Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-29

TO put up the kind of house that Will, in all
probability, burn down, ne is allowed to
exercise bis preference in this, just as he is
in the color of the paint with which he
covers it,
The business man, when 1t comes to
buying a lot. has the title examined, and
investigates as to the price Of contiguous
property, what the increase has been, etc.
But when It comes to putting building
on that lot. his caution seems to disap-
pear. He may be persuaded into consider
able expenditure for ornamental gewgaws
and costly ornament, but to the vitals,
the essentials Of construction, the building
regulations and tho insurance rates are
the two controlling influences. and be-
yond them he rarely goes. In this no is
generally aided and abetted by his archi-
tect, who, in seven cases out Of ten, for
some inexplicable reason. cares little and
knows less about fireproof construction.
In Europe there is very potent meas
ure for preventing fires and for emphasiz-
ing the responsibility resting upon every
member Of the community in regard to
fire-preventon. l refer TO the "neighbor-
hood liability enactment that in those
other countries furnishes such steady,
though SILENT pressure in the direction Of
care in the construction and use of build
inEs" Under this law, every one is liable
10 his neighbors for damage caused them
by fire that extends beyond his own prem
ises and that is brought about by his own
carelessness or neglect True, in those
continental countries the regular insurance
policies include this neighborhood liability
risk. Notwithstanding that insurance the
law Is tremendously beneficial in its re-
suits. Its adoption here would be of in
calculable advantage to us. 1t is only
when society makes the individual re-
sponsible for preventing fires, Just as it
makes him responsible for keeping the
peace, that there is any such thing as
systematic flre-policing.
What little progress we have made In
America toward incombustibility in our
buildings has been very largely a personal
one. 1t would seem that sane business
man would realize that it was to his own
ultimate advantage to build safely. But
such progress is lamentably slow. Only
7-l0O of l per cent Of our buildings to-
day are even tentatively fairly well built.
1t must be recognized that the average
Individual will only build as well he is
compelled to. The municipality, duly con-
stituted authority, will have to insist that
incombustible buildings only must be con-
structed. 1t is quite immaterial to the
taxpayers If an individual elects to let
his building be destroyed by fire, but it is
of very real interest to the public that
the property of other people shall not be
destroyed at the same time. This once
comprehended, it is easy to see that the
real responsibility rests on the public and
not on the individual. We are forced to
realize that there is eminent propriety in
the severest kind OF legislation for con-
trolling and preventing contagious dis
eases, which may spread from the un-
clean or ignorant individual who originates
them to the community at large. Just as
no legislation that aims at the prevention
Of contagious diseases is now considered
too grinding and uncomfortable. SO will II
ultimately be recognized that no regula.
ton is too stringent that can do anything
toward the prevention OF a conflagration
the most contagious and ruinous of mu.
nicipal ills"
Y Some states and communities have ex
pressed a doubt as to their powers OF
rights to regulate building in all its
minutiae. 1t is a police power; and &C
cording to the very highest authorities
the police power, together with the power
Oh ldAdllOH anu VI SHlluGHI uOndin,
the three great powers OF government
The last two have special regard to tn,
state as an organized entity and are ex
ercised for the benefit of the corpora
ton. 1t is only incidentally that the in
dividual is benefited by the exercise O
either power. Police power, on the con
trary, is exercised for the direct benefi
OF the individual, and it is only Incl
NnIx he
entity, is benefited. 1t cares for the life
the health, the safety, the morals of tn
community. Safe and proper building ma
terially affects each one OF these things
and 1 venture to assert that no enactmen
looking to the prevention OF fire win eve
be set aside by the highest court Of ap
peals in the land.
Our larger cities are coming to realiz
the necessity OF strict building regulations
little by little. but in most of the smaIle
towns people build as they please an
what they please, With us the village G
today is the town OF tomorrow and IN
city OF few years hence. Think of tn
heritage Of combustible buildings that W
are leaving posterity. Why. in 1907, a yea
OF great progress, u per cent and over c
all the buildings we built in cities an
towns of over $1,000 people. were of woo
construction. In Greater New York itsel
1876 per cent OF the buildings WEI
wooden. though. fortunately, nothin
wooden can hereafter be built In the boz
ough OF Manhattan.
One would think that after such a tel
Eible lesson as the San Franciscans r,
ceived, they. at least II not the entil
country, would be so thoroughly weane
from the combustible that great thinl
might be expected OF them in the recol
struction OF their buildings. But the thra
OF the allegedly cheap il stu upc
them To date. they have expended Slll
100000 in rebuilding and repairing ov,
5000 buildings were destroyed by fire, ar
they have rebuilt nearly 1900, but Of tn
number only sixty-seven are OF Glass A
or first-class construction. and there a
1910 frame buildings, representing an &
vestmsnt OF SfisoO.OO0 In more fuel 4
future firesl Baltimore has done but lit
better In her upbuidinE. and Toronto n
as well as either. So that. morally CO
sidered. We may say that the influence
great conflagratons is practically waste
no far as the community is concerned.
1t resolves itself. therefore, very large
into what the intelligent individual can
for the preservation OF his own life al
prOperty-for the present MT apv rat