The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-01-12
PREVENTION OF FIRE LOSS.

PREVENTION OF FIRE LOSS.
Losses by fire 50 far as reported In
dicates that the total loss for 1901 in the
United States will touch very close 10
$50. .oo00oO. Il Il does not actually eN-
ceed those figures. II is really appal-
ling in the vas, property waste that it
comprehends, and the question OF pre-
venting a considerable portion OF it Is
constantly becoming a more serious
one, especially as present conditions
are not calculated to inspire confidence
in the solveney Of not a few fire in
surance companies. Edward Atkinson.
the weu-known s,etistician, declares
that, IL the excess Of cos, in conducting
insurance companies be added 70 the
actual fire loss along with The ex-
Nc>S VI NNS- Ia SUSTAINING water SUI
plies and fire departments, tne total
will be a sum S5O.0loCOO year in eN-
cess Of the normal cos; OF maintaining
the United States government in times
Of peace tomitting pensions and in
teresu. and is fully equal to- the gov
ernments cost at the present time
subject to the expenditures that grew
out OF the Spanish war. So much for
the loss itself.
Can some Of it be prevented In any
way? What portion Of it is due 10 In
adequate fire protection or to actual
carelessness on the part OF those most
interested? Mr.. Atkinson believes that
by far the greater Part Of the aggre-
gate loss is incurred in a relatively
very small number Of large establish
ments. each OF which might b. pro
tected and made very much SAFER if
only the owners attention was sharply
called to the matter by advancing the
cost OF Insurance. In other words. un-
der the present premium rates, owners
have a sense OF security after their
policies are written that breeds care
lessness and often iniiT.renee. Mr.
Atkinson suggests that losses ty fire
should be analyzed and classified So
as to separate the number and amount
OF the losses on lh- large establish
ments from the much more numerous
small losses, and the proposed analysis
of the large firms should give a COM
plete record OF the cause and the
course Of each.
But additional safeguards in con-
struct!on are Of course essential. il the
word 'hreproof is ever to possess
any meaning in this correction, and on
this point Mr.. Atkinson olt-- the aI-
lowing:
Since the Crip2leslte fra N L.n-
don in 1897, leading British architects
and engineers have fo,1nei Fire Pro.
tective association, comprising at Ut
80 members. each {: whom .5ys
guinea a year. They make complete
tests Of all new devices, notably every
thing pertaining T. VIVA: is called fire. .
proof construcuJ1. Th.ir tests are jI- /
diciaL Their ondorsemen. carries vely
great weight Hence, al hough the
charge for testing IS heavy including |
the printing Of tre report promoters |
Of new methods and new devices VINO /
themselves feel coafden- II tne merit .
Of their inventions cheeriuIly pay the
charges, while promoters who a.e
merely floating patents ,r who nave
no genuine confidence in their t'tn
devices. never apply; h. tact Of their
refusal or omission to call for tests,
standing agains- them with men of
sense. This undertaking IS not ap-
parently sustained by the Insurance