Year: 1873

The Boston Traveller suggests to the


committee on the reorganization of the


fire department of that city that there


ought to be attached to every hose car


riage a tail-block and 14O feet Of 21-inoh


rope snUgiy coiIedup, with the turns care


fully taken out of it before coiled, and


arranged in such way that a man could


easily carry it on his back up stairs to


the top of a building. The Traveller


says: The whole weight of such coil
need not exceed fifty pounds. Let there


be a small hook in each end of the rope.


and hook in the end of the tail at
tached to the block. Manila hemp
rope, being Timber, would be the best.
When an alarm of fire sounds, let it be
the duty of one man to proceed to the
scene of the fire as fast as possible. If
it should be in a high building, and
there IS a chance to ascend by the stairs,
let the rope be carried up to the most
convenient window, shut the room door
to keep the smoke out, then make fast
the tail-blOck, and throw both ends of
Il4C IL pc 4LAtO GllG 6IItCl. Nlt emu Gail
readily be hooked around the hose, and
then the crowd below, taking hold of
the other endy could run the hose up to
the top of any building in few seconds.
There a man would be on hand to re-
ceive it, and know how to arrange it for
service without delay. Those who own
high buildings would do well to have
such a coil of rope themselves inde-
pendent of the fire department. But,
as manila rope is liable to swell when in
contact with water, whale line might
be used in preference. This rope would
also be a means of escape for the hose
men when they found the place too hot
for them. With the blight of it around
under the arms and the hook over the
rope, man taking hold OF the other
part could easily lower himself to the
street, having first sent the hose down.
The same process could easily be used
for raising or lowering ladders, or for
taking out light furniture from upper
stories.


Tree Planting on the Public Lands,


At the late session of Congress, it will
be remembered that an act was passed
intended to encourage the planting of
timber on the public lands of the Uni
ted States. The first section of this act
is as follows:


BE it enacted, That any person who
shall plant, protect and keep in healthy
growing condition of five years, forty
acres of timber, the trees thereon not
being more than eight feet a. art each
way, on any quarter section of any pub
lie lands Of the United States, shall be
entitled to patent of the whole of said
quarter section at the expiration of five
years, on making proof of such fact by
not less than two creditabIe witnesses.
Provided, That only one-quarter in any
section shall be thus granted"


It will be seen from this section that it
is left somewhat in doubt whether ornot
a planter may go on multiplying the
number of quarter sections to be thus
entered and finally awarded. The sub
ject having recently been brought be
fore the commissioner of the public
land office, he has decided that, while
the provisions of the first section of the
timber culture act of March 3, 1873,
do not in terms limit qualified person
in the number of entries he may make
yet the policy of the gov
ernment, as expressed in the public land
law generally, is so opposed to a specu-
lative monopoly of the public domain
that, under the authority vested in him
by the said section Of the said act, he
has ruled that an individual shall be al
lowed to make but one entry.