Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-10-13
Space. lw. I'm. Sm. 8m. vr
Some CuriOsitieS OF Fires and Fire
Insurance.

Some Curiosities OF Fires and Fire
insurance.
The president of the Hartford Fir, Iosurauce
Company, i,a recent address to the National
Association Of Fire Engineers. il Washington,
| noted some curious facts That powder mill
can be insured for much less rate than 40
loo house will strike everybody as very queer.
Why ls il that matches taste 50 much sweet
er to mice 10 over insured buildings? List
Wlnter detached c, house burned up 10 one
of our New EoSland toWos. There had been
90 work done thelc for weeks. The lcoll ps-
pers said next day. as there wero no foot mark,
! 10 tho snow arouud It, it could not have been
set or fire. Of course not. 1t costs twcaty
oents per ton TO put the ;c) 10 aud it was Insured
for dollar. Mice chewing loo possibly. but
old rats We thnk-lwo legged OF that.
lu regard to fire. hszlrds, thtr, is perhaps 90
idea moro thoroughly enSrafted upon the 10.
initiated public mind than tbat an ice house
must provo tho best possible risk, and pow
der mill the Wolst. The latter is 50 naturally,
universally and closely associated with fire that
it at ooos suggests igr iop; while the former
seems it's exact exrans-,cld. choerless, in
every way its coun,orEarf, and rtmote from
hre. Yet a board Of New + lgland uoderRrit
era, alter an experience Of both hsz,rds of
quarter OF Century, fixed the minimum rate
on ice houses al . per c3nt. and on H,zard's
powder mill. noted throus hcut tho World-6ro
risk ot course-at ct one per csut. This facs
Is morally suggestive. Tramps never hang
around G powder mill, smoking oli plug il clay
pines.
Neither outsiders cor inaderS are apt to pour
kerosene oil over the floors, ucr accidentally
stick lighted candle iato bottomless box aud
Wait for 1t to burn out, until moat uneX Xpuctedly
they fiod the place on FIRE. Mon who work iu
powder mills do not smoke, nor leave their coat
tails full Of matches. They do not kiudle 6res
With beLzlne; they do not leave oily waste
around on the h,ols. and ciga. stumps 10
wooden splttoous are scarce. No matter how
we'll insured, both occupant and owner arc care.
ful, and even mice dislike tbs taste of matshos
in powder mills. and are averse 10 ths smell Of
powder. The sama care against fire whloh Va
find 10 powder uill. carried into other hsz ards,
would msks your profession comparatively
easy one, mine rleasl Int aud profitable one.
Some Tonths ago. 10 pas.lng prominent
Doture store ID tle city iu whioh reside, 90
Sunday, my attention vas attraosed by the
actions OF boy, which seemed 10 betoken
iunscy. He would stand with bis back against
LUG iSo SuUH NluUUW Uulsluc lOT lew UlQt
utes. then turn about and carefully gsz, within;
then again plant his back against tho window.
Curious to solve what eecm I'd to be the case of
idocy in bright lookinl boy, lask I'd the cause
of bis strange acilons Directing my attention
L discovered thAt tho rays cf the sua through
the elsss fGrued focus in tho middle Of
large and valuable cEromo which jus. cou-
meDcsd 10 snake a. this idan.ical poiot, and
would evideu,ly soon be 10 flames. The boy
stated that be was oS,k in the orc, but had
not bis kay, and discovering the state of Thugs,
be planted himself as patent living firt.screen
10 pyotsos the pioturs from tho suns rays.
A well-knoBn Hartford adju.tcr, while re-
ceotly sitting 10 bis room 10 ono of our fnest
business blocks. saw bis silk umbrella, stsndiug
10 the corner. quietly take FIRE and consume
before bis very eyes. and with no little difficulty
be stopped the fire from spreading Invss,i-
gasion proved it 10 have caugbt from the con
centrated rays Of the SUI reflected fion his
graphoscope, iuuocently resting on his table.
Without doubt We do not understand many
cciusl causes Of Gre, and numerous conf agra.
tions are due to far different CAUSES from those
suspected or guessed st Ii the cIso men
toned, had the fire occurred during the ab.
senos Of the owner, and the block beeu con.
sumed, as it might easily have been, it would
have remained ono of those uasolved mysteries
which surround 50 mary fires. "a.
ECONOMY.-Wbst docs tho world "ecopo.