270 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



careful in handling their ashes, waste paper, etc. These neighboring 

 damages are always collectible at law in Europe and the regulation is 

 one of the most effective of fire-preventative measures. 



These are not heroic or revolutionary methods and yet, wherever 

 applied, they would work marvels in the way of bettering conditions 

 There is too much apathy in this fire matter and the authorities who 

 know what it really means are fearful of applying the restrictions that 

 are needed because, forsooth, some of these might too nearly touch 

 powerful constituents or friends. We may only hope to attain the de- 

 sired ends by forcing these authorities to do what is right via the pres- 

 sure of public opinion. It is passing strange how those things run, 

 but interesting withal to find that in all reforms the masses have to be 

 compelled to do certain things by authority and the authorities have in 

 turn to be compelled to apply these compulsory measures by the weight 

 of public opinion ; public opinion in turn is molded, created by printers' 

 ink and I know of no cause that deserves better at the hands of the 

 press than does this one of fire-prevention. 



Cop.vrigllltd hy Irving I udurliill Ni'» York. 



The Sky-line of New York City. 

 The highest and best-constructed buildings in the world. 



