The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-25
Copyright, 1900 bp William s. Crandall)

A MERTCA has been called "thc fire country"
H In the light Of the contagrations during
IA the frst half Of 1900, il will be understood
that It Is well named. The total loss by
fire in the United States and Canada for the
first six months of this year amounted TO $l03,.
20So00, against sos, ,699,750 during the same
period last year. Nearly a score Of cities have
had fires with losses from Sj000OO to Sl2, 900 600
In the first half Of the year. Philadelphia, Syr'
acuse and Ottawa, Canada, have had more than
twice the amount of fire loss during the first
half of this year than in the corresponding
period Of 1899. And America can be apprO'
priately called "the fire country"
The cause Of this great fire loss Is not
attributable to the work Of inefficient fremen
and inadequate equipment for fire protection,
for it has long been conceded that the United
States leads the world in the ingenuity Of its
fire extnguishng appliances and the perfection
of its trained fire departments
The real cause for the enormous FIRE loss Is
to be found, not In the cure, but in the pre-.
ventve measures which are so universally ig'
norcd in this country American cities grow in
a hurry and they burn down in hurry. The
main trouble lies in the hurried building and
careless use of combustible materials Less
is taken in making chimneys, and the
houses are put up of timber and other inhan'
mable material Lights are handled carelessly
and matches are left lying around loose Other
conditions obtain which would not be tolerated
In a European city Besides, too, many risks
are ovcr-insurcd, which often leads to the con-
yenient fire.
In the Old World conditions are quite
different. There are some towns and cities
where conhagrations are almost unknown.
Houses are built of material which Is practic.
ally freproof. The most rigid supervision is
taken of CRATES, stoves, pipes and fues. When
the SCOT is permitted TO accumulate In the
chimney Of a Londoner until IL goes out in a
dangerous fame, the next event Is the arrest
OF the owner, who has dared, through his neg
ligenCe, to thus endanger the property and lives
Of others. The rule is even more rigid in Paris
and in Berlin In some instances the Of
explosive parlor matches is prohibited. The
insurance men pay more attention to the moral
risk than is done in this country. Extra care
as to kindling fires is observed AMI the supply
Of kerosene and other combustiblo oils are kept
in fire.proof storehouse.
The skill, daring and courage displayed by
fremen in the saving of life and property can.
not fail to excite the wonder and applause Of tho
general public. In consequence, there is no de.
partment in a Citys administration more cheer.
fully and literally supported than the fire de.
partmcnt. And yet much remains TO be done
for the fireman before he will have received
que COnsluerauun ana reward Wheh compared
with the value Of his service. Some means
should be provided for pensioning the veterans
Of the department In the larger cities a
provision is made for the disabled or retired
fireman and his family. But nothing adequate
TO the need
When the fireman is called upon to face death
he does not fater, but rlshes into danger for
the sake Of others without a thought as to the
consequences to himself. It only a few
months ago, In Brooklyn when the driver of a
steam fire engine deliberately ran his engine
into a trench TO save the lives of a woman
and child who stood, rooted 10 the ground with
fear, directly in his path. The driver lost his
life, but he saved the Others. Hundreds of
similar courageous feats, though not always
with the same dreful result 10 the hero, are