Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-06-01
THE YEARS FIRE LOSSES.



Tables Showing the Record over the Country
More Property burned Than Usual.
The fire statistics annually complied by
the New York Chronicle are about to be
published for the current year. These
records of fires and losses are the only
elaborate ones kept, and are prepared in
the interests of fire insurance companies.
The Chronicle reports 16, 1894 noteworthy
fires in the United States during 1887, an
Increase of 1172 over 1886. The value of
the property burned was $119, POS, $50, an
increase OF $1+, ,284 $50 over 1856. The
average loss by each fire was S7272,
against Sc, 76O in 1886. About So per cent
of the whole loss is estimated TO have
been returned to fire sufferers by the in
surance companies. The remaining AZ
per cent was on uninsured property.
The fire losses of the year were divided
as follows: In New England, 1O6 millions;
in the Middle States, 31.4 millions; in the
Southern States, 246; in the Western
States, AZ 3 millions; in the Pacific States
and Territories, lO.4 millions. In the
Middle, Southern, and Western States the
fire loss was considerable above the nor
NAL average; in the other sections it was
about normal. The Chronicle concludes
that IN the Older sections Of the United
States, taking one year With another,
there is no alarming growth in the des-
truction by dre, bat in the South and
West it is growing up with the country.
The first quarter of 1887 was less dis
astrous as regards fires than the cores
ponding period of 1886; after that the
losses were much heavier, the fire record
of November being the largest of the
year.
Over $87, 10000 was lost on property
where fires originated. The rest of the
$4,000, 900 WAS lost on property burned
by exposure. Incendiar1sm and defective
iues are reported as the chief causes of
fires, the former leading. About 81 per
cent. of the fires, origins are said to have
been incendiary. A brief examination
of the principal fire causes, as distributed
by States, shows that fires from incen-
diarism and defective fues were most
frequent Ia Ohio and Indiana; from spon-
taueous combustion most numerous in
illinois, New York and Massachusetts;
from lig htuing most frequent in Penn
sylYsnia, Indiana and New York; from
miscellaneous sparks most frequent in
Illinois and Missouri: from friction in
machinery most numerous in Illinois,
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; from
stationary engines and boilers most
numerous in New York and Pennsylvania;
from matches, most frequent in Massa
chusetts, Illinois and Pennsylvania; from
explosions of lamps and lanterns, most
freqdent in New York, Pennsylvania and
California; forest aud prairie fires, post
numerous in Arkansas, California and
Illinois, and fire from locomotive sparks,
most frequsnt in Illinois and Missouri.
The year 1887 was not disastrous one
in the agricultural districts, the list of
distinctively agricultural risks burned
being shorter than in 1886. The burning
of mercantile and manufacturing prop
erty was largely in excess Of the record
in 1886. The loss OF human lives by fire
was also much larger than during any
other year in which record had been
kept.