Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1902-07-08
the oRPHNs HOME FIRE
Something. Of its Cause And
How it Might Have Been
Different

NOuIStHIuS VI ASS Ne%uSS eAAu ~" ~
might have been different.
1t is now generally conceded that the
fire at the Home was the result of a
defective flue and that it caught near
the roof, and was not caused by fire.
crackers exploded by the children.
1t is next in order to ascertain what
facilities there were available for ex-
tinguishing the blaze. As near as the
Appeal is able to judge, there was
almost next to none.
The Grand Jury of 1898, which re-
ported in February, called attention to
the lack of facilities to control fire
at the Home and recommended chang
es. Some of these recommendations
we're needed and some were not.
Attention was called to the lack OF
good pipe, but the recommendation to
build a new cistern for the storage Oh
water in case of fire was not nee.1eu.
1t is claimed that there was about
ten thousand gallons OF water in the
tdIik WHcu luG uIC UIOkS Jul Uut CCuiu
not be used.
Two reasons are ascribed for this
| one, that there was a check valve in
the pipe placed there by the former
Superintendent named Beebee. He
| was a sort of amatuer plmber and in
some way got the valve in wrong so
that the water could not flow out OF
the pipe in a way that would be of any
service in case of fire. Beebee did con-
siderable ar1atuer plumbing about the
building, most of which had to be ia
ken out and done over by regular
plumbers.
1t was the penny wise and pound
foolish economy that characterized his
term Again it is claimed that the
pipe was clogged with sand and that
the water would not run through it.
In either case ii is not exactly the
thing to throw the ulame on Beebee OF
the sand. as the present management
should have tested that pipe and the
tark and ascertained at least once q
month that it was in working order.
Another cause for the rapid spread
of the flames was the fact that no lad
der would reat roof. A perma
nert stationery iron ladder SHOULD
have been there to rAach from tht
ground to the apex, and had the ladde
, been there on Friday last the building
, might have been saved.
Some wears ago before the presesn
Board came in. Henry Daugherty, Su
. perintendent Of the Water Co. offere
> to connect the Home with the main
G Of the city water system, so that il
/ case of the Home fire would have pier
. ~ of water and plenty of pressure
This offer was refused by the Boar
although the expense would have bee
but $500
Wien the new Home is built tn
Board should see that the connectio
l. with the city system is made and tha
O the tanks and appliances be inspecte
o at least cnce a month to see that the
o are in working order.
i The Board met Sunday and ordere
d shed erected over the range. 50 thc
II cooking might go on and nothing els
il will be done until the insurance al
d justers arrive.
s. They have also applied to the Alto
K ney-General to ascertain what autho
d. ity they have to rebuild and create
y deficiency pending the meeting of tn
it Legislature. The children suffer vel
T. little inconvenience now, but when N
g vember and December arrive. the
t, will need to be housed comforta5l
r and a stone or brick building shou
4 be erected for them
ia This work can not begin to ouic'I