Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-08
STATE OF MAINE FIRES.
interesting Figures Ma lie Public by State IN.
surancc Commissioner S. W. Carr

hon. ;. W. Carr, State insurance
COMMISSIONER has compiled ii table
'"o" iiS the number Of fires which oc-
CURED III the State during the pas;
year, as well as the cause in each case
thc loss sustained and tho yal,ln. q,
vi hreS during the period was 1854 in
NoiNlhS property valued at 81 0g5 93a
ana causing losses aggregatine 81 SSS
ooo, a decrease of $555 900 from the fig
ures of last year. In 800 cases a tot Ii
loss resulted.
defective chinneys and nues were
Responsible for more fires and create,
loss IMAM other known cause, 2g3 fire
having originated from them and caus-
ihs loss or more than a quarter of a
hliiiion OF dollars. Lightning is given
second place on tAe list with d total OF
1873. :.tt
| There was an average Of one fire each
day Tor the entire Year where the
cause was reported as unknown" and
children playing with matches arc
charged with responsibility for starting
"A fires. causing 4 loss Of $685. and en-
dahgering nearly 100000 worth of prop
erty. Mice and matches exposed SOS
zoo worth of property to danger and in
creased the grand total Of loss for thn
year by nearly $4,000. One fire was
started from the Sun-rayS shining uD
! ON tin can. and Il others are in tn
list as due to the carelessaeSs of to-
! baCco smokers. Sixty-four fires orig
mated from sparks from locomotives,
destroying S1a2 $50 worth Of property.
ana spontaneous combustion caused a
loss estimated at 1854. The value Of
property exposed to fire originating in
the latter manner is placed at $2S,.l1l.
An even hundred thousand dollars
worth Of property was endangered b.
fires which caught from gas jets. but
the entire loss from this cause was onll-
Sal.
An interesting table showing the per
centase Of fires of unknown" and in
cendiary'' origin for the several years
since the enactment of the law provid-
ing for the investigation Of fires. also
has been made up by Mr.. Carr. and Il
very marked decrease in the percentage
is shown.
The law went into effect in May. 1895
and during the remainder OF that year
the cause Of 81 "A per cent Of all fires
w eiS gwen as uIlhiltNH Nlliit N.bt pr
cent. We're reported as ''incendiary."
Since that time each year has seen a
steady decrease in the percentage I'M
til in 1900 only 1927 per cent. We're re-
ported as origin unknown, ana only
50 per cent. as incendiary. There We're
only So incendiary fires in the State
during 1900. against % for the year 1899
a decrease of nearly "a per cent.
The losses by incendiary fires in
Maine in 1900 We're 500 So; only about
quarter as large as for 1899. The
total losses of unknown and of incen-
diary fires in Maine in 1900 was Sl.sS6.-
600-about $50 900 less than for 1899. The
law under which the causes of Maine
fires are legally investigated has work
ed well-it has reduced the percentage.
The out of state fire companies in 1909
wrote over lSS millions on Maine bust
ness and received SLIP, I01 in prem
furns, paying 1888. 1853 in losses.
The losses paid last year We're -. ~
per cent. of the premiums received
against 1886 per cent. for the previous
wear. The losses incurred in Maine dur
ing the year 1900 We're SIS per cent.
against 63. "a per cent for the year lS9?.