The Western Star. (PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY.) WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1883.

Western Star, Issue 741, 16 May 1883, Page 2

The Western Star. (PUBLISHED 81-WEEKLY.) WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1883.

The fire on Friday morning last gave another illustration of the utterly unprotected state of the town from such disaster, and the total inadequacy of the appliances at command to cope with an element that has been truthfully designated “a good servant, but a bad master.” It was a deplorable sight to see people by the hundreds standing si ent spectators of such a fearful destruction of property, all action paralysed by a sense of their utter helplessness to stay the course of the fire. The contemplation of the scene was aggravated by a consciousness that had a fire engine and sufficient hose been available an amount of property could have been saved far exceeding in value the cost of such appliance ; —indeed there is no doubt whatever but that the fire could have been checked before it reached the main block. Apart from the property destroyed, human life might have been, and is hourly liable to be sacrificed, for want of an effective fire extinguishing plant. For years past, after each successive fire has taken place in Eivcrton, an agitation has arisen for the formation of a fire brigade and the procuration of a fire extinguishing plant, but as the excitement that called forth this spasmodic enthusiasm died away, so didjftho efforts in such a good cause

relax, and ultimately collapse altogether. For this effect the various insurance companies doing business'in town are greatly to blame, as the miserable pittance promised by them/by way of creating or subsidising such an organisation, offered no encourage, ment whatever to that ehd. The insurance companies, however, may take a • strict—though in;. our opinion mistaken—businessviow of thesubject, and doubtless they imagine that it is better to lose a few thousand pounds occasionally by such a fire as' that which took place bn Friday morning, than offer some substantial inducement in the manner suggested for the protection, of property. The effect of such a policy will probably be that people will find it to their interest to “ pile on” as much insurance as they possibly can get on their properties, and when a fire breaks out they will calmly survey the destruction of property without attempting to prevent it —inwardly happy at the thought that they at anyrate will not be the losers. The keen competition for" business amongst the various insurance companies , .will facilitate such a practice and after all perhaps it would be the wisest course to recommend, were it not for the danger- that would arise under such conditions of fires occurring too frequently and human life becoming in a proportionate degree endangered. The Corporation have gone to great expense in providing an excellent water supply in case of fire, but to be really efficient, the capacity would require to be doubled by sinking say a corresponding number of wells at proper intervals on the opposite side* of the main street. To do this, however, would entail a heavier liability upon the town than under pres ent circumstances would be justifiable. The case would be different were there effective fire-extinguishing appliances at hand, worked by a trained body of men. There would be no lack of volunteers to form such a useful organisation, if anything like encouragement were given fpr that purpose. The present is an opportune time to make another attempt in ’the direction reefrred to. In view of their recent heavy losses the insurance; companies may he in a more reasonable frame of mind, and they may now , see that it would be greatly to their interests that the town should possess a fire engine and appliances, and a trained body of ■ men to work same. We feel sure that the town is. willing to perform its share in such a useful work; let the irfsurauce companies respond to the occasion as becomes the interests thev have at stake, and we are very much mistaken if a well equipped fire brigade, with appliances, be not in full working order in a very few weeks. ?.rf n