Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-03

The American people are spending an av-
rage Of 81 .OOO,OoO,OO0 a year to construct
rev buildings. The annual loss by fire
Ind expense Of fire protection amounts TO
800 COO 600. In other words. we lose by fire
n two years as much as we gain by new
construction in one year This enormous
oss is shown by statistics gathered by
government agents and relates exclusively
20 buildings and their contents. II the for
,st fires were included the total loss would
5e very much greater.
The actual amount Of property destroyed
by fire in a year when there was no great
,onflaEration was over t2i5 10000. This rep
yesents a total and actual loss charged
N.gainst the resources OF the country, for
not one cent OF that sum can be saved. II
total loss and economic experts call n
haste" The money paid to owners OF
Burned buildings by insurance companies
does not restore a penny Of the value of
the property destroyed-it merely distrib-
utes the loss among ali persons who pay
premiums on fire insurance policies.
To this huge sum. which would be fully
$50 10000 II all fires we're reported. must
be added as a part Of the annual loss by
fire the expense Of fire protection. Prop
erty owners pay to the Insurance companies
annually $50 OO1 coo over and above the total
amount paid back to the people On settle
ment OF losses This sum Is forever lost
to the property owners. The maintenance
II fire departments in American cities
costs a total OF 10000 900 a year, and, ac-
rording to the United states geological
survey the annual cost OF water works
equipment chargeable to the account OF fire
protection add over SOS, 900 OOO. In addition
10 these public expenditures, most industrial
plants maintain private fire fighting ap-
paratus. factories are equipped with auto
matte sprnklers and the like, making an
annual charge Of over SlsOOOoOo.
Thus it is shown that in the United
States s25OOOo.OOO goes up every year
In smoke. while another $4,000, 900 Is spent
to prevent the flames taking even larger
toll OF our property. That the money spent
for fire protection is well invested IL
proved By the fact that cities suffer
comparatively less from fire than do rura
communities. At the same time the money
spent in this manner represents ar
economic loss to the property owners and
taxpayers who must foot the bills.
Taking into account only the actual LOST
Of property consumed by fire. It appears
that the annual fire waste amounts TO SIS
Tor each man. woman and child in thu
country. The annual per capita loss by
fire in the six principal countries o.
Europe is only 90 cents. American fir'
fighting apparatus is the best in the world
American firemen are quicker than any
others. and as brave as the bravest Ye
the tax on the resources OF the nation BY
fire loss is eight times as great in thi
United States as in Europe.
The reason for this alarming dlscrepanc!
is to be found not in the people but Il
the buildings. In Europe. buildings ar
constructed largely Of flre-proof materials
and under the strict supervision of officer
who compel the builder to take every possl
BILE precaution against fire In America
the majority of the buildings are con
structed Of wood, and even those built o
brick, store and iron prove often to b
fire-traps because of improper and care