Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-03

next to it, some of the recent additions
70 the Thayer block, a stable on
charles street and several others being
covered with 1t.
since the fire in the Vigue block
some claim that it saved the building,
declaring that If it had been covered
with ordinary clapboards it would have
gone with the stable in spite Of the
efforts of the firemen. They say that
# was not the fault of the sheathing
that the fire did finally get good start
there but of some fancy wood work or
some other about the building. They
think the sheathing stood the fire very
well indeed and that the same fire
might have resulted had the building
been entirely of brick.
Those with little faith in the sheath
ing declare that it is only good in
keaninp sparks from getting a foot
hold and in preventing small fires
from spreading. In a large fire like
that of Saturday night they believe
that it is more of a hindrance than
an aid to the firemen. With the fire
once at work behind it the sheathing
makes it very difficult to get at the
blaze. 1t is a tough job to tear it
away so the water can get In behind
and impossible to get water through
it until it has been destroyed by the
fire or a hole has been made by hand.
IT is also claimed that with large
blaze near the sheathing will heat
sufficiently to start fire behind it and
then all the difficulties of getting at it
follow.
And so it goes. The sheathing has
some good friends in the city and some
equally good opponents who have lost
their faith in it's efficiency as a fire
preventative This brings up the
question of the fire limit which is rath-
err a perplexing one for the city faith
ers. Several permits to build wooden
buildings within the limits under GER
tain restrictions have been granted
within the past year or two and these
have rendered to weaken the ordi-
nance, for those wishing a building
permit can point to many buildings
that have been constructed since the
ordinance was in force and offer to
follow the same conditions as did the
owners of those.
This makes rather an embarrassing
situation for the city fathers for while
they feel like strictly adhering to the
regulation they do not feel like draw
ing the line on any particularcase If
John Brown has built a wooden build
ing in the limits and John. Smith has
his request turned squarely down when
he gets ready to build under the same
restrictions, he naturally feels that
Brown has a stronger pull than he
and that it is all pull anyhow.
There are many bad wooden sections
in the city that will probably remain
for many years yet so when there is
a chance to get an old wooden building
out of the way most of the city fathers
really feel that it should be improved.
But in addition to the handicap of
permits granted there are many con-
siderations. Sometimes the petitioner
is not able to bear the additional eX-
pense of brick and to be obliged to do
so would mean a serious obstacle to
him. When a man honestly declares
that permit to build wooden build
ing means business life or death to
him, most any old kind of a COM
promise seems good.
Then on the other hand when the
fact is considered that the more mo-
dern brick buildings there are in the
business section the better insurance
rates there will be to benefit the ma
jority and also the fact that there are
now altogether too many wooden struc-
lures the argument of the petitioner
begins to lose force.
There doesn't seem to be any more
respect than there ought to be for the
ordinance now, although it's fairness
and wisdom are generally admitted.
So it is perpleXing problem for nearly
every council and most of the members
would doubtless rather take action on
most anything else than request for
permission to build a wooden building
inside the limits or to repair an old one
there.