New Britain herald., 1917-02-22
ON GUARD

Ej oN "CA1ND
 l That strange period of the French solution known as the Reign of Sfror during which so many terri
 crimes were committed was re- cted to some degree in New Brit
 last night. At one time the entire was threatened. Vandalism ran
 Churches and public buildings i Ec saved only because of the gal t work of the local fire depart Ets, coupled with aid from other Is.
 That New Britain IS today not d | Is of smouldering ruins is due in se part to the resourcefulness of five local fire companies. That re Is not list of dead and injured strike terror into the hearts of all e is due in no small part to the (Tk of the police department.
 sew Britain owes It's very exist b to the prompt an untiring ener- of the hremen. Were 1t not for
 help that arrivsd frde1 Hartford 1 Waterbury and Bristol and Plain yh this city would now be laid low. the call for outside help been 1e ten minutes later there is no tng what might have happened te-devil driving on the part of the terbury company brought that
 fighting apparatus from tho Brass ' to New Britain in forty-f1ve min 5. Similar tactics brought all of Hartford companies to this city hin seventeen minutes.
 lime played an important part in never4to-be-forgotte proceedings l1ast night Never was a. fire de- ftment more severely tested. Nev- sdid . fire department respond so sdiiy to tho cali. As fast as one was somewhere near under con-
 another one broke out. Hose 3fe no sooner laid in one place than
 men were needed at another. AL St anyone of the fires was capable
 destroying the city had it been al- led to get slightly more headway
 hat the Common Council saw fit sanction the raise of the firemen policemen immediately before this ies of fires, rebounds to the credit those who constitute that legisla-
 body. After what took place last Int any councilman who voted Finst raise in pay for the fire hters and the policemen should Ing his head in shame. Looked at i'm mercenary standpoint, IS some
 the firemen each earned years hry in one night. The policemen. rendered invaluable service. Fire ss were immediately established in
 the danger zones. Only those who ] right to be near scenes of ac- n were allowed inside the ropes.
 To Chief Dame and Chief Rawlings I the men under their charge must
 a great deal of credit. Aided by ief corps from the local factories two departments under these men t forth the best efforts ever ex- hded in this city. Nor were they ndicapped from lack of help. Old he fire fighters, men who had wed in other days rendered val bIe assistance. Former police off $ volunteered their services Gen. bus hearts and reaGy hands were md on all sides.
 New Britain will receive the shock last night as warning. There will
 no time lost in setting up every ecaution against a recurrence of th frightfulness, both from the po- and the fire standpoint. Extra ainst a repetition. Police nets must
 strung about the city until every
 Tn of suspicion is marked Fire nting measures must be adopted tc Eestall any possibility of series
 fires getting beyond control.
 Ehe local Reign of Terror is short eA There is possibility it may
 onAes,4n with more frightfulness. ere is no one to accuse. There js
 need to point the finger of sus-
 -. Unt4 the city and state po-