Evening star., 1921-10-23
Fifty YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

The great Chicago ire nfty years
Ago caused 4 very general arousal
OF concern In the coz
Only One Fire dition Of municipal
Truok Hsre nre ishtine equip
communities were made to realize
that they were inadequately prepared
against large conaagration. Wash
ington was one Of these. In The Star
Of October 1s. 1871, the matter is
thus discussed:
Washington has but one hook and
ladder company. and the occurrence
OF two extensive fires at the same
succession, rs in Chicag.,. mlsht rs-
suit most disastrously :a thss destruc-
tion Of property and loss OF life for
want OF another truck. The impor-
tance Of immediate action to remedy
EAnised f1rs department will not be
questioned. and we trust the meas
ure proposed by Fire Commissioner
McDevitt At the last meeting of the
board may be successfully contaminated
msnt has . servieesbie truck At the
washington arsenal. and Mr.. Nc
Dewitt moved and It was agreed to
that q committee inquire Of the mill
tary authorities whether they will
not turn It over to the District He
said that during the winter the truck
Of the department may get out OF re-
pair or may be disabled on a run to
q hre and that the consequences
might be very serious. The transfer
Of the truck will not increase the
risk OF loss by fire At the arsenal. for
there II no doubt whatever that our
active and thoroughly drilled fire.
men will be able to run the appa-
ratue to confiagration there and get
IL in action sooner than a gang of
unframed employees at the post could
housed In the yard"
i \
In The Star of October 10. 1871. is
. summary OF the Losses sustained in
the Chicago fire by
Iooal Iosses Washingtonians and
others we'll known in
Bryan was noted as probably the
heaviest loser. He was an extensive
owner OF real estate in the burned
district. (which contained the noble
edifice named Bryan Hall and other
buildings we'll situated and adapted to
business purposes" The Star con-
tinued: 1T Is. however, gratifying to
know that he still has a reasonable
ing invested in this CITY,"
The estate of the late Amos Kendall
also suffered heavily. Some time be-
fore his death Mr.. Kendall had bought
q square Of ground within the limits
Of the fire. 1t was. however, only
partially improved. Senator Trum-
huIl had lost email collection ~
books. but not hts main law library.
Mrs. Briggs" says The Star, better
known to Washington!ans through
her nom de plume olivia Is, we are
sorry to see. reported to be heavy
loser by the disaster. We had much
rather hear she had lost something of
her gushing style in literary compost
ton than In material efforts"
Il +
Funds for the benefit Of the Chicago
sufferers and the victims OF the fires
in Wisconsin and
Funds for the Michigan were raised
in Washington as in
SunsSe1s' other cities. Accord
the hackmen of Washington donated
to the Chicago sufferers their entire
business receipts during the day pret
vious. The Star suggested that street
railway companies might well follow
this example. adding:
IF they want to see how cheerfully
the travelling public can at times put
up with standing room only let them
run their cars one day for the bene-
ht OF our stricken brethren in the
northwest"