FIRE AND WATER
PENNSYLVANIA seems to be the one State in the Union which has fully recognized the necessity of preserving the forests from fire, as well as from the ruthless axe of the speculator in lumber and material for wood pulp. Governor Hastings has naturally a great love for, and a strong interest in forestry, and it is due very much to his efforts that the State legislature has taken action to provide for forest reserves on the head waters of the Delaware, Susquehanna, and Ohio—a notable means of guarding against drought. The appointment of forest wardens under the fire warden system, such as New York has had for over thirteen years, and Minnesota, Pennsylvania,and other States now have,will protect the forests from widespread and ruthless de. struction, as well as be a means of preventing droughts and freshets.
A BASELESS yarn having been going the rounds of one or two papers that the underwriters of Chicago were dissatisfied with Chief Swenie as the executive officer of the fire department of that city, it is only necessary to advert to it, in order to point out the absurdity of the story. The daily press of the^city would have been the first to take the matter up either in behalf of Chief Swenie (if that were necessary) or against him (if there had been any ground for the alleged dissatisfaction). Instead of that they have given due prominence to the fact that Mr. Armour was so thoroughly satisfied with Chief Swenie’s methods in the case of the recent fire in his residence, where thousands of dollars were at risk(as was pointed out in these columns at the time) that he sent a very complimentary letter to the chief,accompanied by a check for $500 for the firemen’s fund,in which he expressed his admiration of the work of the department. Facts are more eloquent than mere theories—if such theories exist at all.
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