The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-05-07
TIE ANNUAL FIRE Loss.

Tx ANNUAL TINE GSSS'
How the losses from fire in the
United States compare in amount
with the country's mineral production
is shown in an article by Herbert M.
Wilson, of the U. S. Geological Survey,
in the Engineering News. He gives
figures to illustrate the Understanding
of the property that is simply wiped
out-a dead loss-every year. .| 7
"The building operations of Nthe
leading cities in the United States,
says Mr.. Wilson, amounted to nearly
$3.50, 100000 in 1906. Against this the
cost of fire to the country (including
not only property destroyed, but main
tenance Of ere departments, payment
Of insurance premiums, so9called cur
alive agencies, and other Incidentally
amounted to over 100000, 900, or over
so per cent of the value of the total
new building production.
This fire tax exceeds the total
annual value of gold, silver and coal
production. The annual fire loss in
the United States is, according to- the
National Board of Fire Underwriters,
$2.47 per capita, while the average an
nuat loss in six large European coun-
tries is only $O33 per capita, or one
eighth that of the United States. In
addition to the loss of property, there
have been destroyed in this country
by fire 5000 human lives in one years
time. -. ''''
Undoubtedly the greater part OF
this immense waste in money and
lives could be prevented by proper
construction of houses, factories and
business buildings. Such construc-
ton would not only cost little more
than the prevalent combustible build.
ings in the first place, but also would
result in real economy in the long
run. - a. %'.t
In order to reduce the fire loss, the
government has undertaken extern.
sive Investigations into the various
structural materials. Laboratories
have been established at st, Louis,
Norfolk, Chicago, New York, and 9th
err cities, At the one laboratory in
st. Louis 52,531 separate tests of ma
terials have been made, in addition to
10000 chemical analyses.
Clay products play more and more
important part in building operations
every year, and they are made the sub
ject of especial study by the govern
mGnt's experts. These products were
valued at $16O,0OO,OOO in 1906. The
use of hollow terra Gotta in large fire,
proof buildings in the cities has ere
ated a new field which is being ex,
tended rapidly. Millions of square
feet of this material are used in New
York alone every year, for floors and
partitions OF "skyscrapers."' Invest
gators have found that the supply OF
raw materials for clay products is
practically unlimited. The supply OF
iron ore, on the other hand, will be
exhausted within 200 years if con
sumption increases in the same ratio
as for the last 20 years. That
The American Ceramic Society ap
pointed a special committee last yeaI
to report upon a scheme for system
atizing the study of clay. products
This committee urged the United
its Investigations into the kinds OF
clay of which bricks and terra Gotta
are made. The government alone, the
committee said, could carry out the
tests properly. since the states or in
dividuals would confine themselves to
special rather than general needs.
Investigations into the matter OF
clay distribution" says Mr.. Wilson
and into the properties of clay, car
ried on along broad lines, as are the
el, and broken stone which enter into
concrete, would furnish information OF
the highest economic value to the
people of the country" sF 81
In the last two or three years the
movement for better building con
'struction has gained considerable
Roadway in the United States. The
Society of Building Inspectors and
Commissioners and the National; Fire
Protective Association are two bodies
which have undertaken to impress up
on the country the economic adyan-
tage of fireproof buildings. They
have also drafted model building
codes for submission to cities and
towns.
Figures gathered from time to time
show that wood is being supplanted
by incombustible materials. Partial
explanation OF this lies in the rising
price of lumber; every year the DIFF
ference in the original cost OF a fire.
proof and a non-fireproof house grows
less. The use OF terra Gotta for pri,
vate houses. in walls. floors and par
titions. Is case In point Last year
the New York City Building Depart.