The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-16
HOW FIRES BEGIN
CHIEF WALDEN GIVES SOME IMPOR
TANF INFORMATION.
Careless Handling of Gasoline Has
Caused More Fires Than Anything
Else and Is Cautioned Against
Burning Rubbish Also a Fruitful
Source of CoufiagrationS.

| Fire Marshal Waldren was seen at the
city building yesterday and in answer to
a question concerning the department for
| the past nine months, and the cause of
| cOnhagrations, and other news with refer
/ ence to the department, the prevention OF
| fires. etc., said:
The past nine months of the present
year has chronicled no destructive fires.
! Our city has been as fortunate, If not more
20 than any city OF like size in the coun-
| try.
There has been fifty-tvo alarms of fire
which in majority of instances has been
small and all have been quickly eNtin-
J guished by the department. / find a
greater number were caused by careless
| ness IN the handling or use of gasoline.
! Aud while this is true in most all cit
4 les during the summer months neverthe
/ less 1t IS one of the most destructive causes
! both 10 life aud property We have to deal
with. Several deaths and many severe
/ burIs have occurred in our city in the past
two years-two deaths, one from
gasoline and one from para ne
occurred IL the last year While
speaking upon this inter l think
is important To call the attention OF the
public to the Increase in fire hazard and
great danger to lie and property from the
use of gasoline.
The winter is coming on and the upper
stories OF many of our business buildings
are being occupied by families doing light
housekeeping. In buildings where steam
heat or hot air Is supplied a majority of
these families use gasoline for cooking
purposes ana supply themselves in quanti-
Ties OF from two tt five gallons eacn. So
you can easily imagine the quantity of
THIS explosive article continually stored in
the upper stories OF these buildings. Dur
lug the winter months the doors aud win
III,
tanning gasoline be left open, or the stove
not shut of, the room will soon become
hiied with Vapor, and the lighting of n
match would Cause an explosion that
would certainly result in a disas rous fire
and the loss of life. Should the explosion be
so great as to communicate with adjoining
apartments the destruction of building
and contents would ensur, for any depart
ment would ind IL a useless task to COM
bat flames under such conditions, as their
attention would be N the direction of saw
ing the lives OF inmates and To confine the
fire to the building in which it occurred.
Be careful when using gasoline.
"The burning of leaves and trash in our
city which occurs in the fall season is at
tended with much danger aud gives reason
to expect that at some time we may have a
serious CONFEDERATION from this source
Many people gather leaves and trash III
large piles and late in the evenings burn
Jneul. lHtSe uEtS OcCuT as latc as . ID. III.
at night and In many cases are left
to shoulder and burn out. IL the wind
raises during the night lire Is blown
in every direction we have had a great
many alarms and some stubborn fires
from the above cause. Ordinance S47 was
passed for the purpose Of controlling this
matter, but people complain of its hard
ship and violate it. a copy of the ordi
nance, which reads as follows. should be
read by all citizens and their assistance in
its enforcement is requested:
'.Be il ordained by the mayor and council |
men of the city of Wichita:
Sec. 1. That it is hereby declared IN
tion 10 burn weeds, brush or grass, or
make any fire of any description in the
open air within the corporate limits of the |
city of Wichita between the hours of |
o'clock p. m. and Is o'clock a. |
N. without first obtaining therefor |
the permission of the fire marshal |
in writing. Any person. persons or cor !
poration violating any of the provisions |
of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty |
of a misdemeanor, and shall OF conviction |,
thereof be fined IN any sum not less than |
81 nor more than 500. This ordinance |
stall take effect and be in force from and |
after its publication.
G. w. CLEMENT,
Mayor.
Attest: W. P. MCNAIR.
City Clerk.
"The prevention of fires requires the Wig
lance OF the public as well the opera |
tiou of the department property owners |
and renters in both residence and business |
buildings, should see % 1t that their Chin /
neys are cleaned at least once every year. |
The best time Is in tie fail before starting |
fires for the winter, as the number of |
fires caused from defective !
fiues are as many as from any other cause, |
and the defects in the fiues can easily be |
ascertained by competent chimney
sweep who can be furnished by leaving
orders at the lire department station on
Market street. Notice of any tlues that /
are thought defective Will be examined by /
the department.
Gasoline and other burning fluids
should be stored in some part OF the build
ling away from where cooking is done
and a quantity not TO exceed two gallons |
should Oe kept on hand. The cleaning of
feathers, ribbons, etc, with gasoline,
should be done in the open air. Many
have forfeited their lives through negli-
gence in the use or ignorance of the dan
ger of, this most destructive explosive,
The success of every department is found
in its promptness III answering alarms.
and the better the alarm system the more
efficient the department can be. Informa-
tion of fire should be Transmitted to the
department as quickly as possible. To this
end, every citizen should acQUaint himself
with the nearest alarm box aud the key
holder most accessible to the alarm box;
also the most convenient telephone In
short acQuaint himself with the condi-
lions ana always be ready TO act on an
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