The Hillsborough Recorder

Another Theatre burnt.—A new and handsome theatre, recently erected at Huntsville, Alabama, and which was nearly completed, was on Saturday the 5th ultimo, consumed by fire, with two small buildings in its vicinity. It is supposed the fire was communicated by an incendiary. Had the wind blown in a contrary direction the injury would have been incalculable. Thus a providential circumstance has prevented that destruction to the town, which the listless inaction of the citizens neglected to provide against. "We have," says the editor of the Alabama Republican, "occasionally penned editorial articles and have published communications, on the subject of our unprepared situation to resist fire, but all to no purpose; a practical exhibition of its alarming consequences, seems to have been wanted, before the good people could be convinced of the propriety of making the necessary preparations for successfully resisting its progress; we have now the evidence before our eyes, and now is the time to organize fire companies, procure ladders, hooks, buckets, and one or more fire engines."

And it is also "to no purpose" that we have "occasionally penned editorial articles or published communications, on the subject of our unprepared situation." But shall the voice of warning be still heard from abroad in vain? must the appalling cry of "FIRE!" be sounded in our ears, and startle us from our midnight slumbers to behold our property enveloped in destruction, and our town a heap of smoking ruins? must the importance of the measure be experimentally proved to us, before our village shall be provided with the means of arresting the progress of so destructive an element? How long will ye rest in fancied security, without making provision against so great a calamity.