New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-13
SAFETY IN THE OF FIRE.
Hoe 1t Nay Best Be Sought-Rules
for Home Protection.

Baltimores terrible fire has turned peoples minds
all over the country to fire protection. and in
sequence the fire departments OF all large cities
have received hundreds Of householders letters that
ask first. how best 20 prevent fires IN dwellings.
and. second. how. fire having started. the inmates
Of burning dwelling may best escape
The chief Of the Philadelphia Fire Department.
is J. c. Baxter. fireman OF forty years experience.
and the chief Of the Philadelphia Bureau OF Build
ing Inspection f. Robert c. HILL Each OF these
men. in response to public demand has fOrmu-
lated set of fire rules for the householder-Chief
Bakers. I'm Case OF Fire" and Chief HIrs To
Prevent Fire" The rules OF Chief Baxter follow:
IN CASE OF FIRE.
First OF all sound the alarm
Close the door end open the windows closed
open window let's out the heat and the smoke.
that e mass Of smoke IS not necessarily inn
passGble. Go down on your hands ard lnees-you
the stairway IN this way. and in nine cases out OF
burned to death because they thought smoke
filed stairway meant an impossible one, and be
OF pure air TO breathe down near the 1oor.
II there "a n skyliSht break 10 open The smoke,
Should nd the S' IRE have gaed such Roadway that
al exits are biocked shgt yourself In front ont
reasonabiy certain that they will rescue you.
Above all things keep cool The majority OF
deaths from IRE would have been averted II the
II there any eXtingushers or hand grenates
in the house do not hesitate to waste a few
fire. has resulted dsastrously because no one. when
the time came. knew how 20 use the extingushins
appliances.
Chief Hnl. OF PhiladelphIa's Bureau OF Building
Inspection. gives these rules:
TO PREVENT FIRE
DO not put ashes IN wooden boxes or barrels;
These wooden TeceptacIes are frequent cause OK
Keep the cellar clear % heaps Of refuse-or old
r ev-qpauerS. rags and broken wood
Cobwehs on cellar beams and walls should 5s
whitewash or Of hreproof paint
Line all fues with terra Gotta.
Keep wood away from the chimneys. Where
chimney lathing is necessary. use athins OF
Sever hang lace curtains near gas Jets Let your
Jets 70 another part Of the room In private houses
there are few causes Of fire more frequent than
II You are going 70 build. put VI. II you can
house, II Is wherein no wood or other inHaIn-
mahle material IS used except In tie doors window
house are ~ iron and the floors are OF Nrick or
not burn down.
CHIEF Baxter told an Interesting story about
smoke
"r7to one night 10 said IT was going home
when [ heard there was q fire two blocks away. 1
ran 70 tie house that burning Clouds OF |
smoke poured out 81 tho doorway and In the hall /
half dozen men stood in line. passing from one 70
another buckets OF water. 'l"t Wv ms A.,''i
toss into the black smoke that rolled down the |
stairway.
There's two women upstairs these volunteer |
dremen said to me when went IN. 1T -
Il got on my hands and knees, and. with my |
face close to the hOor. where the air was clear.
went up tho stairway slowly. looking TOT Ihe
women. There no fire on that stairway ne
fire came from the the women were N a
lamp had exploded. and one sid" Of The room Was
burning herCply but the women. over py the WIN
dow were Of the way OF the flames.
Why don't YOU clear out Of here said wren
found them. and pushed them into the hall and
down the stairs. Then. with n few buckets OF
wafer from the volunteers. I put the FIRE out
WHY do I tell this story | tell II bethUse
II illustrates. the wOmens part loss OF cooi,,
ness and. the mems part. "a Rroundless Tear OF
smoke. The women. because they had lost thelE
heads. would have burned to death II help had not
arrived The men throwing their water INTO tne
smoke. doing about as much good as tnouSn
they were throwing II into the river They should,
Of course. have followed the smoke up uii they
cana TO the fire.