The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-22
THE TRANSFER FIRE.


The city is again called on to mourn
the loss of members of its fire depart
ment, summoned to eternity while en-
gagged in the faithful discharge of their
duty. 1t is a sad story which the
G o b prese nted of the tragic results
of the fire at the Minnesota Transfer
The loss of property which resulted
would in any event have been regarded
as great, but it passes out of public
mind in the light of the pitiful sacrifice
of human life and limb which have en-
sued.
The sympathies of the public will go
out in full measure to the families of
the men who have given such saddening
testimony to their devotion to the dan
gerous duties which are theirs 1t would
be gratifying and consoling if we could
know that the poor wives and children
and fathers and mothers, perhaps, who
are left behind or deprived of the will
ing aid OF the men who fell beneath the
ruins of the Mccormick harvester ware
house Will be taken care of and saved
the pitiful experience OF public or pri-
waite charity. But there can be no such
assurance. Whatever precautions may
be common to men who lead such haz-
ardous lives for the protection of those
dependent upon them, the public knows
nothing of any principle in the conduct
of their affairs which offers any measure
of protection to the survivors of the
men who in civil life die while protect
ing life and property. We provide pen
sfons for those who are left by the SOL
der i'll whose hand We place a rifle in
order that he may kill if he is not kill
ed; but with all our boosted civilization
we have no protection to extend to our
faithful servants who yield up their
lives in civil life as the cost of their
devotion to duty. We pay them so much
day, and there the obligation of the
commonwealth ends.
1t is related in the news reports that
the fire engines found much difficulty in
approaching the scene of the fire, owing
to the wretched, tcrn-up condition Of
the roadway of the bridge which spans
the tracks at that point. 1t is the duty
of the city railway corporation to keep
that roadbed in condition That duty
has been avoided by every form of trick
and device for years past in such man
ner as to constitute a palpable public
crime. 1t IS now many months since
the supreme court rendered decision
against all the shameless contentious of
that corporation In its efforts to force
the cost upon the city. 1t In effect or
dered the bridge to be at once put in
proper repair But every person who
has Travelled between here and st. An
thony Park or Minneapolis for the past
two or three years knows what a public
outrage is represented by the condition
in which that bridge has been main
tanned during that time. That the need
ed repairs should he in operation at
this time simply affords another iliustra-
ton of the completeness of the hold
which the street car corporation and
its agents have had of our public Of
fcials and the departments IN this city
for years past If the street officials,
from Commissioner Claussen to the
members of the board of public works
have any apology to offer for the shame
less violation of public obligation which
is involved in the roadbed of that bridge
not being passahe at this time they
should hasten to offer them. They it is,
rather than the irresponsible street car
officials, that must be looked to.
It is not at all impossible that the
injury to life and property in that I'M
fortunate fire would be quite as bad
even had our street officials and the
| street car corporation shown some re-
gard for their duty. But there are OBJ
structions enough which nature and hui
man negligence place in the paths of our
firemen in the discharge of their duty
to render the condition of the bridge
clearly criminal in the light of all the
circumstances.