Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-09-02


'rhe waste by SIRE.
Statistics are generally interesting and
are often surprising and even startling. A
good example Is from the article on 'pIhe
Waste by Fire" by Clifford Thomson in
the September Fg-gm. The losses caused
by fires ia the United States are becoming
npticeabiy greater, being now more than
SlD0,00O,O OO year. From data furnished
by the tire insurance companies, the loss
in 1884 wis Sll0,0O00lO, in 1856,
Sl03.O01,OO aud for the FIRST half OF this
year ab6 900, 900 The number of fires
has increased from 1901 IN 1876 to
Hlll in 1885. The total fire
losses amount to one fifth of the
net profits OF tie industries Of the coun-
try-n startling fact. So in spite Of bet
tor organized fire companies aud improve
ments in the apparatus for preventing
or quenching fires, the increase in the
losses from FIRE continue as great in pro-
portion 10 the increase of wealth. More
preventable causes, and the largest num-
bor GRO caused by the faulty
construction Of buildings Comparison
with europe in this respect shows
that not only arc tho laws
in this country applying to the construo-
ton Of buildings defective, but those ex-
isting are not so rigidly enforced.
Thousands.o of fires are caused by the floor
beams of one house projecting into the
flues Of the next house, still as the writer
says, sit is q maxim in the fire service
that it is contents that burn buildings,
and not buildings that burn contents" 1t
is however, questioned whether this is
true in regard to the number. of fires.
What is called the "moral hazard,
the temptation of those who are
more than fully insured to set
to their property, is the most
aificult unknown quarsity for The insur-
nnce men to solve. The estimates of in.
cendiarism vary from one-third TO over 50
per cent of all the fires and ii is stated
that the incentive to incendinrism in
ninety-nine cases out of ono hundred is
oyer-insurance. The Chronicle Fire
Tables" are instructive reading. For
example take the causes of fires in 1885 /;
From accident not otherwise reported,
l24; from ashes and hot Goals, 60 /;
bonfires, 10 burglars, "a candles, SO -,
carelessness not otherwise reported, tlg
children playing with fire, 8 cigar stubs
llli railroad collisions, 6; defective fines
S29i defective heating apparatus a5
From plosions-Alcohol bonzno, Ii
boilers, IL chemicals, II; gas, IS
gasolene, lG; lamps, lanterns, 1856; natum
gas, 2Nunknown, 3G varnish, 2. Fire
crackers caused 35 and fireworks 81
While furnaces caused H. spon
taneous combustion POS and On
jets 169, incendiarism IS eredite
with 1871. Lightning caused IS
and the causes for 5,905 fires are nc
given. Last year the burning OF 500
dwellings or tenemcnts made 40, 600 pei
sons homeless and made mp over one
eighth Of the fire losses Though til
losers may be unidentified by insuranc
companies, too few people realize full
that fires are tax and a great tax upoi
the people sinct il is tr~a them Of cuurs
iifd '' Naarg Grrs 10 iar tnsnrpnr
c'hni h. $, Inhng II COZ ;iuzeul trsf
Hod 'SpoD5r ..f s1nsii .uDp. 5000
0OO, 900 is considered ~ low estimate ,
the direct loss of the people of I'll
United States nom fires
4 remedy suggested is 10 pass n Ia
prohibiting any insurance company froi
paying more than three fourths of mi
proved loss, thus compelling each ind
vidnal property owner to h. his own ii
snrer to the extent Of one.fourth Of Iii
value OF his property though the cas-
where the owner waa shown to b
in no wise to hlumc might b
made an exception, II Is though
some such plan would reduce in
cendinrism to minimum AnotLe
is that certain officers should il
empowered to force owners to take raa
sonable precautiou for tlic protection o
their property. Tho Chinnman, through
whose carolessness a neighbors prop
eriy catches fire OF is damaged
is bastinadoed at tho intersection
of two prominent streets This is sever
in its orientlism, but moro should l.,
done in this country 70 induce improve
ment in the risks. The problem. particu
larly the mora! hazard is difficult to soly,
but if property owners take the tuatteI
earnestly in hand There uay NJ at least
great improvement over The present stat,
Of affairs,