OCR Text |
Show A FIRE E.VGIXE HEEDED, Every fire that occurs in this city raises the question in the minds of thousands, why have we not a fire engine en-gine ? Four fires have occurred here within a Very short time, in the burning burn-ing of a stable connected with the Salt Lake House, ot a dwelling in the yen ward, of a large log barn in the 7th ward, accompanied by such mournful consequences, and yesterday in the burning of the building known as the arsenal. Wc have had a long season of dry weather. Everything inflammable inflam-mable is almost like touchwood. Close to and in the business portion of the city are numerous lumber structures, surrounded by dry litter, to which a park would set fire ; and if such a thing should happen at night, with the wind blowing" in certain directions, the destruction to life and property would be simply enormous. With these facts before us ntid around us, what facilities have we for extinguishing fires ? A fire breaks out and hundreds of willing men are speedily speed-ily on the ground, passing buckets cf water, which are. as a general thing, only efficient in preventing the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings. Hundreds stand around and watch the flames complete their work of destruction, destruc-tion, there being no power present able to quench them. This is a subject in " which all are interested municipal authorities, authori-ties, merchants and business men and the citzens generally. Yet if the city is not in possession of mean" to secure a fire-engine, merchants and business-men should next take the initiative in-itiative in the matter, and should not delay action either. They, above all others, are most deeply interested, for they have most and more valuable property exposed to destruction ; while in parts of the city remote from the centre the houses are s far apart that a fire is generally confined to the building build-ing where it breaks out. The danger that daily and hourly threatens several blocks of East Temple street, and eonie adjoining blocks, ought of itself to force action in the matter referred to on those owning property there. |