The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-14

less by a desire TO extinguish flames than
by a purpose to keep them from spread
ing. That which is particularly lamen-
table is the extraordinary peru TO Ire
occupants of burning structure nave 70
encounter in their efforts 10 escape In
two instances within year that came
under my own observation the buildings
WIRE OF three stories respectively, So
substantially built Of brick that the four
walls of each were left intact, though
everything between them was consumed.
In each case four persons were burned
IN death because the narrow staircase.
the only avenue Of escape. was shut on
and the fire brigade was too late IN get
ting it's ladders into service. l don't be-
lleve there IS ever the saving OF IRE Dy
means of those canvas receivers Wnlch
en- the limited states enable persons hem
med in TO leap from windows. and as lot
fire escapes attach TO LOFTY builulhb7'
London IS without evidence Of their exist
ence. Commander Wells has Just made
report 10 the County Council for the year
1896. There were 1916 outbreaks of which
l22 were serious and 3i9i slight.
At first glance It seems a remarkably
low average that a city 50 vast ana corn
pact should have but l22 serious hies IN
a year: but I'm addition 10 the fact tnat u
SERIOUS" fire I'm London usually means
y total destruction Of the property lex
terror walls sometimes excepted there
Is to be considered the appalling fact that
1Og lives were lost IN these serious fires
Commander Wells furthermore says that
statistics testify TO the rapid increase n
fatalities as the result Of fires. and the
inference IS plain that better methods or
dealing with the great enemy are I'M
perative.
Within the county limits OF London
(some r.. 4i2 statute acres there Is popu-
lation OF In round numbers 4.J0oOVO To
Gre-guard the immense territory there Is
a brigade Of Si2 firemen. p men under
instruction. II pilots. and 70 coachmen.
There are IS land fire coachmen. Ihere
are % land fire engine stations river
stations sub-statiOns ID street sta
lions 81 land steam fire engines, . steam
fire engines on barges. II manual engines
rs hose carts, 81 miles Of hose. s steam
tugs. 10 barges. 2l6 fire escapes. and 80
call posts. The average number OF men
available for duty is G52 by day and ooo by
night.
In the majority of London houses there
Is but one stairway, and that narrow
one. There IS no emergency exit or es-
cape. and the thought of provision TO I'M
sure safety in the event Of a fire seems
never TO have entered the mind OF
builder That the "hre escapes furnish
Oh at the eleventh hour by the hremen
are to a large extent mOckerles Is proved
by the proportion Of Jos fatalities 20 l2
SERIOUS" fires. That the vocation OF fire.
man is not one of great hazard here .s
shown by the fact Of there having been
but 10 accidents of an kinds 20 hremon
last year. and only two fatalities. An
economic conservatism is largely contri-
butorv 10 the fire risks Of London, where
a cheap mineral oil IS chiefly used in
lighting Lamps are IN common use
where 4 brighter illumination than cam
dies afford Is desired. There is q pre-
tence of gas IN most Of the better sort Of
houses, but mineral oil lamps predOmin-
ate even there. and I'm the great majority
of lodging houses gas IS used only on the
drawing room and dining room floors.
Electric lights are coming into service
very slowly. and only az that rate be-
cause OF tho growing influence OF Amer
icanism. But candles and lamps are still
the main opponents OF darkness in Lon
don houses. as throughout the rest OF
England Their utility I'm support OF the
fire brigade or IN supplying u with rea-
son for existence. IS considerable when
weighted against other causes 81 fires
Out OF the total 1915 fires. candles NAV
claim the credit for 206 and mineral oil
lamps 300 among ascertained causes. and
probably a fair proportion OF the $50
unknown" causes.-Chicago Times-IIer-
aid