The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1875-08-25
About Fires.


We print in another column an
account of remarkable case OF
spontaneous combustion. While such
occurrences are by no means ire
queut, the more ordinary causes OF
fires. which often result in serious con-
fagrations, are by no means suthclent-
ly understood, or, if they are, too
little regarded. About one-hfth of
the fires that occur annually are the
result of incendiarism. The balance
may be traced to negligence in some
shape or other. In most places where
there are no building laws in force,
the houses are, with few exceptions,
constructed with view to check the
spread of fire when once begun. Then,
chimneys and Aues and pipes are i'm
properly put up; litter is allowed to
accumulate in improper places; half
dried clothes are packed away in clos
cts over night; ashes are taken up
and left in wooden vessels; pipes and
cigars are smoked in all sorts of places;
matches are left in the way Of chill
dren and rats; chinneys, even when
properly constructed, are allowed to
get foul, and too large fires are built
up; stoves are heated too hot; people
read in bed carelessly; grain, straw
and hay are packed away when damp;
fires are kindled with kerosine :; kero-
sine is drawn or lamps filed and trim
med by candlelight. From. any of
these causes great conhsgrations are
known to have spread. When the
fire comes the cry is, at once, sncen-.
diarisn. Nobody is willing to ac-
knowledge his negligence. This is
especially the case if there is no in
suranee on the property. - -. ...:
Although We are still having the
summer sunshine, and she nights are
still hot. enough to do without fires,
the time is not far off when fires will
be necessary for comfort. 1t is not,
therefore, too early to caution our
readers to prepare against accidents, as
far as they can, by seeing that their
chimneys and stove pipes are in good
order before the time for fires arrive.
1t is we'll known that all appurtenances
to buildings get out Of order by dis
use. See to it then at once, that as
far as it lies in your power, you guard
against the flames which may not on
ly destroy your own property but ruin
your neighbor's. That done and
reasonable amount of sound Insurance
effected on your property, you may
toll by day with clear conscience
and sleep peacefully at night.
Just here we read in an exchange
the following, as if it had happened
for an illustration: ..... ...........'.
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE--The fine
dwelling of DIR. VIM. Fl. Hagood, sit
uated on the outskirts of Blackville,
was burned on Thursday at 3 A. NJ.
Nothing whatever saved and no insu-
rance. DR.. Hagood's dwelling was
one of the finest in this County. As
soon as the fire bell rang all the in
habitants turned out Immediately, de-
termined to do their best toward saw
ing all the property they could: The
fire is attrib~sed to a defective stove
pipe. Loss about $4,000. .......
It is the old story: not only a de-
fective stove pipe but no insurance.
VIII our people never learn the lesson
that our Northern neighbors profit by?
Had this accident occurred in a
Northern State the owner Of the pro-
perty would have had his insurance
money instead Of pile Of ashes. 1t
is not too much to say that South
Carolina alone loses. annually by fire
100000, on which there is no In
surance. This amount Of properly
could be replaced to the owners at an
average cost of say $4,000 to $4,000.