long-continued and painful malady, and a continual sense of my inability to do full justice to so important a question. But the subject is of such vast importance; fires are increasing so rapidly; that I have felt I had no right to hold my peace. If the reforms I have endeavored to prove would be useful, by building almost entirely without wood, for dwelling-houses, and less high and really fire-proof stores and warehouses, and a preventive system by which fires may be instantly attacked, is not adopted, fires will continue to increase until the destruction of villages, towns, and cities will be so great as to involve the country in a great financial ruin. I know how much more popular it would be to advocate the introduction of larger engines, and to appeal in that way to the popular feeling of the times. But I also know that would be but the means of keeping still longer the present popular but unsafe and inefficient system. The question is one of too much solemnity for equivocation. The truth must be told and the systems changed, or disasters like those of Portland, Chicago, and Boston will constantly fall upon us. The awful loss of life and property, and the distress of thousands, aye, of hundreds of thousands of families from this cause, I think, make the following quotation from "Elijah" a proper conclu THE STILL, SMALL VOICE. 271 sion of a book which seeks to prevent the present loss of life by clothing taking fire; to urge people to construct their dwellings of materials which fire cannot consume, and to induce them to adopt fire systems which will render impossible such dreadful conflagrations as have lately astonished the civilized world. "Behold, God, the Lord, passed by; and mighty wind rent the mountains around: brake in pieces the rocks; brake them before the Lord. But yet the Lord was not in the tempest. Behold, God, the Lord, passed by; and the sea was upheaved; and the earth was shaken. But yet the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there came a fire. But yet the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came a still, small voice. AND IN THAT STILL, SMALL VOICE, ONWARD CAME THE LORD." 17, Braidwood, James, Superintendent London Fire Brigade. 18, 40, 55, 56, 83, 90, 121, 125 Braithwaite, John . C. Charlestown Fire Chicago Fire, The Child, Lydia Maria, her house saved Conflagration at Quebec D. Damrell, John S., on small engines and extinguishers. Danger from dried wood furnaces lamps vapor Danger to New York 18 |