Il ho assistito ad un incendio in un edificio a 8 piani costruito quasi totalmente con legno. Le fiame eran divampate sul tetto ed eran minacciose. Tre pompe accorsero immediatamente ed in poco temp l’incendio fu domato; ma la poplazione si stette calmissima e le persone stesse che abitavano la casa non pensarono ad abbondonarla ne a trasportare vie oggetti fiduciosi ed a ragione, nell’opera dei pompiere e nella solvibilita delle societa di assicurazioni.
Del resto questi americani sono ammirevoli in molte altre cose: per esmpio in molte delle numerosissime biblioteche aprete al pubblico nelle varie citta, i libri ed i giornali sono nel modo piu assoluto in balia del pubblico ed ognuno si prende il volume che abbisogna e dopo se lo rimette a posto senza controllo e senza che percio mai nessun libro venga rubato o sciupato.
I assisted with a fire on the 8th floor of a building made almost completely of wood. The flames erupted and were menacing. Three pumps immediately saw the problem and very quickly put the fire out, but the people were extremely calm, and the actual people who lived in the house never thought of abandoning it nor thought to take out precious objects and they were right, in america they can trust the work of firemen and the solvency of insurance companies.
The Americans are admirable in lots of other ways too; for example many of the numerous libraries are open to the public in many cities, the books and newspapers are absolutely available publicly and anyone who needs a book takes it and then they return it without inspection and therefore without anything being damaged or stolen.
Del resto questi americani sono ammirevoli in molte altre cose: per esmpio in molte delle numerosissime biblioteche aprete al pubblico nelle varie citta, i libri ed i giornali sono nel modo piu assoluto in balia del pubblico ed ognuno si prende il volume che abbisogna e dopo se lo rimette a posto senza controllo e senza che percio mai nessun libro venga rubato o sciupato.
I assisted with a fire on the 8th floor of a building made almost completely of wood. The flames erupted and were menacing. Three pumps immediately saw the problem and very quickly put the fire out, but the people were extremely calm, and the actual people who lived in the house never thought of abandoning it nor thought to take out precious objects and they were right, in america they can trust the work of firemen and the solvency of insurance companies.
The Americans are admirable in lots of other ways too; for example many of the numerous libraries are open to the public in many cities, the books and newspapers are absolutely available publicly and anyone who needs a book takes it and then they return it without inspection and therefore without anything being damaged or stolen.
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I've enjoyed translating this section. I feel like it reveals the development of a way of thinking in which Camillo believes that if you empower people, take care of them and trust them, they will do the right thing. Interesting.
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