gle. At least that is the Opin-
ion of some of the politicians
to whom | have been talking
lately. Among the Republi-
cans it is understood that JEFF
frey will be the nominee be-
yond a doubt, consequently no
activity need be looked for in
that party until the nomina-
ton is made. With the Demo-
Gratis, however, it is different.
Three men on that side are will
ling to give Jeffrey battle, yet
they do not appear to be max
ing much fuss or losing much
sleep over the matter. 1t is
hardly possible that they are
doing nothing, for they are all
aware that it is going to be q
sharp fight, and to get the
nomination the winner must
have twenty delegates, there
now being thirty-nine polls in
the district.
So far there has been very
few signs on the surface of the
coming struggle, but | cannot
believe that the candidates are |
doing as little as they appear
to be. The voters in general
have not yet become interested
in the question, although the
convention is only five weeks
off. There must be some deep |
foundations being laid, or else
there would have been more
open soliciting of votes. The
three aspirants, however, are
pretty shrewd men, and when
the time comes we will see
why they have been lying so
low. | hope we will be treated
to a good square fight, and af-
ter the convention the success
full man will have the support
of his opponents and their
friends. The district can be
redeemed, but to do it harmony
and unity must prevail.
My attention was called
few evenings ago to the fact
that there is not a building in
Freeland provided with fire
escape. There may be some
from which people could be |
rescued easily in case of fire,
but not one of the buildings |
which need them the most have |
any means of escape if such
thing was necessary. AS an
example, we can take any of
the halls in which societies
meet. The rooms usually con-
tain from fifty to one hundred
or more people, and are enter
ed, as a general rule, by long
and narrow passage-ways lead
ing from flight or two of
steps.
Should fire break out on the
first or second floor of these
buildings, when a large crowd
it assembled above, it would cut
off communications with the
upper stories in an incredibly
short space of time. The con
struction and plan of the build
ing would prevent the people
from escaping except through |
the windows, and any person
who has ever seen people get
ting saved from windows |
knows that a great loss of life |
would ensue before one hun
dred men could reach terra
firma by the ladder route. A
visit to nearly any of the halls
in town will convince the read
er of the danger that turks in
Freelands $ meeting rooms, and
in some other buildings as
well.
1t would be well to make the
question of fire-escapes a sub
ject for the borough council to
consider ere it is too late. Be
cause the town has been more
fortunate with fires than its
neighbors is no reason why
the vigilance to protect life as
well as prOpertY Shonld be re-