The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-26
FIRE AND WINDOW ROUTE.
How San Francisco Might Have Avoid
ed Most of Her Loss.

Seventy-three per cent of all the dam
age done by fire to buildings other than
that in which it originates is attributable
to the window route. writes Commission
er Fitzpatrick in Insurance Engineering
More than that, As per cent of the entire
fire loss of the country in normal years
is traeeable to lack of window protec-
ton.
In extraordinary eonfagra lions the per-
centage increases at frightful ratio. 1t
is fairly established, for instance that at
San Francisco fire actually originated at
eleven different points in comparatively
insignificant buildings
Had the windows In adjacent buildings
been protected those eleven fires would
have been confined to those eleven build
ings; and the value of those eleven build
ings was certainly not more than 100000.
The folly of unprote windows has
therefore cost San Francisco more than
II 900 buildings instead OF the original
eleven and something like 81 500, 600 900 of
property and business loss Had the win
dows of the big so-called fireproof build
ings been protected, at n cost OF possibly
100000, the contents of those buildings
would be intact today, and just that one
item means nearly So, 900, 600 lost
Many projections have been devised and
tested; many of them work we'll but in
most of them, particularly where any
thing automatic is depended upon, there
is liable to be a slip-up al the wrong
moment. OF course almost anything is
better than nothing. Iron or other me-
tallic shutters are, at least. fire retard-
ants, though they ultimately buldge and
warp and twist and frequently yield to
the perslstency of fire.
The one thing that stands pre-eminent-
ly above everything else, considered from
every point of view, appearance, certain
ty of protection. availability and every
thing else, is wireglass. Where even the
glass melts it is still held in place by the
wire and bars the passage of flame.
| know of but one case where 1t failed
The victim made great hullabaoo about
It and | was rather surprised to hear his
story. Upon investigation ! did find the
wireglass neatly rolled up lying on the
window sill The intelligent fellow had
used wireglass, but had fastened 1T in
wood sash,
To sum up, put me down as a stanch
believer in wireglass in metallic or as
bestos sash for ordinary window protec-
ton, and where the danger is great
double glazed sash and wireglass.
When Annie Russell SWore.
From the Bohemian Magazine for Novem-
Der.
1t Is on record that Annie Russell swore
on one occasion. This will be a tremend-
Gus shock to those who know the modest
almost shy, personality of the delineator
of Miss Hobbs, Catherine and Puck. Yet
here are Miss Russells own words: $50
far as / can remember, I never was pro-
fame but once in my life, and then
simply couldn't help 1t. | suppose it is
wrong for me ever to mention 1t. or even
to think about it, but, somehow, I just
can't help it. At any rate this is the
first time | have mentioned it, 1t hap
pened about four years ago when / was
visiting in England. and was for a time
a guest at a summer house in the north
A large number of people were in the
party, as the shooting season had just
commenced. One morning / was driven to
the station with young man who was
also going south. l got into first-class
carriage and while waiting for the train
to start, became aware of angry talk just
outside my window. Looking down ! saw
it was my young companion using very
strong language to a porter who had
mislaid his guncase. The young gentle
man was very angry and his language
was the reverse of parliamentary. Just
then the signal was given. the young man
jumped into the seat facing me and the
train moved on. l could see he was quite
aghast for he realized that / had heard
lie at once apologized
4 really must beg pardon, Miss Rus
SELL he said, but 1 am a plain fellow
and call spade Il spade
Il couldn't resist the chance. Indeed
sir | answered, I should have thought
from what | have heard you say that you
would call it damned old shovel F"