Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-03-01

Wk1GE6 TILE WORLD AND AOO8
T0rHE STRENGTH OF THE AR
aUldENT--1GATTER Is ONE OF
\ VITAL IMPORTANCE TO sEvERY
OIT1zEN OF THIS CITY.
4. Silver serumgard, in letter to The
World and letter to the evening pape
gives his views and the grounds upon
which he objects to the present location
Of the light and power plant Of the
Devils Lake Improvement company.
The letter follows:
Editor Of The Devils Lake World,
City.
Dear Sir:
Your item in Saturday nights is
sue with reference to the management
Of the Electric Light Plant and myself
was in the main correct. The enclosed
open letter to the Editor of the Devils
Lake Journal may be of interest to
your readers. In this letter have
purposely ommitted any reference to
what consider the greatest objection
to the present location of the plant, be-
canse I did not care to unnecessarily
excite the public. I believe, however,
that it is better for us to face the max
ed truth no matter how horrible it may
be. Ever since this plant was built,
tales have from time to time leaked out
hn%
by has, in the nick of time, raked out
the fire under some boiler, then run for
his life, expecting the plant to tumble
about his ears, and wait in an agony Ct
suspense until the defective boiler had
time to cool off sufficiently to make it
safe to return. Time after time ter
fible accident has been averted by the
narrowest margin, as if by miracle.
am told that if boiler explosion
should occur at the plant, life and prop
erty is in danger in radius Of from
three to five blocks. Just look at it!
Adjoining the plant is a fifty thousand
dollar Jail. A few feet farther is a
court house with its invaluable con-
tents. A block south is the pride of
the city, the one hundred and fifty
thousand dollar government building,
and all around are business blocks and
residences. The explosion of boiler
with hundred and fifty pounds pres
sure might wreck any one of them
if it happened to be in the path of de-
struction. Suppose such an explosion
occurred on Sunday, when the Presby-
terian and Episcopal churches across
Harrington avenue are crowded with
men, women and children. The mind
recoils with a shudder, from contem-
plating what might happen. The last
of these accidents occurred last fall
just before Harrington avenue was con-
fiscated for boiler yard, and while it
is not generally known, it is neverthe-
less a fact, that boiler which had
been abandoned as absolutely unsafe
was again put into operation and used
while the other was being repaired.
Steam has been used for hundred and
fifty years and accidents like those oc-
curing at the lighting plant here are
almost unheard OF. il. a well regulated
power house. Whether these are due
to gross ignorance and Encouragement
or to wanton disregard of the safety
of life and property is immaterial to
me. Their occurrence is proof positive
that someone is to blame, and this
someone must be the management Of
the Devils Lake Improvement Co. All
are agreed that reasonable sum ex.
pended in more modern quipment, in
additional help, and in increase of sal.
airy Of those who are now employed
would so improve conditions that in
stead Of being menace and an eye
sore, the company's plant could be
made thing of beauty and safety.
Sincerely yours,
Silver Serumgard.
The open letter to the Journal re-
ferred to in the above, is as follows:
Editor Devils Lake Journal,
City.
Dear Sir:
That the erection of the Devils Lake
Improvement Co. g plant in the heart
Of the residence portion Of this city
was mistake, was conceded when j,
was built some ten years ago. That the
plant would become a common nuisance
and positive menace to the health
and comfort Of residents for blocks il
it's immediate vicinity. Such howeve,
is the case. Since it commenced op
GRAFTON the smoke nuisance put in It'll
appearance and has steadily grown
worse. From the very first any at
tempt to improve the outside appear
ance of dwellings and other building.
has been worse than useless. Within q
month after new coat Of paint ha:
been applied, no matter of what color
walls assume the same black, smoke
begrimed appearance. Last summer
I had my house washed on the outside
and when the SCOT was cleaned off i
was as white as when it was painter
six years ago. Look at it now. It i:
as black as before it was washed The
same is true of other houses in thu
immediate vicinity. But it is not only