TOPICS OF THE DAY

TOPICS OF THE DAY

THE collisions that occur every once in a while between fire department apparatus on the way to a fire with other vehicles or with pedestrians, have induced the Boston Board of Fire Commissioners to take the matter in consideration. After carefully considering the most feasible way to prevent such accidents as far as possible, the commissioners have decided to hold the drivers of fire apparatus responsible for accidents to any persons where it can be shown that there has been reckless driving. The courts have decided that the city cannot be held liable for such accident, and a Boston paper, agreeing with the decision of the commissioners, says: “All persons who may sustain injuries from such cause can have but one recourse, amd that is to sue the party who, by reckless driving, causes the injury. The desire to reach a fire promptly is certainly commendable, but, as a city paper remarks, one human life is worth more than any amount of property. The drivers in the Boston Fire Department are generally careful men, but those who are not should be held responsible for any injuries from their recklessness.”

IT is stated that not a single alarm of fire was sent out to the Philadelphia Fire Department during the week ending July 7. When it is considered that the Fourth of July was included in this period, the absence of a fire in such a big city is a remarkable thing. Chief Cantlin said that only once within the past ten years has this occurred. Tt is singular how differently communities are affected. In Pittsburgh the Fourth of July occurred on the same day that it did in Philadelphia, which is not at all singular, but while the latter city had no alarms of fire, Pittsburgh is credited with having had one about every hour. Perhaps the fact that the Quaker city rigorously enforced a stringent city ordinance against incendiary fire crackers and fireworks may account for her immunity from Fourth of July fires.