The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-11-13
The MeddLer
II the coat fits you, put It on"

The question of lessening danger from
flre is not one that interests only the real |
estate owners of Brattleboro. 1t concerns |
directly the members of the local fire de- |
partment, as The Reformer has already |
pointed out, and likewise every resident |
OF the town. The amount a man stands to |
lose IN case his home is destroyed may
be few hundred dollars or it may be |
thousands, but if it is all he has the loss
IS Just as severe in one case as the other;
IN fact, the small property owner is fire.
inability or neglect to carry adequate in
surance. Having in mind these facts, the
voters of the village, The Meddler feels
sure, will not allow anybody to befog the
issue that is to be presented to them at
an early special meeting What Brattle-
boro needs is set of regulations that will
prohibit the erection of wooden frame
buildings IN sections where they will in
crease the fire hazard to adjoining prop
erty. 1t is inconceivable that opposition
yet The AIeddler fears that such thing is
likely. The village of Brattleboro is for
tlnate IN the possession of an eXcelently
equipped and efficiently manned fire de
partment, but what does it profit us to
maintain such protection if we continue
to allow our fire hazard to increase?
Now that our firemen have demonstrated
their ability to do we'll what is required
OF them IN case of emergency it is the
duty of every public spirited citizen to do
such an emergency So when we hear talk
/ about retarding development, and other
bunk of the same kind, let us give a little
consideration to the sort of development
that is dependent upon lax building regu-
lations and ask ourselves whether that is
the kind we wish to encourage.
!
The duty of the community in the mat
! ter of fire protection, however, is not con
fined to supervision of new buildings.
Attention to the condition of those that
are already built is quite an important
factor. Since the fire of last week there
has been a marked improvement in the
appearance of store surroundings, and
doubtless too cellars have felt the effects
OF Fire Chief Sanders's inspection But
UNLESS the visits of the chief are made at
frequent intervals The NIeddler fears
there will soon be such accumulations OF
Icombustible refuse as have frequently been
in evidence in the rear of Main street
mercantile establishments in the past
| While the men of Brattleboro probably
viii be content to receive the benefits o.
The Reformer's home economics classes II
a astronomical way it doubtless has beer
apparent to them that the enterprise j;
one that has appealed strongly to tn,
women of this and surrounding towns. L
Is as much tribute to the appreciation
Of an opportunity by Brattleboro house
wives as to the value OF The Reformer a.
a medium of publicity that the attendanc,
at the lectures has been larger in proper
ton to the size of the town than at an,
similar course given in this part Of TIN
} country That local merchants have bene
fitted from the outpouring of women every
afternoon throughout the week is fac
which no one who has looked into tn
: stores Just after the lectures would fee
sslil>e denying.
/ The Meddler has no wish to prolong Al
) argument with the telephone people as t,
twhat reply their operators shall make t
subscribers who inquire as to the location
of fires He differs strongly, however
with the contention that the most salts
y factory answer to give is the number an,
location of the alarm box. For example
!. "a business man hears an alarm from tn
! ! box nearest his place of business, look
a out and sees the reflection of a fire in tina
} locality, calls central asks where the fir
: tiss and receives in reply the number an
location of the box, both of which he a
i lready knows Does that satisfy him? G
: lcourse not; he would much rather hav
the operator say either, i don't know
or 4 am not allowed to tell,
Coon hunters in this locality complain
0 labout the law which prevents the hlntin
! tof this variety OF game before Nov.
n Drnur AMI IECr Il