Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-12-14
AVERAGE OF S25O,0OO,OO0
DESTROYED EVERY YEAR
Head Of National Organization Points
Out Great Waste In United States
Annually In Address Before &c
ment Users Association At New
York-kmerieans Greatest Losers.
my Associated Press,


of the National Fire Protective Asso-
citation was described by w. IL. Mer-
riii. of Chicago. president of the or
ganization, In an address delivered
tonight before the National Associa'
ton OF Cement Users at It's seventh
annual convention Ia Madison Square
Garden. The National Fire Protec-
ticn Association" said MIR. Merrill.
stands for conservation of the Great.
ed resources of America" He gave
figures to show the enormous annual
fire losses in the United States ana
told how the association was educat-
ing the public to prevent these
losses.
Affects Material Welfare.
I'VE believe tina: the fire waste Is
of great Importance" he said, "as ar
fecting the material welfare of the
nation az whole and Is OF direct
obligatory and pecuniary interest 20
each ona OF US having families to
protect and property TO preserve FOR
our famiiy's use. Each loss by hre
IL drain upon the material re-
sources OF the country. irrecoverabie
through the collection OF Insurance..
Average Loss by Fire.
.The average annual loss by fire in
the United States in the past ten
wears has been over two hundred nil
lion dollars, and during the past i've
years has averaged over TWO hundred
and fifty million dollars. An average
loss for the last FIVE years Of two
hundred and fifty millions means a
loss of about thirty thousand dollars
for each hour One thousand two
hundred and sixty million ol dollars
in the products OF human toll has
been wiped out OF existence In the
brief space of FIVE years. The values
ronresented by the fire waste would
more than pay the stock dividends
of all railroads. II exceeds the rev
snne If the national postofiice; II Is
greater thaD the production OF goid
or silver
Americans Greatest Losers.
~The annual number of fires in
American cities average forty Tor
each zen thousand of population, az
compared to eight of each ten thou-
sand In European cities. The annual
per capita loss in Australia. Denmark.
France. Germany. Italy and Switzer-
land varies from IL cents In Italy to
~ cents In Germany, with an aver
age of SO cents; In the United states
the average is $2.I7. Berlin has a
population OF three million. Its aver
age annual fire loss Is one hundred
and Serenity thousand dollars. Chica-
go. with It's population OF two nil
lion. burns up annually nearly 1--WE
million dollars of values. We de
sfroy more property by FIRE than Do
any four nations in Europe.
Effor. to Reduce Waste.
THE National Fire Protection As
sociafion has been steadily engaged
in an effort 10 reduce. IN some meas
ure. this enormous and jisproportiou
ate waste. Through our active mem
hers. the National Board Of Fire Un-
derwrifers. model building code mas
been prepared and freely distributed
TO officers OF all municipalities who
could he interested. Through the
same organization expert Ere pro;ec-
ton engineers visit al Of the prin-
cipai cities Of rhe country and make
extensive reports on the ccnhagration
conditions. In our own organization
We have appointed a large number OF
committee. each one OF which has
perfected niod.i specifications In vari-
Gus branches CT IRE protection engi-
neering and in the field covered by
FIRE prevention
Fire ocors ana Win5e~s.
Another publication covers specr
Realtors for automatic sprinkler m
staIlationS. outlining a detail the
methods to be followed in equippias
buiidin<s with the most useful and
successful exfinguishinx agent Pub
lications Of a similar character which
have been distributed IN <ditioas 81
many thousands and which are freely
used by property owners. architects
I'M urance boards. and others interest
ed. include specifications for the con-
ssrucfion and installation Of FIRE doors
ard Gre windows. hse shutters. cleo
frical signalling xystenns affecting the
Gre hazard valves aud hydranit. hose
SUGGESTIONS for organizing private
Gre departments. aad various forms
Of building construction. Specihcs-
ticns for safeErardine hazardous az
planes and systems coming under
/ the general head Of explosives and
cor husfibies have been isssed inciud-
ing flms o. moving picture machines.
systems for storing fluids WHICH 81
ordinary Temperatures give % imam.