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NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
21 
cision of this conference is problem- 
atical. It is evident that something 
must be done to lessen the fire haz- 
ard in Ward 6. The present steamer 
is twenty-five years of age and 
throws but two streams of water. If 
it were new it could not effectively 
cope with the fires which are al- 
ways possible, if not probable. When 
the steamer was installed very few 
houses had been built upon the high 
ridges and valleys in Beverly Farms. 
If a fire should break out on the ridge 
running along back of the Baptist 
church or on H. P. McKean’s hill, 
the loss of water pressure due to the 
friction of the long lines of hose 
would be embarrassing. There are 
several places where at least 2,000 
feet of hose would need to be laid 
from the steamer to the fire. A seri- 
ous fire in central square would find 
the company almost helpless for it 
could only operate two streams to ad- 
vantage. On some of the hills, the 
water pressure is insufficient to 
throw even a hydrant stream. ‘The 
fire protection all rests in the capac- 
ity and power of the local steamer for 
it will require thirty minutes from the 
time the alarm is rung in before a 
steamer could arrive from Beverly 
and have a stream of water playing 
on the blaze. 
It will take $2,000 to repair the. 
present engine, but even that will not 
increase its value. It will still be the 
old engine with its limitations. 
Ward Six requires an unusually 
powerful steamer and eventually it 
must be installed and the time is at 
hand. It would be an unwise expen- 
diture of money to rebuild when a 
new one is absolutely necessary. 
Beverly Farms does not and has 
not made many demands upon the 
treasury of the City of Beverly. It 
seems that this request is just and in 
line with true economy and municipal 
efficiency. 
The Breeze respectfully requests 
the Mayor and the Chief Engineer to 
grant the fire protection petitioned 
for by the citizens of Ward Six. It 
would be well for every interested 
property owner to write a personal 
note to the Mayor. He can be de- 
pended upon to see the reasonable- 
ness of the request. Write now. The 
time is short! 
LycEuM COURSES. 
The towns of Manchester, Beverly 
Farms and Magnolia would gain 
much by a concerted plan to introduce 
each winter into their respective pre- 
cincts a Lyceum Course consisting of 
lectures, musicales, readings and pos- 
sibly an occasional drama. This has 
been attempted in a spasmodic way 
by each town and with various re- 
sults. 
To make such a series of lectures 
or entertainments successful it should 
be made an_ educational venture 
backed by the community. As a 
money making enterprise, it would 
be a failure from the start. At least 
it ought not to be developed along 
those lines. One church endeavored 
several years to maintain such a 
course. Its effort*° was unsuccessful 
because of a limitation of its con- 
stituency and because it’ soon dis- 
covered that they were being attended 
by some merely as an obligation and 
thus defeated their primary object. 
Such courses, if inaugurated in Bev- 
erly Farms, Manchester and perhaps 
Magnolia, could follow the Middle- 
boro or Falmouth plan where the 
town’s people formed an association 
for this purpose and all the money 
raised was used for Lyceum purposes. 
The programs should be planned as 
ends in themselves and not as money 
making enterprises. 
Such a broad co-operation of the 
winter populations of the towns of 
the North Shore to introduce an eve- 
ning’s program on a high plane once 
a month where all people without dis- 
tinction of creed or religion could 
gather for entertainment or instruc- 
tion would be an institution of unde- 
niable value. 
THe Socrety FOR THE PREVENTION 
OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN. 
One of the most efficient humani- 
tarian agencies of our generation 
opened a branch office on the North 
Shore last summer and has been do- 
ing its splendid work quietly but ef- 
fectively. During the summer months 
a district nurse was engaged to be at 
the service of the physicians of Bev- 
erly in nursing babies back to life, to 
distribute literature of information to 
the foreign born concerning the care 
of children and to respond to all calls 
for special instruction or service in 
maternity cases. ‘This department of 
the work was very successful and will 
be repeated the coming season. 
In addition to the distinctive work 
which its name implies, the organiza- 
tion has established a Confidential 
Exchange department which will uni- 
fy the charitable work of the district 
and prevent duplication, a favorite 
fraud among some unscrupulous per- 
sons, who obtain aid from various or- 
ganizations. The Branch is young, 
but has begun its work well. There 
is a resident secretary with an office 
on Cabot street, Beverly. The new 
district includes, Salem, Beverly, 
Manchester, Gloucester, Rockport, 
Marblehead, Hamilton, Wenham and 
Essex. ‘The board of directors rep- 
resent the entire district. The treas- 
urer is Fred C. Dodge, Beverly, Mass. 
THE WATER SITUATION IN BEVERLY. 
Since the appearance of the article 
on the water situation in Beverly in 
these columns, progress has _ been 
made through the constant attention 
of Representative Saltonstall, who 
has been the leader in the fight for the 
last weeks. The Bill was signed by 
the Governor on Friday and provides 
for an investigation by the State 
Board of Health of the immediate ne- 
cessity for an efficient and pure sup- 
ply of water for the: Salem-Beverly 
district. The resolve requires the 
Board of Health to present a_ pre- 
liminary report to the legislature on 
or before May 5. This report will be 
awaited with interest by the interested 
cities. Before the presentation of the 
final report the State Board of 
Health will give the whole subject 
careful consideration, provide public 
hearings and arrange for a thorough 
study of the problem. The water 
supply has been increasing, but those 
who know realize that the menacing 
conditions during the last drought 
may be repeated during the coming 
season if there be a small rainfall. 
Tue Beverty YMCA 
The YMCA Building at Beverly 
has been in the hands of the build- 
ing committee for nearly nine months 
and rapid progress has been made. 
Before many more months are passed 
the new building will be dedicated 
it is hoped by President Taft, who 
laid the corner stone. The public 
spirit of Beverly citizens has made 
the undertaking possible. A Secre- 
tary has been engaged and will be- 
gin work soon. In his choice there 
was unusual unanimity and he will 
assume charge of the work aus- 
piciously. At the election of offi- 
cers for the coming year in May it is 
practically assured that Beverly 
Farms will be represented in the new 
board of directors. Such representa~ 
tion is so just that it is strange that it 
had not been done earlier. 
“Does tobacco make a man nerv- 
ous?” 
“It is likely to,’ replied the physi- 
cian, “if his wife objects to his smok- 
ing.” 
Make known your wants in the 
classified adv. columns of The 
Breeze. 
