The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-17

Why is Birmingham not equipped with fire line ordinance as in other large cities of the country? Certainly such a thing will not be amiss, and, on the other hand, will be a great boon to the fremen while fighting ire or large proportions such as Birmingham has experienced lately.
 As soon as a. big fire breaks out in the city, the crowds begin surging to the stricken territory and by the time the fire department has it's lines laid there is multitude of people about giving directions and suggestions, none ot which are appreciated. Not only that, but civilians are much in the way at a fire for the hremen have to move quickly, as each second is precious.
 At the Molton-B Bell building fire last Sunday morning a great crowd had gathered at the corner of the Florence hotel. Suddenly there came to Chief Bennett's ears the news that the lire had broken through the rear wall of the Florence hotel. Like a flash, the chief ordered a crew of men, under Captain Johnson, to the second floor of the hotel with a chemical line. But when they started, they found that the crowd was too dense for them to pen etrate
 The rules of the fire department re- quire the men to be polite and consid- crate on all occasions and the men nat urally wish to be courteous and 1t was necessary for them to implore the peo- pie whereabouts to stand out Of the fway to- let them get where they had been ordered. As result they were possibly three minutes longer in get I>1.,, laox A have been had the coast been clear
 h Second alley there were scores of sight seers watching the water sheet of Loveman, Joseph & Loeb. Of course it was pretty sight and one civilian had as much right there as another. But they were all in the way and the lfiremen complained that they were bad ly hampered in handling their lines. s,4sIn other cities. by the time the fire department reaches fire, line Is thrown about the district and not a man without due authority is allowed inside the lines. A policeman on each corner of this line is sufficient to keep the crowds from crossing it, while, as it is now, two score of them could not handle the crowds.
 This was demonstrated at the Bragg building fire on the morning of November 25 when the Majestic theatre was flooded with disinterested people looking at the SlgntS. Ine aUey Denlnu the DuilulnB was full of people and the situation was exceedingly dangerous.
 | This feature is made doubly hard on the city when it is taken into consideration that if an innocent spectator" is injured while within the danger zone he imme- diately brings suit against the city. al- though he had no right in the territory. While the city may not have to pay the damages asked for, it will have to pay at torney fees and nine times out of ten the court costs. While thing like this has not happened to the city any time lately, it Is no sign that it will not happen.
 E Again, when a fire of such proportions ms the Armour fire, the Burger fire, the Bragg building fire or the Molton-Bell building fire Is in progress, the chief Of the fire department has to keep his mind lon the movements of his men and is sup posed to know exactly his position in the matter. He has to know, to use street parlance 'just where he is at," and he cannot do this with people continually rushing to his side and asking him what he thinks about 1t.
 One who has never noticed this kind Of a thing at a fire has no idea of the num- ber of people who thoughtessly try to distract the attention of the chief at q about to see that they know the chief, rush up to him and begin social con- yersation with him about the fire. or course this is exceedingly pleasing to the chief for he has men there to do the work and has no concern in the fire.
 Then other people know more about