THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

Chief Engineer William B. Puder of the Savannah Fire Department, in his report for the year ending December 31, 1890, makes a good showing of the efficiency of the department, which in February of last year was reorganized. There are, however, several recommendations made in the report which are entitled to attention. Among those is the reiterated request for protection of the river front by means of a properly equipped tug, the suggestion being made that arrangements might be made for this service with one of the many now plying in the river. After all the cotton fires which have occurred in cotton while in course of shipment or on vessels at Savannah, one would think that the authorities would he alive by this time to the importance of providing something at least in the way of floating apparatus, which has now grown to he considered as indispensable in nearly all of our cities with a water front or shipping trade of any consequence.

圣莫德铁路事故的细节,near Paris, France, the other day, are the most shocking which we have had to record for some years past. It was designedly caused by some unknown scoundrel, who altered the signals so ns to bring two excursion trains in collision. One engine telescoped three carriages tilled with excursionists, a tank of gas on the damaged train exploded and set tire to the wreckage, ami while the flames were consuming the bodies of the dead and roasting the wounded pinned down under the wrecked cars, the firemen in their zeal poured such volumes of water upon the burning pile that some of the luckless passengers were afterwards found, *t is reported, to have been suffocated by it. The number of the dead was at latest accounts reported as exceeding fifty, while over too are put down as injured. It has been often asserted by the French press that, owing to the fact that their railway carriages are heated by hot water there was no chance, as on American roads, where stoves are used, of fire following a collision. This disaster, unfortunately, proves the contrary to be the case and that the storage of gas for lighting purposes forms an element of danger as great as the use of oil lamps. When all cars are heated by steam from the engine, and lighted by electricity, the chance of fire will have been reduced to a minimum ; not until then.