The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-19
Celebrations Are Kept by City
Law Within Reasonable
Bounds.
PROTECT LIFE AND LIMB
Precautions Against Fires Are
Suggested in Use Of Christ
mas Trees.

With the Christmas season but six
days away, and preparations for It's
celebration going on apace, 1t Is well
to remind the children and their elders
that they may have all the JOY and
fun they desire and which the merry
Yuletide warrants, but within certain
regulations made for the benefit of life
and limb and to prevent that ever
present danger--fre. In the majority
of the greater cities the season an
nnally eXacts a toll of death and Sc
rious accident and it Is to lessen this
toll that laws and regulations are
passed.
Police regulations made in the in
tefest of the city arc that no fires
may be made in or near concrete gut
ter and curbng, nor on asphalt pave
ment which cracks under great heat
Nor may fires be made near churches
or hospitals or near residences where
people lie Ill Children may begin
celebrating Saturday night, and they
may continue on Monday, which Major
Werner believes preferable to sunday
on which Christmas Day falls this
year. That there Will be plenty of
bontires in every section of the city
Is attested by the fact that nearly
every ash barrel in the city has been
stolen and hidden away by the urchtns
for the fires they expect to build.
Size OF Crackers.
Dealers in firecrackers and firearms
are warned by Major Werner that
they may not sell firecraclers larger
than those listed as No. 3, and they
may not sell firearms of any descrip-
ton or toy pistols to children as the
danger of tetanus arising from powder
burns has been proven in every city
in the land. Dealers who violate this
law will be prosecuted and those
caught having pistols in their pos
session will also be hailed to court.
Small cannon also will not be per-
mitted.
Fire Chief w. II. Joynes has sub
mitted suggestions for the observance
of simple preventives against accident
for both public and private celebra-
lions. In all places where there are
to be public Christmas trees he II
station fireman with chemical ap-
paratus, and he requests that he be
notified OF all such places.
The precautionary measures against
fire suggested by him follow:
Don't leave an Illuminated tree I'M
watched.
Don't use fcstoons of tissue paper or
cotton batting on tree. mineral "oot
| is a perfect substitute. and VIII not
Don't use any ornaments made OF
celluloid
Don't permit draft OF air 20 s"aJ
| the branches of tree Whlie IL Is u
Don't put cotton beneath a tree 10
make the carpet look like snow-covered
ground. Use mineral wool asbestos.
| Don't remove thing from the Tree
until the candles on 1t are blown OUT.
For Public Safety.
| Schools and Churches-Sheet tin or
zinc should be placed under every
Christmas tree to eaten canuae W. W.
ought to be kept in the most cor
venient place for instant use. Exits
| should be marked with red lights and
| kept free and clear.
| Every Santa Claus costume OF nan
| mel or other quick burning material
| with its cotton batting trimmings anu
Its false beard and wig. shou!i ns
dipped in solution to MAKE Il nrcprooi
No gathering of children shonin o oe
against fire and panic has been taken
| by those in charge.
Private Homes-Ref the candles
on the Christmas tree are lighted ~
or basins or boilers are filled witt
needed in a great hurry. Use cottor
! batting sparingly, or, better still, no.
at all. Fire VIII dash over me SUI
face of this material AMI start us
/ blaze in less time than it takes 10 tell
II burns with great heat because every
| fibre carries a tube OF oxygen to sup
| port combustion. Have a Sood-siHee
/ rug handy. If the clothing of any on,
pefs on fire. do not attempt to beat out
! the flame with your hands. but wrai
the Victim in the rug and press Gowr
/ everywhere to smother the fire. "A sas
| flame will set fire to paper muslin ant
III
! stuff be eighteen or twenty inche:
| above the flames