HOW NOT TO FIGHT A FIRE.

HOW NOT TO FIGHT A FIRE.

还记得几周前，纽约州威彻斯特县的怀特普莱恩斯发生了灾难性的大火，三名消防员丧生。一名记者本人是志愿消防员，发送了以下大火的说法，该记录旨在确认这些列中所作和暗示的陈述：（1）怀特平原是一个足够重要的地方，可以在永久性下拥有付费消防部首席;（2）目前的志愿者部门绝不是志愿者的标记；（3）它的首席绝不是从气质或经验来占据这样的负责任职位，因此应被撤销或不得不被迫辞职。以下故事是：“铁路大道的大火在一座三层楼的砖砌建筑的地下室爆发，占据了25 x 150英尺的空间，除了它是砖块，与大多数人不同，镇上的其他建筑物。通过洒水器，内部柱塞或化学灭火器，它既不比其他人更好，也没有更糟的防火。如果大火处于框架结构中，那么当地的志愿者部队可能能够正确处理它。但是，由于建筑物是砖块，而消防员除了木制建筑以外从未被召唤到任何地方，而酋长的普拉勒从未训练过他们（他本人不知道如何击败火灾 men were all at sea as to how to tackle it. There was no lack of apparatus or men. The steamer and the two chemical engines came on the spot as quickly as a volunteer fire corps can when summoned (even as these men were by the Gamewell fire-alarm) from all over. They coupled up to the hydrants and threw three streams—two from the engine and two only at the same time—and applied their chemicals quickly enough if at first somewhat wildly. They laid 400 ft. of hose from the hydrants, which were distant about 200 ft. one from the other, and used a ½-in. tip. From the hydrants, which were in good shape and were of the 4-in. single tvpe, hydrant streams were used, and as there was ample width (75 ft.) in front of the burning building, there seemed no reason why the fire should not have been easily extinguished. The trouble was that the chief had his own ideas on the subject. He seemed to have taken it into his head that, because the building was of brick, the attack on it should he bolder and accompanied with more venturesomeness (foolhardiness would be the right word) than if it had been of wood. Accordingly, he sent his men up ladders placed directly in front of the store and immediately under a heavy metal cornice. Those who knew about the construction of that building, among them its architect and builder, saw the danger and warned him not once or twice of the chances he was taking with the lives of his men. The architect told him that only two holdfasts of no great size or strength held the cornice in place, and that, as soon as the walls weakened tinder the influence of the heat, these would become loose, and the cornice would fall, with probably fatal results. He was warned to remove his men, but would not. On the contrary, he used strong, not to say profane language—asked the architect who he was. and what business he had to interfere: informed him that Itr was chief and knew what he was about, lie had hardly spoken the words before the solid cornice fell, swept the three men off the ladder and so crushed them under its weight that it was hardly possible to recognise one corpse from the other. In addition, the loss was $50,000. Great indignation resulted in consequence, and the end of it all will, of course, he the resignation of Chief Puller, not immediately, perhaps, but later on, since, being a man of comparative wealth and importance in the town, he has to be let down easy. Possibly, as his successor a man may be chosen, who doesn't ‘know it all,’ and, though chief, will not be above taking a hint even from an outsider as to the class of building he is trying to save from destruction. Possibly, also, he may even make occasional inspections of the new buildings that are going up and of the older ones already erected, so a* to he able to guide his men in their operations at fires. White Plains cannot afford to have am more g;xxl citizens cut off as these three were.” -⅜.⅜.»-

There ought not to be anv patchwork in the fire alarm system of Canton. Ohio That already in service ought to be maintained, in order to secure uniform and reliable results.