The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-02-17
NO. 39
The Fire of 1875.

We have managed to burn up, during
the year that is past, property TO the value
of $50, 1923 OBS, of which loss S43, ,631 700
was distributed by means of insurance, and
the remainder-a nearly equal amount
fell exclusively upon the owners. The tax
we have paid to the "6re-fend" amounts
on the average to about ten dollars per an
mum for each productive life in the coun-
try. And of this tax, seventy-fve per cent,
at moderate computation, was inflicted by
causes entirely eventable-chiefy by
carelessness and incendiarism.
Of the total loss, S55,379, 900 was caused
by the burning of 1861 specials" and on
account of this the insurance companies
paid S29, ,052, 900. October bravcly main
tained its reputation as the most disastrous
month of the year, the losses during that
month being Sl2,953,O95. Strangely en-
ough, the months of March and September,
notorious months of turbulent winds, show
the least loss, 81 4,095, 400 and s4,816,750
respectively.
| But the chief feature of our compila-
| ton, and that which gives it a value not
easily to be calculated, is the report by
months of special hazards burned in this
| country and Canada. The agent and the
solicitor who wishes to convince the owner
of any special hazard that his property is
liable to burn, and, the established rate is
not extortionate, has only to produce this
table.
First in the number comes hotels, Of
which no less than 337-nearly one per
day-were burned during the year. Hotels
burn in all seasons-in season and out Of
season-and in al attitudes and longitudes.
Next on the list come saw mills, of which
261 burned-the greater mortality" being
in the summer months, when many Of them
are idle. Liquor stores make brave ef-
fort to keep up with hotels and saw-mills
in infammabiiity, but only l68 of them
succeeded in getting burned. Drug stores
which every druggist will tell you never
burn-come in good fourth, with 1873
burnings Restaurants are close after them,
with l26, and 1i9 livery stables were con-
verted into chariots Of fire.
Then comes 107 losses on furniture fac
tories, ninety-six on machine shops, seventy
eight on Touring mills, eighty-three on
planning mills, seventy-eight on carpenter
shops, and seventy three on blacksmith
shops.
Churches and lumber yards and public
halls burn every evenly-seventy-f
churches, seventy-four lumber yards and
seyenty-two public halls.
Tanneries and wooden mills, newspaper
Offices and printing Offices keep close toge-
ther in the race of destruction-ffty-on
each of the first three burning, and forty
eight printing offices.
Cotton mills, cooper shops, and carriage
factories make about the same contribu-
tiOns to the total number Of losses, and
wood working establishments Of every kind
do their utmost to swell the aggregate.
But this table must not be mistaken for
a guide by which the relative infiammability
of different hazards can be computed. Be
cause it records the burning of thirty-six
breweries and one celluloid factory, it would
be absurd to infer that breweries were
thirty-siX times as hazardous as celluloid
works. There were about 5000 breweries
in the country. There was but one manu-
factory of celluloid, and that burned
The value Of the table is in its accuracy
and completeness, and in the fact that it
| demonstrates to owners Of isolated special
hazards, impatient of the premium charged
them for insuance, and to local agents,
whese observation and experience are only
local, that such hazards will burn, are burn
ing constantly, and that no fair or adequate
tariff can be made which is not made in
view Of the entire field throughout which
indemnity is sold, and the operation of the
law of average where it has ample verge
and scope.-Msurance Chronicle.