The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-04-23
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
MONDAY. APRIL %. 1905
BETTER FIRE PROTECTION.

While it may be far cry TO draw
parallel from the terrible fire at
San Francisco, following the earth
quake, and cite it as a lesson to the
cities in preparing for possible con-
flagration yet If is lesson that has
besn taken TO heart by more than one
city in the United States and has
caused II uch serious thought Oh the
subject of fire protection.
1t has shown up one great fact;
that as a fire gains cea1w.v the
chances for extinguisthing il decrease
all out of proportion e the IIcrea:e
in the fire That is, ii order to be
anywhere near on the sale side,
blaze IN a town or city mast De pat
nut soon after irs inception or the
whole city Is in in miaent peril. Winds
such as we have IN Wenatchee at
times, probably lnorsas that dEneer
hundred II mes.
Wenatchee has been extrartsI~
lucky in the matfeg OF fires; Lucky II
the fact that they were eirheI Is lated
or that the wind was not blowiAl.
The fremen themss Ives. the ones VII;
are the best frieaes Of the present
fire department, az unit that ii has feen
luok and luck only which has enabled
them to extinguish the fires of the pas:
year with so little damage to the city.
II does not stand TO reason that we
will always continue TO De lucky.
Anyone with an ounce of reason can
see that should fire start in any one
Of score OF localities in this city with
the wind blowing as it does many days
in the year, the greater part of Wenat-
ohaa would in few hours be but a
heap Of smoking ruins.
In a case Of that kind our present
fire department. M light just as we'll be
overv on the top of Badger mountain.
Everyone one knows this. 1t is
talked on the street and by the bust
ness men in their stores. 1t is admit
ted by men who have every dollar they
have in the world invested in Wenat-
chez and which bau fire would wipe
out completely. 1t is admitted Dy
men whose business could not stand
one half the loss which IA bad Ere
would entail. In fact it is admitted
by every person in this city that we
have not one half the fife protect ion
that we should have and everyone,
while hoping that we may continue
to be lucky, is momenta1iIy fearing
the worst.
Why, then in the light of all these
facts and in the name of common sense
isn't something done to improve con-
ditions! How can these men in who Sc
power it IS to improve them, sit
idly by while their own interests as
well as the interests Of the whole town
re at stake! How can they continue
to play game in which they know
the chances are one hundred to one
against them! This is matter which
is every bodys business consequently
is nobody's business but it must not
be so. We must have better fire pro-
lection before 1t is to late!
The remedy is simple one. We
do not need to invent fire fighting ap
paratus nor manufacture It, A dozen
firms are ready to supply our needs at
an nour's notice. 1t means the initial
expenditure OF a few thousands of
dollars and the hiring of a few men
who shall see that we are ready every
hour Of the dav and night to properly
fight fire. The details of an up TO d9te
fire department can soon be worked
out when the meu in whose power {
is to do so, shall vote a sum of money
for the purpose.
We must have more fire protection