Salt Lake Telegram | 1905-01-30 | Page 4 | The Danger of Cities

Tfce Dinger of 'Cities. Few cities in the country really have adequate fire protection. They are well equipped to deal with small fires, but when what may accurately be described as a conflagration starts they are powerless to cope with it. The "Baltimore fire of a year ago brought the realization of this condition home to the people of that city and the more recent fires in Sioux City and Omaha emphasize the danger. The cities of the United States have been expending vast sums for 2 ears for fire protection, but they have only a measure of protection. The tire department of almost al-most any city is excellent, but it cannot accomplish the impossible. The fault lies not in the firemen, but in the construction of buildings. Undoubtedly great progress has been made in so called tire-proof construction. "Fireproof is a relative ttrm of course, but a building constructed aloiig modern lines will give much greater resistance resist-ance to fire than one that has been standing fcr twenty years. What causes the fireproof buildings to seem of apparently little worth i&the fact that in most cities they are in juxtaposition to flimsy structures, old and worthless, but maintained by mercenary owners own-ers who seek the largest return with the least possible possi-ble outlay. Ramshackle buildings disfigure the business section of nearly every community, and the sordidue8S of their owners is so great that the buildings will remain until condemned because of being dangerous or until they burn. When they do go the loss is light, but they frequently start a con-flagratfon con-flagratfon that wipes out many costly and substantial substan-tial structures. There is no remedy. Cupidity cannot be legislated legis-lated out of existence. Owners of fire traps cannot be compelled to tear them down simply because the buildings threaten the safety of others in case of fire. All that can be done Is wait until the fire sweeps away good and bad together and then provide pro-vide that all structures in the business district of a community shall be of fireproof construction.