El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-04-16

all fires were reported, must be added
as a part of the annual loss by fire the
expense of fire protection Property
owners pay to the insurance compan-
les annually $4,000 ,0ov over and above
the total amount paid back TO the peo-
pie in settlement Of losses This sum IS
forever lost to the property owners
The maintenance of fire departments
in American cities costs a total of $780,
100000 year, and according to the
United States geological survey the an
nual cost of waterworks equipment
char geable to the account of fire pro-
lection. adds over s2s,000,000. In adj
dition to these public expenditures,
most industrial plants maintain private
fire fighting apparatus, factories are
equipped with automatic sprinklers, and
the like. making an annual charge Of
over s1S,000,000
States a quarter of billion dollars goes
up every year in smoke, while an
other quarter of a billion is spent
to prevent the flames taking. even
larger toll of our property. That the
money spent for fire protection is well
invested is proved by the fact that
cities suffer comparatively less from
fire than do rural communities. At the
same time the money spent In this
manner represents an economic loss to
the property owners and taxpayers who
must foot the bills.
Per Capita Loss.
Taking into account the actual loss
of property consumed by fire it ap-
pears that the annual fire waste amounts
to s2.51 for each man. woman and child
in the country. The annual per capita
loss by fire in the six principal coun-
tries of Europe is only 33 cents.
American fire fighting apparatus is
the best in the world, American fire
men are quicker than any Others, and as
brave as the bravest- Yet the tax on
the resources of the nation by fire loss
is eight times as great in the United
States as in Europe.
The reason for this alarming dis
crepancy is to be found not in the peo-
pie. but in the buildings. In Europe,
buildings are constructed largely Of
fireproof materials, and under the
strict supervision of officers who compel
the builder to take every possible pre-
caution against fire. In America, the
majority of the buildings are constructed
of wood, and even those built of brick,
stone and iron prove often to be fire
traps because of improper and careless
construction. In one year the fire loss
in frame buildings was more than $146,-
100000 as compared to S6S,600,000 on
buildings of brick stone, ETC. The num-
Der of frame buildings burned was 130,-
900 as compared with SO, 600 buildings of
other materials.
Government Buildings.
The greatest single property owner
and builder in the country is the United
States government. The federal gov
eminent is the owner of buildings cost
ing more than $500. 900, 900. and 1t is
putting up new buildings to the cost
of S20,000,000 annually
The government carries no insurance
on its buildings, preferring to assume
its own risks. That this is a wise policy
is indicated by the fact that If the build
ings were insured, IT would cost $780,
600 year in premiums. The loss by
fire has amounted to less than $4,000
year for a quarter of century.
The reason for this apparent immunity
of government buildings from fire is
quite simple. The buildings are con-
structed with a view to making them
fireproof, and the vast majirity of them
are surrounded by open spaces, insulat-
ing them from ignition from nearby
buildings.
But the government IS not satisfied
and to this end the geological survey
maintains a laboratory for the purpose
of testing building materials. Its inyes-