The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-27
WHERE PRAISE Is DUE.

The fire on Christmas day which came
so near doing great damage to THE CALL
even if it had not swept away the press
composing and editorial rooms, gave oc-
casion for the Fire Department to display
not only its zeal and it's energy in fighting
the flames, but also its care, skill and good
management in protecting the adjoining
property.
Without long description it would not
be easy to make clear to our readers how
near The CALL building was to the danger
of fire. nor how destructive to the compos-
ing-rooms and the presses, as well as to
the editorial-rooms, might have been any
carelessness, recklessness or confusion on
the part of the firemen. In order to fight
the flames in the adjoining building it W as
necessary for them to carry their hose
through almost all departments of The
CALL building, and to pass through the
rooms back and forth during the whole
time of fighting the fire. Had they been
careless the damage must have been very
great and that THE CALL escaped with
what, under the circumstances, was COM
paratively little loss reflects the highest
degree of credit upon the discipline of the
Fire Department and the well-ordered
manner in which the members perform
their dangerous, exciting and confusing
duties.
The department clearly deserves the
highest praise for its management of the
fire. 1t succeeded in extinguishing flames
that threatened to sweep away a large
block of property, and thereby saved an
immense amount of wealth to the city.
If in doing this it had INJURED adjoining
property by water no one would have
thought of condemning men engaged in
the difficult task. Praise is Cue all the
more, therefore, when we remember that
the protection to adjoining property was
almost complete, and that scarcely any
injury was done worth noting under cir
cumstances of such peril
While praise and commentator from
the general public is due to the Fire De-
partment. THE CALL for itself owes thanks
to the Chronicle and the Bulletin for kindly
offers of assistance when the rumor spread
through the City that THE CALL building
had been burned. Joseph B. Eliot, acting
for the Chronicle, and Mr.. Crothers OF the
Bulletin on hearing the rumor fastened to
offer the use OF their presses and their
offices to The CALL in order that the paper
might be brought out without Interrupt
ton. 1t is our good fortune that the as
sistance so generously offered was not
needed and we count it also as a good for
tune that had it been needed it would
have beer so promptly and cordially forth
coming.
1t is to the honor of the profession of
journalism that offers like those made to
The CALL by the Chronicle and the Bulletin
are not rare under similar circumstances.
In almost every case in the United States
when a newspaper office has been so dam.
aged that the publication of the paper
would have to be suspended there has
been some generous friend in the profess
sion to come forward and promptly ad-
vance to it all the accommodations neces-
sary to get out the paper until new plant
could be provided.
The frequency with which instances of
this kind have occurred attests the fact
that there is in the field of Journalism more
OF genuine fraternal spirit than is usually
to exist. Rivalry among
honorable newspapers ceases when any
befalls either OF the rivals
Then Is shown the spirit OF truly generous
natures, and the same motives which
prompt newspaper men to advocate help.
aid and assistance to all who stuff from
fire, flood, drought or accident prompts
them to give assistance to their brother
editors whenever needed.
The people of San Francisco may be
well pleased with the record OF the expe-
riences of THE CALL on Christmas day.
Since in the nature of things fires are well
nigh ineyita BILE, it is gratifying to know
that we have department SO capable of
dealing with them; and since the rival
ries and antagonisms of newspapers are
SO frequently in evidence before the pub
lie, it must also be gratifying to have this
proof that there exists in the journ alism
of San Francisco so much of real gener-
osity and mutual helpfulness whenever
misfortune fails upon any member OF the
profession.