The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1913-08-22

The Record has already called at
tentiou to the need Of better FIRE pro
lection for the city, but the subject
is Of 30 much Importance that We
have no apology to make for taking II
up again.
As far as water Is concerned the
city is we'll supplied and as a gen eral
rule the MIGRANTS are conveniently
located 80 as to furnish good protec-
tion In case Of fire Ia any part of the
city.
This OF itself Is all right. but wat
sr is Of no value Ia putting out fires
unless there is some way to bring 1t
in contact with the flames, and 1t
must be used before the fire has gain
ed TOO great a Roadway. and 10 sutti
Client quantities to he effective.
The city owns some nose. but not
enough TO be Of a great deal of value
In case of a big FIRE AID most Of what
there is on hand has been In use for
q considerable period aud no one
knows In what condition II is. We
have been informed that 1t can not
be depended upon. That 1t ls liable
TO burst at any time.
II an accident of this kind should
happen It lie bound to occur when the
hose is Ia use at a Ere aud Just when
the delay that It would cause IN get
ting water on the Ere would mean the
greatest possible damage from the
FIRE.
But worst OF all tina city has no
organized fire department, not even q
vestsge OF one, no one to take the
lead or with authority to direct ope
rations.
Under these conditions. should q
FIRE break out, especially In the busl-
ness district, II is bound to get a big
headway before any effective effort
can be made to put it, out. This is
bound to be the case, no matter how
prompt the citizens may be IN re-
spending or how willingly they may
work.
In q case of this ki,d half a dozen
trained men with 40 efficient chief In
charge would be worth more than any
number Of UNFRAMED men without
anyone In charge They will get
their apparatus to The fire quicker
and have It in readiness to play upon
''i E ~s~s after t tS"s rass S is rued on
the efforts of unframed m1 twill not
be nearly so effective as .bft Of regu-
lar fremen. III
This city has been vet fortunate
10 regard to fires. but the good luck |
cannot always continue. There Is
bound to be dres 20 matter how care
ful everyone tries to be. and unless
some preparations are made before
hand t. check II 1t Is bound to be
big one.
Suppose a Hre should break out
some night In one of the buildings
on the douk. What is to prevent the
whole row from burnine2 Or what
would happen If one should start In
the Mountain View anuexS
It IL certainly the part Of wisdom
TO make some preparations before
hand and not walt until good por-
tion OF the city has been destroyed.
There is plenty Of material here for
q we'll organized aud efficient Ere de
partment There are mum bers of men
who have seen service Ia other Ere
departments, both paid and volun
teer. who would join and help to or
ganlze a volunteer company here II
someone would only start the matter
going aud II there was any induce
ments 70 join the company.
The city council should make pro
vision for such a company al once.
It wbould not be expensive to the
city. The inducement would not
have TO be large. Suppose the city
was TO pay the hremen $500 a piece
for not 20 exceed ten men for every