Fires in Lahore

THE season of fires is again on in Lahore, there having been as many as three fires in one week. The first was happily a small affair. That on Thursday in Anarkali, which gutted a tailor's shop and its contents caused a loss of the three thousand rupees, while the one on Saturday night in the reed huts of the mat and chick makers caused a loss of about a thousand rupees. The latter fire was witnessed by thousands of men and there was one cry on every one's lips-the utter breakdown of municipal water supply. The motor engine arrived, the horse engine reached the spot, the city station engine also came, but the water pipes could not give water in quantity to be any earthly use. The fire was burning a cycle repairer's shop, the huts of the mat-makers and their all was at the mercy of the flames, three engines were on the spot, but the Municipal water supply might as well not have been so far as the fire was concerned. What a sad commentary on the water supply of Lahore and the security it affords to the residents of the city!