The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-02-23
NATIONS FIRES
EQUAL COST OF
NEW BUILDINGS
Western Paper Makes
Startling Statement and
Gives Comparisons.

Washington and other American cities
are Tar behind European ciLses IN fire
protection, and suffer greater losses per
capita through inferior building, lax
building requirements, and inefficient
FIRE departments, according TO heal rs
tate News, OF Chicago. in All interest
ing article on increased Destruction
by Fire" in the current issue. The
writer says:
That improved methods OF cOnstruc-
ton and more careful inspection of
building operations by public officials
are not keeping pace with the normal
growth OF Improvements is evident from
the amount OF ure losses in 1907 Ac-
cording to figures given By the Journal
of Commerce the hre losses for the
United states and Canada for the past
year aggregate S2l5.G1,z50 This inforIna-
ton is especially appalling in view Of
the fact that no serious confia grations
have occurred during the year. The
amount has been exceeded only twice in
the history of the country, IN 1904 and
1906, the years of the Baltimore and
san Francisco fires.
The IRE losses for the past ten years
have increased from Sis, $50, 500 in 1898 TO
S215, 671, 80 IN 1907.
Increase Is Great,
From these figures it may be seen
that. deducting S2S0, OO0, 600, the amount
of the san Francisco cOnIagraton,
from the figures for 1896, the losses for
1907 are 20 Der cent larger than the
normal losses for 1896; also that losses
bv IRE IN the United States and Canada
have increased 50 Per cent in the last
ten years.
The explanation giVene b. FIRE under
writers for this Increase is that the re-
rnarkable expansion Of building opera
lions during the past ten years has not
been met by a corresponding develop
ment of protection from FIRE. The cities
have failed rigidly to enforce their
building ordinances. and have. IN many
cases. allowed their fire department ser
vice to become Intellectual. Efforts have
haen made BY a specia; committee OF
the National Board of Underwriters 70
hiring about the adoption Of standard
building code, buc a still more acUVe
campaign must be waged during the
wear 1apS. if the increase IS to be check
cd.
Such a waste OF property is unheard
of in European nations, where buildings
are much more substantial and per-
nanent. and where the requirements
are rieidlv. enforced by the government
officials. IN this connection some inter-
astipg statistics are given by the Realty
Record and Builder, of St Louis.
Per Capita Loss Heavy.
According to its figures there are year
IN in forty-three cities Of Europe but
eirhty-six fires per 1909 people; in the
United States there are 4o5 per LOCO.
Our IRE loss, not including the cost of
FIRE departments. etc, is over s. per
capita; in Europe IL is less than 50 cents
ner capita. Washington. .. c., with
100000 inhabitants. lest year in its s4b
dres lost S2SS,74 and its fire depart
ment service for the year cost $t33.92
Berlin. a. city OF 200 COO people, had
during tho same period 2.O99 fires. but
lost only Si69. 205 and paid our for fire
department service $4,000. Rome. with
500 600 inhabitants. lost but $4,000 and its
fire department service cost only $50, 600.
In the United States our fire losses
for a year. plus the cost Of maintaining
fire departments, amount to almost as
much as the cost OF ali new buildi. =
erected in our most prosperous year.
We have yet to learn from European
countries how 10 build. how to protect
buildings already constructed, and how
TO enforce building requirements.