New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-09
THE REASONABLE MEAN.

Fatal fires In buildings which have been re-
rarded as reasonably safe by their occupants.
and especially in private houses Of substantial
character inevitably excite alarm. and for a
time while the memory Of a shocking disaster
Is vivid. a multitude Of persons remain in an APP
prehepsive mood. We have no doubt that the
sale of safety appliances has recently been large
end that the demand was greatly Increased by
the miserable fate which overlook the Andrews
family on Thursday night But perhaps the
sense of surprise which such calamity causes
IL not less strong than that of fear. Though the
Andrews house was of modern construction,
and is said to have contained brick partitions
and terra-cotta ceilings, the fire swept through
II from basement TO roof and from front TO rear
with awful rapidly, and many persons living In
houses Of similar character are mystihed as well
as anxious for their own safety. Yet to GER
tain extent establishment in such case is IRA
tlonal. Let lis suppose that residence IS
structurally of the socalled slow-burning sort,
or even practically fireproof. Well, furnace Is
OF necessity absolutely freproof but II is so
fashioned that everything OF a combustible nat
ure which is put into II Is quickly and certainly
consumed Why should not the mass OF IN
fammable material which every furnished house
contains burn fercely when some fragments of 1t
have once been ignted and no one Is watching!
If this is true it may be said that everybody
must needs be- or at least ought to be. in state
Of continual alarm. But we do not think there
is any warrant for adopting that view and
cultivatIng that mood. Existence is constantly
threatened by mutifarOus dangers Railroad
accidents occur with dreadful results. Light
ming kills good many persons in the course Of
every year, and great many more are run
over in the streets OF a busy city Boats sink,
trees fall, explosives and pOisons escape control,
and the atmosphere Is full Of the germs Of dis
ease But sensible men and women travel when
they are so disposed, go where they please on
foot, choose to live in settled communities rather
than in the wilderness and pursue with salts
faction and composure the duties and pleasures
Of life in spite Of the manifold perls by which
they know they are surrounded. Their tran
quillity proceeds from more or less conscious
perception OF the fact that though accidents are
many in an absolute sense they are relatively
rare and every individual may reasonably cal
cuate on exemption. II the expectation Of life.
10 use an insurance phrase. were not large, and
personally accepted as a basis Of tranquility,
existence would be intolerable and progress i'm
possible.
This consideration. as it seems TO us, is as ap.
pilcdDIe 10 Iut case OF Idtdl cOUUdBTutlO0 as 10
various other human experiences. OF course, 1t
IS foolish and wicked TO neglect reasonable pre-
cautions for the protection Of a building and It's
inmates from fire. If thousands Of persons are
putting ropes where they may possibly be
needed, and If many to whom larger outlay is
not inconvenient are establishing more elaborate
safeguards in their homes, they are doing suit
able thing. But we insist that they have no
better reason for distressing anxiety lest they
should be burned 10 death than they have for
fearing 10 walk abroad or TO take railroad
journey. or In fact 10 breathe. Nor would it be
sensible TO strip houses far as possible OF the
furnishings and decorations which make them
comfortable and attractive. even though bare
walls and floors would be much safer. The
processes and equipments Of civilization involve
dangers. but In the aggregate they promote
safety in n far higher degree, and It is not
worth while 10 attempt TO discriminate rgor-
onsly against many Of the instruments OF n
Measurable existence merely because there is