Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-05-04
ONE YEARS FIRES.
Record OF Losses in the United
States During 1887.
Amount of Property Destroyed
Larger than Usual.

The fire statistics, annually compiled by
the Chronicle of New York City, are pub
Iished for the current year. These records
Of fires and losses are the only elaborate ones
kept, and are prepared in the interest Of fire
insurance companies. The Chronicle
reports 1854 noteworthy fires in
the United States during 1887, an
increase of 1I72 over 1886. The value
of the property burned was $40, 2O9, $50, an
increase of SI4,2S4, go over 1886. The
average loss by each fire was $7272, against
$3.50 IN 1856 About 5S per cent. OF the
whole loss is estimated TO have been returned
to iire-suffeTerS by the insurance companies.
The remaining A. per cent. was on uninsured
property.
The frelOss of the year was divided as fol-
lows: In New England, 1O.6 millions; in the
Middle States, 81 4 millions; in the Southern
States. 24.6; in the Western States, AZ 3
millions; in the Pacific States and
Territories. 10.4 millions In the
Middle, Southern and Western States
the fire loss was considerably above the
normal 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 de-
struction by fire, but in the South
and West it is growing up with
the country. The first quarter Of 1887 was
less disastrous regards fires than the cor
responding period of 1856; after that the
losses were much heavier, the fire record or
November being the largest of the year.
Over $S1, 600, 900 was lost on prOpertS
where fires originated The rest of the Sl1J,-
100000 was lost property burned by ex-
posture. lncendiariSm and defective t1ues are
reported as the chief causes of fires, the former
leading. About p per cent of the fires OF
known origin are said to have been incendl-
airy. a brief examination of the principal
fire causes, as distributed by States, shows
that fires from incendiarism and defective
hues were most frequent in Ohio and lndi-
ana; from spontaneous combustion most
numerous in Illinois, New York and
Massachusetts; from lightning most fire.
qUent in Pennsylvania, Indiana and
New NOrk; from miscellaneous sparks most
frequent in Illinois and Missouri; from fric
ton in machinery most numerous i'll Illinois,
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; from sta
tiOnery engines and boilers most numerous
in New York and Pennsylvania; from
matches most frequent in Massachu-
sets, Illinois and Pennsylvania; from
explosions of lamps and lanterns most fire.
Quent in New York, Pennsylvania and Cali
fOrnia; forest and prairie fires most numerous
in Arkansas, California and Illinois, and fires
from locomotive sparks most frequent IN
Illinois and Missouri.
The year 1887 was not a disastrous one in
the agricultural districts, the list of distinc-
lively agricultural risks burned being shorter
han 1856. The burning of mercantile and
manufacturing property was largely
in excess of the record in 1886. The loss of
human lives by fires was also much larger
than during any other year in which rec
eS'i had been kept.