The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1919-03-23

men are employed and where every
and all precautions are taken to pre-
vent the same 1t is the history of
every town and city
Columbus, with her present popu-
lation and administration and fire
fighting facilities is no more able TO
cope with a eonfagration like that
of Tuesday than is the ordinary city
of this size. We have an average de-
partment here organized TO meet
80 per cent OF the community's
needs, but we are not organized or
prepared for sky-scraper work; or
to arrest a eonhagration begun with
gasoline, with pine. compartments to
feed on, famed by thirty mile gale
at the time. We might as well real
ize facts
1t required probably a hundred
men to do the good work done. Nine
ty-four Of these were volunteers and
six of them were paid men. Six men
have been able, with proftered vol
unteer assistance, to handle the av-
erage fire in Columbus. The men
in the employ of the city are the
best men that the city could get.
Last year there was a man shortage
here and men were scarce. Wages
are high and the city had difficulty
in maintaining the paid force at its
maximum strength. The authorities
here did the best they could This
answers the criticism, as TO the per-
sonnet Of the department.
Another subject of criticism was
the water pressure. The city is con-
nected with the power plant with
only one ten-inch main, which sup
plies water for all purposes. If this
were to break the city would be help
less. With innumerable hydrants
opened, supplying streams for the
fire, it was impossible to secure pres
sure. That is all there is TO it, If
the number OF streams had been few
there would have been pressure, but
with nearly all town faucets open ii
was impossible to maintain the pres
sure with only one ten-inch main.
Another observation worth while
is the origin and location of the
fire. From all The Dispatch can
learn il had its origin in a gasoline
explosion. Gasoline is highly combus-
tible and spreads sheet of flame
The location of the fire was in a
building divided into innumerablt
compartments by pine partitions
These prevented the water from
reaching the scene of the flames un
til il was too late. once in the
open the flames were famed by ,
stiff breeze which endangered prop
erty for blocks south of it. The cor
ner, we are informed, has burneC
four times. 1t was of the fiimses
construction, costing when built onl
$500. 1t was a perfect fire tral
and once started it burned so rapid.
that its occupants had to flee TO
their lives.
The bank building would hav
been saved but for the window open
ing on the west wall If these hat
been fitted with fre-proof doors tn
bank would be standing now. Mel
opened the fire hydrants on thes
floors in an effort to save the build
ing, but it was impossible. One
started the three top floors We're be
yond the reach of firemen and the.
soon burned. When the fire reached
the third floor the tiremen stopped it
although it required heroic work t.
do it,
AS to the fire situation here TIVE
opinions are held by those who arr
charged with the responsibility o
dealing with it. One is to construc
p another water main to connect th'
city with the water plant giving u:
) additional water and pressure FOL
r Just such crises as that of last Tues
- day and safeguarding the city in the
! event the present main would breal
[ and the Other view is that the city
, ought to Immediately install mo
= tor fire truck. Engineer LUDLOW
> recommended an additional main
, which will probably cost $21 ,0O0. :
, modern motor truck will cost aronnC
$4,000. The advocates of the for
!, mer argue that the new main viii
give us an adequate supply and pres
sure for all purpose and besides in
surfing a reduction Of our insurance
would guarantee supply OF watel
in the event of an accident to the
present line The advocates of {
motor truck claim speed in getting
to a fire; economy in feed bill, and
additional pressure
The Dispatch favots new main
Then truck of some kind can be
secured to save time in going tC
fires. 1t Is, howe ever, a question foi