Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-07

The Boston AdrOcate publishes a new
proposition for the prevention of fires, which
IS net without ingenuity. According to the
writer's experience, recklessness in the man
ner of doing insurance business Is the cause
of premises being set on fire to secure the in
surance payment. Fires of this wicked and
criminal character, it Is estimated by some of
our best insurance writers, amount to forty
out of every hundred. To convict the crimi-
nal is almost impossible. The fire that de-
stroys property also destroys the evidences Of
the crime by which that destruction was ac-
comphshed. The Boston writer's remedy, IN
his own words, is as follows: THE remedy is
to have a form of policy written that only
one-half the amount of loss can be collected
where the fire originates, but all losses out
side to be paid promptly" In this way the
party on whose premises the fire broke out
would himself have to bear One-half the loss,
but adjoining premises, taking fire from those
FIRST burning, would recover full insurance.
Such law as this would not only prevent in
cendiarism, but would arouse a degree Of
care against fire that does not now exist
There would not only be the loss of money,
but the fact that sufferers to the right and
left of the original fire received degree Of
consideration denied to the original parties,
would carry with it sort of stigma that
self-respect, as well as self-interest, would do
its best to avoid, by guarding against fire.
The remedy here proposed, whatever may be
thought of it, is based on a principle that is
correct, and that ought to assume the shape
of legal enactment. That principle Is, that
those in charge of premises on which Ere &C.
ours, or those who have placed them in such
charge, are responsible to society for the
breaking out of fire on those premises. If
roof leaks, or a chimney smokes, the owner
or tenant are the parties alone concerned, but
it fire breaks out life is jeopardized and
surrounding property is endangered. IL is
no mere private affair of owners or occu-
pants; the public welfare is concerned, and
public. In some of the best governed cities
in Europe, as far as municipal oversight is
concerned, when even a chimney is on fire,
or any outbreak of fire occurs of sufficient
Importance to cause alarm, the proper par
ties are summoned before a magistrate,
where they have to show how the FIRE
occurred. | Should the evidence show that
there had been negligence of proper precau-
ton against fire, or materials burned or
boiled in a way to cause fire, or careless or
acts done resulting in fire, then
a fine or other punishment is inflicted, COM
with the offense. The, reader
cannot fail to perceive that the mere fact
that a fire cannot take place without some
one being held responsible by the law, and
subjected to magisterial examination, is in
Itself powerful means of preventing fire.
Where such is the case, the children from
heir infancy are cautioned about fire, and
ire trained and educated to be ever on their
guard against it. Just as murder decreases
n community when men are held respon-
iible for carrying private weapons, so fires
will decrease when every outbreak of flames
involves the interference of the law.