Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1885-09-09
Supplement.
Fire Losses.

The Chronicle fire tables for 1885
contains q review of the total losses
from fire in the United States and
Canada during the past ten years,
which shows an appalling destruction
of values from causes largely prevent
able. During this single decade, the
loss of property by fire amounted in
the aggregate to nearly 5000, 900, 600,
II sum so large as to be quite past belief
did it not rest upon undeniable statis-
tics.
Since 1880, the fire losses have been
increasing rapidly, the greatest differ
ence coming between the years 1882
and 1888, when the increase amounted
to Sl6,0OO,OOO. The monthly proper
ton shows also u number of curious
features. While the losses during
other months are quite variable, they
seem to be very regular in February
and March. The widest ranges have
been noticed in January and in the
early tall. 49,,
The causes of fires have also been
carefully classified, and the results
show an alarming predominance Of
incendiarism and of defective con-
struction scarcely less criminal. For
several years past, approximately one
third of all fires were the work OF in
cendiares, and the PERCENTAGE in the
different states. and territories varied
in 1854 from II per cent IN California
to 81 per cent in Kentucky.
These variations seem to have no
dependence upon density of popuia-
ton, but show an undoubted connec-
ton between incendiarism and llllt-
eracy, although the states named
represent by no means the apex or
base of the social pyramid. The
monthly curve Of incendiarism for tile
years 1888 and 1854 shows two periods
of maximum 0utburst, the smaller
occurring respectively in May and
April, the larger in September and
October.
Under other divisions, equally |
curious results have been obtained.
Take for instance, the influence of at
mospherie conditions. AS one would
expect, the greater loss occurs during
the dry season Of the year, when
everything is more easily infamable,
and the means for extinguishing fire |
are less available. But the difference
is less than would be supposed. In
the number of fires the excess N the
dry season is only per cent, while
the greater loss is l7per cent, showing
that the real discrepancy is due to the
greater destruction wrought by fires
rather than to the actual increase in
their number, The statistics show
further that, other things being equal
the fire loss of a locality, for any con-
siderable period, varies inversely with
the rainfall.
At the present time, in the United
States and Canada, we are suffering
monthly loss from fires of almost &c.,
0OO, OOO-a tremendous tax upon our
wealth producing power. While the
scheme of insurance has mitigated the
burden somewhat by distributing it
oyer many shoulders. it has given
rise to deplorable falseness in the
popular reasoning. People have
come to believe that policy cancels
loss. and it Must be confessed have
come likewise to act upon the princi'
pie. Omitting the fragrant immorali.
ty of incediarism, there is still large
class of apparently respectable citi-
zenz who permit themselves to regard
the preservation of property for which
others are responsible as less sacred
than if the weight Of loss rested upon
themselves.
We can only look for the decrease
of fires in any community where
there is proper building inspection,
and still more where there is healthy (
state of moral sensitiveness.-Scien-
tific American.