Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-03

cider thoughtfully the case Of Bisbee
In connection with the recent fire
which swept that thriving own, leav-
ing hundreds Of people homeless and
destroying uninsured property TO the
value Of many thousands Of dollars.
Probably no amount Of fire fighting
equipment would have prevented a
disastrous fire in Bisbee. for all con-
ditlons were ripe for the calamity
But additional equipment and a well
organized department would have
checked the devastation, would have
saved many homes and much suffer
ing.
The Blsbeo REVIEW states the case
N Bisbee quite plainly in the follow
Ing:
Now that ue have had a demonstration
~ the danger ~ fire ln Hishce, the lesson
should not be- forgotten and the fact SHOULD
be- kept In mind mat because OF me &c.
tlan ~ homes on The mountain sides. nrdi
nary fire equipment may not he depended
up1n here 40 iu a level city. where buildings
arc divided by regular streets Tie IRE
equipment should be- provided % meet every
disadNantaRe ~ the cungested condition Of
fbc city The equipment nf the fire de-
partmcut was made the best use of Neater
day and The nrcmcn acquitted themselves
veil
Whatever additional equipment may Ice
sulgeafcd hy the fire department as "a het-
ter safeguard against fire should De
promptly provided ~ - takes every tenth
pound ~ clipper mined boo the Warren dis
triet to pny fnr De-
Albuquerque has never been visited
by a devastating fire; this city is par
tlcularly fortunate in having escaped
even heavy individual fire losses In
tho past ten years there have been
hut hair q dozen big fires by which
large losses were cntailcd And prob
ably for this reason this city mas not
given he attention 10 its fire fighting
equipment and has not raised It's fire
department to the standard 81 eff
cheney at which it should be II life
and property is 90 be properly safe
guarded There is no disposition Go
criticize the Albuquerque fire depart
mcnt. so far as o. goes It's equip
mcut is good. Il is well directed and
It's small force Is made up Of fearless
and competent men, whose record
during the past year is sufficient 60
prove the falthfulness and efficiency
of the department But the depart
ment Is too small and it's equipment
Is totally inadequate for the protcc-
lion of the very large and rapidly
growing property values OF this city
II Is practically Impossible To obtain
prompt service from "a single station
In a city the size of Albuquerque
Horses may be fast. drivers fearless
and men may work Ike fiends bu
the minutes lost 10 a run from one
part Of The city TO auothcr may Casily
and at any time lot q fire get so far
beyond control that it viii do fof Al
buquorauc what the flames did last
week for Plsbcc. At least one sub
station De- imperatiycly needed here
and no matter how difficult II may
seem To supply 1t with the eng pres
cnt Income. 70 should, nevertheless, be
supplied and at once.
There D.. moreover. an urgent need
for additional equipment for the pres
eut station. Albuquerque has no lad-
der equipment There are many
buildings in the city which b would
be wholly impossible To reach from
the ground and the lack Of a few lad
ders may al any time be the direct
cause OF heavy property loss-and
what b. Infinitely more vital, may
mean the loss OF many lives.
The present small department has
done well. remarkably well. - has
checked several fires which threaten
cd a. prove dangerous. u has been
aided hy luck. a high vim at the
time OF any one of half % dozen small
fires within the past two years might
easily have destroyed the greater pore
ton Of this city. ~ ls NOT wise to
depend ou luck when property and
human lives are at stake. u Us well
tn provide 60 the very limit ol
ability for protection against fire and
means for fighting 20. J. may boz DIFF
fcuIt FOR tbc city administration GO
Sees 4 uat 81 provide added fire firht
me equipment from it- present rcvc-
uuU othcx cities have found 4 way
and Albuquerque can and should DO
so let ihi- city have a single fire ap-
r|raleuIul Iu amy was The o%ouilagra-
don which swept u.-bcc last week
aud the added equipment will be- Pro-
Naled quickly enough.
HIsHt, De- Just now mourning Doe
|t4u.. 81 waited until the costly lesson