The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-01-11
why so MANY ooNILAGRArIoNsg

WHY 80 MANY COM asAAlsAIiONNf
The public cannot but have noticed the
extraordinarily large number OF destructive
fires throughout the country within the
past week or two. The record Is lareer
shan for any halt month for years past, aud
has given 1884 a start towards making an
unusually startling list OF oontlagrations
that no previous year Tor many past hes
made. An sections have been suffering,
and In one or two instances irightlui losses
OF lifs have accompanied the destruction OF
property. la Texas, aud particularly north
Texas, the flames have been more than or
dnsrly active and destructive, not
less than eight or ten towns In
as many days having witness
ed large Gres. Annually in this country
and Canada about 100000 900 worth Of
properly are reduced to ashes rom the
burning OF buildings alone, bI, II the .e-
maiuder u this year witnesses oouhlgra
lions OF tie character aud frequency OF
those so lar rec1uuied, double the annual
amount Of properly will be destroyed
The greater number OF these connaRra.
tiols, ofcourse, and undoubtedly must be-,
ret down to pure and unauthorized care.
'essness. People are not watcLiul enough.
Notwithstanding the fearful losses aud
the fearful lessons aud warn
ines, people are prone to imagine
that there Is no danger from
any went OF caution and care on thei +
part and burn out themselves and their
neighbors, while congratulating themselves
that they are as wa:chiul as the necessity OF
the case demands. II is impossible to be
too careful, and great watchlulness and
caution over fires aud illes should be ex-
eroised by all the members OF n household
occupants OF building, both morning,
noon and night.
But carelessIess is not the sole cause o.
this frequency OF confagrstions. There 10
unquestionsbly much villainy at the Dot.
tom Of all this destruction. The insurance
companies have taken such risks as to
place temptation ia the way OF many
landlords, and many OF the fires
are pure speculstions on the part OF the in
sured. In many oil the cases recently re
counted the hand OF the incendiary Is
clearly traceable, and the facts leave no
room for doubt us to the guilty parties
while yet OF sufficiently clear and con-
vincing character TO secure legal con-
viction, Added to this ia the work OF those
worthless vaRabonds and tramps in every
community who fire dwellings and stores in
hope OF an opportunity TO steal and rob
In Milwaukee a while back number OF
fires were even traced to band OF urchlns,
who had been reading sensational
story-books, and applied the torch from
no other reason than TO be at fire. Many
cases under each OF these classes are un-
doubleday occurring from time TO time.
The remedy lies with the insurance com.
pnnies and the officers OF the law. The
former will continue 10 suffer unless they
guard more carefully against over insur-
auce, and investigate more closely and sus-
piciously the causes and origin Of the
various connagrations in which they are
interested. No honest sufferer
will object to the most searching inve5ii
CATION OF the facts of fire from which ne
and honestly suffered. while the
rascals will bat increase suspicion 10y OBJ.
iectng in such case. The officers OF The
Inv, the cone.ables and police Of the
towns and cities canno. b9 too watchiul
both night and day, and il always on the
alert will prevent many a FIRE. Care all
around, by the occupants of all buildings,
by Insurance men and by law officer, is
about the safest and indeed only prevent
I'VE we know of in the premises. If such
care Is not exercised we may expect 10 con-
tinue to read in our Geographic columns
daily OF disastrous fires over this section
and the country generally, with an oocs-
sional detail of some frightiui loss of lie.
Il is time so fatal and destructive au agent
" as being more closely looked after.