The Washington times., 1904-01-07
fREE-HAND COMMENT
ON MEN AND MANNERS
Precaution Should Be Taken in These
Arctic Days Against the Dan
ger From Fire.

Good-by. now. Mr.. Cold Spell,
We've seen enough of YOU
You've froze our eyes and noses
And our poor fingers, too.
You've creased the streets and nave
ments
| With nasty ice and snow,
And made US burn our coal I'D
| Until it's getting low.
You don't know where you're at. sir.
/ There's some mistake, you See
This isn't Platte. Nebraska,
But Washington, D. C.
in times Of extreme cold weather
/ people should take extra precautions
against fire. When the Thermometer
gets down around zero. fire seems like a
friendly element. and we invoke its aid
and cheer But we should not forget
/ that IL is the most treacherous friend
/ imaginable. and is ever ready TO betray
US when we least expect such treatment.
/ IT is ruthless element. too, for IL
! spares neither property nor life. and is
capable of sudden transformation from
a meek slave, into giant monster; il
may be purring now in the stove or fur
mace with seeming genial content and
I
its banners from the housetop. In Sc
we're cold spells, as every fireman and
newspaper man knows, there is the
greatest danger of disastrous confa-
grauons. because then people set all
their fires going, to warm themselves.
and 10 protect stock and goods that
may be injured by frost, from the cold
/ II often happens. too, as has been the
case in this city within the past few
days. that fires are harder TO deal with
! Dy the department in the course Of a
severe snap. The slippery pavements
and streets cause delay. and often there
IS loss Of tiTpe in thawing out the
plugs As fires are caused in nine times
OUT OF ten by carelessness. a word of ad-
vice as 20 extra precautions in such
weather as we have been experiencing
the past few days, may not be taken
amiss
As result OF the strenuous con-
certed. and increasing Mutations of the
citizens OF Washington. the officials Of
! the Railway and Electric Comps.av have
promised some Improvement in tba
service where the need for such better
ment is most crying Vice President
Harries has explained why sometime,
has not been done on the Brishtwood
line. concerning which complaints have
been most persistent and urgent. The
line he said last Tuesday to a COM
mttee Of the Business Mems Assocfa-
tion. was not making money. and hence
was doing the best that could be ex
pected under the circumstance Hence
the necessity for a transfer to the
BriShtwood line. and herce. no doubt.
the propriety Of making passengers wait
IN an open shed. Doubtless General
Harries knows whereof he speaks. bur il
does not seem possible that cars that
give so little for the monev-ca-s tb.,+
usually wait till they are crowded like
sardine boxes, can be losing heavily.
However this may be. il is certain that
poor transportation facilities retard the
development Of section which is de-
pendent upon them; and that the future
prosperity Of the street car line depends
directly upon the growth Of the out
lying regions.
In this connection, the advice Of cx-
Senator Henderson TO the Citizens A.
ISOLATION from Columbia Heights is
worthy Of consideration, fcs the ex-Sen-
ator has, in his time, carried a few
points himself. ~Buzzing around mem
bers Of Congress and Commissioners.
he says, will accomplish more than
long-winded speeches. resolutions. and
printed addresses" How would it be to
add Mr. Hendersoa's suggested meth
eds 10 those already in use? To con-
tinue the resolutions and me speeches.
which have at least forced from the
company the admission that the service
Is not all that il ought to be. and in
addltlen 30 appoint a buzzing commit
tcc2
1t is with extreme regret that we read
of Prince Cupid's disastrous experience
wit
scion of a royal house. the descendant
of a long line of conquering kings.
should have been arrested and cast in
dUrance vile as a result OF the influence
OF an inhOspitable and foreign liquor is
painful thought II is no reflection on
his prowess, however One must be-
come acclimated To strange drinks as
20 strange climates. and the sampling
OF allen poJauonS IS never a safe eN-
pertinent. Doubtless any of our Sena-
tors or Representatives. with the eNcep-
tfoD. of cOlIrse. of those who represent
teetOtaI constituents. would have been
able TO carry of Delegate Kalanian-
aOle's package without the least incon-
venience. HAD il been poi. now, the
case would have been different There
is an evident temperance lesson in the
prince mishup- Never drink, but II
you do, stick 20 your own Upple.
y nice question OF ethics came to
light in the course of the pure food dis
cussion before the I-ouse committee
Representative Mann OF Illinois is. OF
course. on tie qui vive when the pro-
posed legislation has any bearing on
the expectation of canned meats sally
ellie acid. testified Or. Wiley. was ac-
cording 20 general opinion. injurious.
Then, declared Mr.. Mann, .'if DR.
" iieys recommendation becomes "a law,
export business in meats. amounting 70
millions of dollars yearly viii be de-
stroYed- lie suggested an amendment
allowing substances to be put in food
Tor export. when such substances were
not declared injurious by the laws OF
the countries TO which the food WAS
sent. In other words. we viii look out
for our own stomachs and will let other
people look out FOR theirs. We viii
not eat bOTdN ourselves. II we can help
IT, but We win send adulterated foods
20 other people who are foolish enough
70 buy them, and If they eat and be-
come sick. that Is their business not
ours Verify, business is business DR..
Wiley II is reported. made no Objeo-
ton to the amendment.
The Moccasin is stiH fast az Currituck.
despite all reports to the contrary. IN
deed she seems no y-or,rfr,cr slowly