The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 18, 1903, Page 7

“AN FRANCISCO as a “fire town" is one of the worst in the United States. Wher 1 say one of the “‘worst, I mean worst in this light Suppose you pick out any other city of the same size in the United States and could place it side by side with this city just as you would stack up two brush plles, then quietly takeaway the fire departments and touch a match simultaneously to both citfes—it is safe to say that San Francisco would be a mass of ashes first. In other words if given a without any interference this burn up at a world's-record pace. Why? Why, for the simpl the worl because 95 per cent of bulldings are of wood. The climate helps us out to a certain extent with its heavy fogs to keep the ex- terior wood of our bulldings damp: but en th ffset by the severe winds that are apt to rise at a moment’s notice. Another point—the topography of this city fav for the flames will lick hance would t reason in p houses on a hillside in much better time than if they were all on level gro Putting our present improved facilities T is no rare thing r people to come wer me, “I pray, but the words g0 no high- er-than the walls of my room in which I am kneel- ing. They may speak the truth, but If the praver ascends no higher than the ceiling it is be- cause they are not earnest. You feel—you must feel it yo If. You mu are not ready to meet God. You say to self, “In the morning I will be bet prepared, but I am not quite ready w Oh, no; not just now.” You must do as you think and when you think rike when the iron is hot! Strike when the iron is hot! You musi remember. Take the Bible. Take the great truth. Study about God the eternal God will be merciful to you, and if 1 can br any such to him I know he will aid me in the so doing. Be careful, be careful, be careful of Remember Lot's wife. If your actions. <} for uguting fire out of the question we are in much the same position as was Ch with a popul destroyed ago when, in 1871 000, the great fire buildings There is the theory of San Francisco as re town' in a nutsheil. Now for the practical part For a cily of. our size we have a sm fire loss per annum than any other city in the Unton. The reason for this is we know so well San Franciseo would burn un with half a chance that we never give her that chance. It is like the Western «heriff who h: aught a “bad man” in act. the sheriff simply keeps him cov- cred and never takes his eye off the sight o/ his gun. That is the principle that has kept our percentage of losses so low; the principle of adhering closely to the idea of the old saying. “an ounce of preven- tion is worth a pound of cure,” and add- ing to this, “if a cure is necessary get the me to work in short order. One of the preventions is a good equip for the Fire Department. We now have thirty-seven first-cl engines; a larger number in proportion to our pop- ulation than bas any other city in the United States. We have also improved machinery of the greatest value not at present in use in any other city; for ex- ample our systems of movable batt whereby the combined streams of si gines can be forced through one nozzie, giving sufficient momentum to the water to literally tear down a solid wall as well as to extinguish the flames by it2 flood of 2 X1 von have a g ry yvou will recall what thirty-second v f the sev entee 1 chapter of St s, Re- member Lot's wife. ember Lot's ife. Now, I frequently see peog have never given her will take everything into cons the last day. Everything, I say Remember Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities in the land of.Judea. They forgot the words of God. They had nothing (o do. There were plenty of the luxuries of life, and they spent the time in having & good time. But their sing cried to God, anfi cried for punishment. You all know the wages of sin is death. Ther « 2 went up to heaven, for God will alwa hear a cry, and he came down to see. He came down to see if the people had done according to the cry of which had coms to him. He said, “Because the cry « »m and Gomorrah is great, and bc- cause their sins are very grievof: thought God will allow people to go just so far, young man, voung man, and no farther, and when he found out what these pe Lad done his anger was arouse He knows where there is a will there is a way Abraham drew near and a: Wil thou consume the righteous with the wicked. O Lord? There may be fi righteous souls, and shail not the of all do right? Oh, my God, my thou are merciful.” And see his THE SUNDAY CALL. water. Our high percentage of efficient equipment is necessary, for San Fran- cisco must depend solely upon its own apparatus. In the big Boston fire of 1889 that city’s engine muster numbered forty- three, but finding an urgent need as the fire gained upon them, the firemen bor- rowed fifty-seven extra engines from the neighboring towns, You can imagine what would have become of the city had not this loan been available. San Fran- cisco has no such bank account in reserve to draw from. On a pinch she might get an engine or two from Oakland, but that would be all. Nearly all of the other large cities of the Union have this extra reserve that they may draw upon in an extremity, but with us it is our own de- partment or nothing. One point In our favor is the high hydrant pressure. Our hose lines always precede their engines to a fire and if the conflagration is not a serious one the hose is at once attached to the hydrant and then it is that this pressure counts, for the stream of water is often powerful enough to at once quench flames that might become serious if the men were obliged to wait even those few extra sec- onds necessary to get the heavier engines on the spot. Another item of advantage in the way of prevention is the splendid ordinance passed some time ago in this city regard- ing fire escapes and standpipes on all buildings of any height. This ordinance ‘is the best of its kind in vogue in- any If I find fifty righteous wi € I will spare all (b And Abraham *3f orty-five righteous person are the place for them? y-five, but forty wili thou not And if not f and if there should be ut thirty, or there re only ten righteous men and women withi city, shall they be spared?” And God an- swered Abraham f{rom heaven, “1 wili spare them.' I suppose it neve® occurred to Abraham that he couldn’t find at least ten people. He probably thought of as many friends. £1till, it has always been an opinion of mine that if he had kept on asking and redueing the number he would have becn able to have saved the entire city. Yet I can hear him say, “Weli, there is Lot and his wife, besides his two daugh- rs, Besid. the . daughters are be- trothed, ard that makes two more, ~dnd certaln! have llvid in d city as loWg us he has and not made some people better. Ten wiil 1 ¢ number to find. Why, I already ix. There are only four more to fir And =o he left off trying. But the tén w not to be found. The time is (oming, coming, coming when we will all be found wanting, and 1 want to help. help, help you on yeur way to Jesus C The two angeis of the Lord came to Sodom in the evening and entered Lot's TANCEZEACH such a good man ag Lot couldn't. city of the United States. Fire escapes may not add to the architectural beauty of a building, but their use as life-savers in time of need is too well known to re- quire any further comment. As a con- venience of practical value to the firemen they are indispensable. A fire escape on a building means from our standpoint that we aiready havé a good, substantial Jadder right up to the roof of that build- ing and that we can have a stream of water up there in a jiffy; for at the side of every escape runs a standpipe, to which a hose can be connected at the bottom and water can be hosed in from an outlct on every floor or on the roof. The electrical hazard row cuts quite a figure in fire liabilities, but owing to the careful inspection that is made by city authorities of all electrical work done on every bullding, this danger is greatly ob- viated, and, to come back to the old proposition of keeping your eye on the bad man, such work is watched so care- fully that there is very seldom a fire leak through such causes. Another method in vogue with the de- partment here is our system of patrol. The city is divided into seven districts and at the head of each is a battalion ief. It is the duty of each chlef to fa- miliarize himself with every building in his district and to keep up as it were a itinual patrol, so that if at any time any changes are made they are done only with the sanction of the Fire Depart- ment. This prevents people from tingly or unwittingly, making firetraps MO YOING- P CENERAL WILILIAM BOOT: house. The dau told Lot, his wife and his ters Lo take what little ti d carry and prepare to leave ol it forever. I can he: ving: “Leave our home? Certain! This is all rubb g the old man thought of the two b ns-in-1 He walked in the of the night to the hc of t irst one and knocked heav on the door. After a while the young man ovened to hi; When he saw who it was he sald: ““Why “ather Lot, is it you? What has gone wrong in the house? Has anything befallen vour daughter?’ ‘“Come with me, come Wwith me,” answered the old man. ‘“The Lord is about to punish the city and I bave been warned that we may be saved. (‘ome with me.” I.can sec' the scorn on the younger maR's face as he heard tue story. “No." he answered. “i'm sleepy and I'll not go So._poor. old_ Lot turned his face to- wagl' the of th ‘fly- hts otl _son-in-law _ tived. he kngeked and after a while door was opened. Again the young man said: “Whet her Lot, here thig time of hight? WWhat is the matier?” th same story was retold. looking him with pity his son sald: “Do you .ee Jany difference in the heavens (o-night than from last night? Are not the stur as clear And Lot shook his head and answered “*Yes. Can you think of the old man wearily T B B T hASIVE TV Y belief is that each one, no matter wha! his race or station iu life happens to be cial trade or industr: It is helpful from sev- eral points of view. In the first place it will help him to earn a living, and, secondl will strengthen his moral character believe, further, that all the common s and industries should be taught in r public schools. At the Tuskegee In- s . Alabama, we not only teach s some industry by which they e of earning a living, but we also upon them an idea of the beauty 1 ity of labor. I find that in many parts of the coun- try there is great difficulty in securing persons to cook and perform other house- hold duties. This comes about by reason of the fact that there is a social distinc- fon drawn between the woman who coks and the one who works in a store works in a factory. At Tuskegee our 8 men are taught to respect a girl our studer yo people ®o through life like a pocket edition of the Salvation Army. . e 1f we realized the opinions entertain- ed of us by our friends manw of us would wish to lead i hermit lives. F I o A pious crank winds up all my antago- nism ow When people entertain you by telling should learn some spe- who cooks or launders the one who teaches schosl When such industries as cookin, dering and other household bra taught in the public schools people will cease to look upon them as trades fit only for the poor and ignorant, but will les to respect them distinet callings. Then. and only then. the social distinc- tion between the cook and the girl will appear As a ruie. people have escaped agricul- tural life and have gone to the ¢ cause iculture has not been taught in our schools, and people have learned (o look upon it as something fit only for the unskilled and ignorant I believe that the time has come when agriculture should be taught in the schiools of the rural districts. Children should be taught to love the soil, to love the grass, corn, trees, birds and animals. At Tuskegee we impress upon our stu- dents the importance of owning the <oil and rcturning to the country distr after having received their education rather than going to the cities, where they come into contact with competition and temptations, which in many cases prove too severe for them. This is what made me resolve to spend You what their fathers were, listen and a “Now, my friend; ‘what are you?" 1t is a curtat-ringer every time. il When a woman is in love she wants to be on a hot trail for misery, or in a bal- loon ascension of glory. " . e e If we could wind some peop'e up and Jet them go or run down at our pleasure we should feel real happy over it. o e W A man who is touchy about his hon- esty is a candidate for State’s prison. . s 1 am not particularly superstitious, and don’t care anything about walking under a ladder, but I would not drink out of a as highly as my life as best I could to improve the indust moral and religious condition of my own people. Not only that, but to try io make them of such high value as citizens o the white people among whom they live that the white man would re- spect the negro for his intrinsic worth. At Tuskegee, an _institution which I started in 1881, we e twenty-nine dif- ferent departments, and edch one is an industry in which each student can find employment & soon as he leaves our school. ‘[he main industry emphasized is the teaching of agriculture, and our rea- sor for making so much of this is t! fully $0 per cent of our people make their livi that wa I have found that my race, s rule, is at its best when owning and cultivating the soil. And that is why ‘] urge them not to visit the cities, where, az 1 said before, the trials and tempta- tions frequently prove their undoing. It is my firm belief that my race w get upon its feet just in proportion as it is taught to put brains, skill and dignity irto all the common occupations that are ahout our doors in the South. They must be taught to do common things in an un- common manner—to do a thing so welil thet no one can improve upon what has been done. Where any man, black or cracked glass or cup on Monday morning and risk being hoodooed for the week for a farm or a string of race horses. o W . A biue ribbon friendship is better than an honorable mention love. » L The rooster does the crowing, but the hen attends to business. . . Some women could not be happy unless they were just bunched up in trouble. o e Poverty, and not money, is more often the root of evil The people who “told you so" for your own good and keep a supply of ‘“‘sense of white, is taught to do a thing better th any one else that individual's problem solved. ; Our sraduates are not only in demand i large numbers by our race. but we cannot begin to supply the demands that arc constantly pouring in upon us by white people for our studeni= to take charge of farms, dairies, orchards and the like. Already we have sent out over 2M0) people and they are ail doing excellent work various parts of the South. 1 know it is not the negro who has beer thoroughly educated in head, hand and keart who commits the crimes; it is the shiftless, uneducated one who is gullty of crime. My race does not ask nor does it need (o have charity extended to it. If you will think you will remember that ii is but seldom that you see a black hand 1caching out for charity. The race does not ask for this. But it does ask of you vour interest and generosity to have 1o and teachers sent among them to teach them how to take the same amount of money which they now scat- ter to the four winds buying cheap jew- elry, gaudy finery and the iike and put it into homes, farms and the building of sehiool hou duty” always on tap nced a shotgun to put them out of husiness. Mgt A woman cries when she gets mad, and’ a man swears and wants to kick some- thing. A5 I Don't give advice; the other fellow would ‘rather have a ‘“smile” and the glad hand. o a0 Tt you will fall in love look before you lcap. T A trifling argument may end in a rec- ord-smashing quarrel. CHE B | There are lots of people who learn by over throughout the cvery possibility that might arise from a fire plans all laid as to just what should be done and how we should marshal our forces to the best advantage. in that s out of their stores or houses aund also gives the department the key to the sit- uation regarding possibilities in case of fire. For instance, supposing a fire starts in a certain building, it is the duty of thac chief to be able to tell all about the con- tents, whether explosive or not, and also to be fully cognizant of the most ad- vantageous positions from which the fire may be fought and controiled. Thus, you see, we are constantly going different districts arting anywhere and we have our Carrying this idea still further, we have a ‘‘covering in system,” as it is called, that has probably been brought to a high- er degree of perfection here than in any other city. gines we are obliged to husband our re- scurces to the utmost, consequently this As we cannot borrow any en- “covering in” plan has been adopted to make all of our apparatus count for the highest percentage of efficlency possible. The idea of this system {n brief is this: Every engine house is provided with a beok giving details covering a!l contin- gencies that might arise as a fire box is rung in. If, say, engine 1 h gone 1o a fire, that fact is known In every house of the department and should another fire me district occur while that pa ticular engine is at work it is down there in black and white just what other engine shall take the place of engine 1 for the new fire. Moreover, thi covering in' trudging me again less journey? Poor old how badly his he auite fully re wouid be 1 them beh But when the mc Lastened Lot 3 wife and thy two daughters which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” Then Lot's wife gave them troubié. She wouldn’t go and leave all her geod clothes behind. Her nome and her friends were there and she didn’t want to be lonely. ¥inally she cried and said: “Am I forced to leave my home?’ And the angels answered: “No; stay and be consumed if you so des But Ler fam- ily talked and pleaded and finally per- suaded her and she started grumbling on her way. Tan't you see t left their hom early. e knew i feel and difficuit i the city and ughters little p @ they 2 in the small hours of the worniug? The gir:s, bless - their hear the two men th loved: the r of her home and luxury apd Lot of his bank, the costly mansion ard the new row of houses which he was just putt up. Proba ight what a fool he had been to work so hard and all for nothing For awhile they walked briskly, for the two angels led the way, but then they commenced to lag. See what they were leaving behind. Everything but saivation and in their own minds they were not cer- (ONE 2222 Fresr N BEING ZIVEGHT 4 = T am striving to teach my people to be paticnt and forbearing. I am trying te teach them that ti atest pro ny negro can pos have is u ¢ Fuine We must learn to begin at (ke hottom and mnot commence with a great flomish at the top and fall down geod and hard. After the war, by reason of two things jgnorance and lack of experience, we niade a great mistake. We were haughty and proud: we wouldn't rk and we wouldn't s and that and the other hing, We we such we wanted o ride in pad of wagons, but afler several | raps had broken down with the w in them we learned 10 be more sensib) d to buy that whicn was best*adapted for our purpose. \We have many difficulties with which to contend. but at the same time t ficld of bursiuess in the South is open {o the ncgro and he has about as good an opportunity to succeed as the white man My people are making sreat strides and our teachings are not being wasted. This of an old man | met last was traveling through the v As I jogged through the country I met a camp wagpn drawn by two fine mules. experience why Cupid runs about un- chained with a bandage over his e; e ® The fellow who gushes over his rela- tives seldom gives his relatives cause to gush over him. o THZ IR A chafing dish fiend expert is very dif- ferent from a good old-fashioned cook. Callow youths contemplating matrimony will please take warning. 1 always feel sorry for little G. Wash- ington. He had to teil the truth about that old cherry tree because he was the only boy on the farm. A S Experience teaches some men to appre- el goes still further; for, supposing that engine 2 has been called out on duty that should have fallen on the absent engine 1, the district covered by engine 2 is cov- ered in turn by some other engine. This third engine, the moment it notices the call of engine 2 to go to this second fire, has left its own house and moved to the Fouse usually occupied by engine 2 s that for the time being engine comes engine 2 and will perform any du ties that might chance to arise for the engine whose house it now occupies. By this system all the ground is cov- ered and it also means that in case of a small fire suddenly turning into a bad one the engines not at that time in use are within easy reach, for they have thus ail been drawing closer to the dan- ger point during the successive alarms that may have been turned in. Every engine house In the city is pro- vided with a pegged board that enables the men, the instant an alarm turned in, to keep close watch of the positions of other ure companies and to know what is, or may be, expected of their own company. The men are drilled an hour every day on just this poi they have all the possibilities that might arise in their district right at th gers' end: And so It that although San Fra cisco is one of the “worst fire town yet her fire los are the smalles because, like the sheriff a the “bac man.” we keep our eves pretty closel glued to the sight of t gun barrel and take no chances. so when the fam g and absorbed with their own she turned around Now, what I want to get at is t all remember her fate think of your own. Still you need not laugh. Lot's wife did a great deal mores than many of you. She at least started. She at least started. How many of you can say the same? I remember a case in Lon don. A man sald to me: “General, I'll give up drink, but I want one more spree Surely there can't be any harm in just one more. And then I'll be good.” ~Fe went on his spree and had a glorious time, but on the way home he ran into a cab and was killed \at is what his last spree cost him. That is what it mig cost you. It is the same the world over Lot's wife thou was no harm having a last K the Englishma thought there was no harm in one final spree and vou think there is no harm in delaying one day But remember. remember. This is the time and right now. Say, My God. my God, I am comt Make up your mind if it is not already made up. When you have struggled to your feet half th tle is won and there are any mumber of our people who' will help you on. Back- slider, backsiider, listen to me. Come to Jesus while there is yet time. You but you fail to e e ba On the front scat was an old man and a little girl, while immediately behind Lim sat his wife and another daughter. “Why, Uncle Abe, where are vou g * 1 asked as he drew rein and ex- ed the greetings of the morni Goin' to Kansas,” he answered, ing about on the seat and getting r for a as?” 1 queried. Kansas. Goin' to camp meetin’. Reckon it's about time I got religion. “But, Uncle, do you honestly think you can afford to take this trip? Don't yo think you ought to stay home and work “Ne.” answered the old man. “I reck- on I've got a right to go. I knows your learnin’ and all about ownin’ land to live Yas, I recollect it. But just you s ahere. I own fifty acres and the last dol- Iar's all paid on it. [ reckon I've got right to go to camp meetin". See this wagon? dt's all paid for and I reckon it's got a right to go to camp meetin e them mules? They're mine, I reckon they've got a right to go to cam meetin’. See them gals?. Their mammy bought that goods an’ I paid fo’ it. Every siitch they've got on she's made and it's «!l paid fo', T reckon they've got a right t¢ go to camp meetin’. Reckon so?”’ cidte the ineffable peace of mind that must reign where a deaf and dumb wife reigns. v e Men are moral triangles. with a business side, a club side and a domestic side. « .. Scme women like a case of malaria— a chill and then a fever. o T Should children be spanked? For hea- ven's sake, not until after the mothers get what Is coming to them. (After you, my dear Alphonse.) . &7 4 You can’t help being a “has been” “never was,” but you've yet your chanca at the “get theres” and comin’ gus.”