Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-12-27
GUARD AGAINST FIRE.

GUARD AGAINST FIRE.
The remarkably cold weather which we
are enduring is calling into use all the re-
sources Of our buildings for warming pur-
poses. Every chimney, stove, furnace or
other means of heating houses, stores.
shops, halls and churches is being tested
rs to Its capacity to furnish heat And
this Of course tries the character of these
arrangements for heating In regard to
safety. A cracked chimney may answer
for slow fire such as ia needed in sum-
mer for cooking. but IN weather like the
present when 1t becomes necessary to pile
on the fuel and send the flames searching
high up among floor timbers and rafters,
there Is danger to the house from the de-
feet SO an improperly constructed fur
mace. with its pipes and registers placed
too near comhustible materials on the out
side, may safely and com fortably work
) when the thermometer OUT doors is at zero,
but set the building in flames when the
extra heat is applied Which temperature
at twenty FIVE below makes necessary to
warm the house a Stove-pipe may pass
through partition OF boaIds or laths with
no outside protection against fire and do
no damage in the warm season. but in the
cold season when the pipe is heated to
redness il becomes as nice an arrange
ment for house burning as could be IN
vented.
II woull seem that few persons are SO
careless as to allow such dangerous con-
finances to remain in their dwellings,
but facts show TO the contrary. Indeed
the facts appear to be that the houses
which are constructed with proper re-
gard to safety against fire, which have not
improperly arranged furnaces or stoves,
or dangerous reservoirs for ashes. are
few and far between. Many q person
can be found who is careful about his in
sarance policy, and keeps watchful eye
upon the repairs needed upon his build
ings, and bears an excellent reputation
for prudence and economy in all business
matters. who yet allows defective CHM
ney TO go unrepaired, and . stove to stand
where it is a constant threat of destruc-
ton TO his buildings. And ifthis thought
lessness exists in sucll 4 class as we have
mentioned, ii is greater of course among
the shiftiess and improyident.
There are other causes for lire, beside,
those which we have noticed but we call
atteation 10 the above becapsc the season
renders it proper. The use Of tobacco is
undoubtedly the most prolific cause of fires
in existence. Ii is carried 70 pitch OF
bardihood that would seem heroic if for a
good purpose, but in il, real aspect is
criminal and foolish The farmer or
hostlcr who can work on his hay-mow with
Il loaded and fiery pipe in his mouth, or
the cigar smoker who will dash the red
cinders from the weed wherever he hap
pens to be, over shayings or gunpowder il
they are in the way, are examples Of what
smoking will do for those who follow it.
and suggestion Of the occasion OF many
fires which arc attrbutedto "inccudiaries, -
spontaneous combustion, or unknown =
Reminding smokers OF the dangerous
practice they indulge in does no par,icu-
lar good, for every smoker is ready to
swear that he j, always careful, though
perfectly willing to acknowledge that his
neighbor is careless aud ought TO be shut
mp as an incendiary.
Beside the greater liability to fire Al thi,
season OF the year for the reasons we have
mentioned, there is greater need TO guard
against it because Of the inevitable di,a.
bling of the fire department to large de-
gree by the intense cold. Frozen hose,
irost-bitten fingers, and uniforms Of ict
are serions impediments to the staying o
a conhagration, be the firemen ever Sc
ready, brave and active in their efforts
A fire in city or village when the TEN
psrature is down to twenty-five below ne
TO il fearful thing Then if OYER Their
Is need that all should spring to the res
cue, and that good Judgment should di
rect all measures. Whose property is EN-
dangered at such time no one can tel
II the fire gets the mastery. There hai
been much said about fire insurance late