The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-10-19
State Fire Marshal Sends Let
ter to People Urging More
Careof Business Buildings
URGES BETTER CONSTRUCTION
State Official Gives List OF Rules
Which He Believes viii Greatly
Reduce the Fire Losses of the State
and Nation.

State Fire Marshal I. M. Purtell of
Madison is sending to the owners OF
every building in Kenosha used for
mercantile purposes letter uring bet
ter fire protection The letter follows:
Fire losses in the United States
amount to about $25o,OOo,ooo annually
$4,000 minute.
Under conditions as they are in Eu-
rope, the losses should be $9O,0o0,OO0
only.
This tremendous difference is due to
better building construction, less care
lessness and greater individual respon-
sibility in Europe.
1t is estimated that so per cent of
this appalling fire waste is due to care
lessness.
We find this especially true in case
of stove fires, and ask your merchants
to learn and practice the important les
sons of tidiness and carefulness.
Insurance moneys taken from the
pockets of others pay the merchant for
his merchandise, in part, never for in
terruption in business, loss of custom
ers, etc.; SO the honest merchant loses
by every fire. The dishonest one is a
criminal.
In the space of one bulletin we can
give only a few cautions for prevent
ing fires in stores and factories.
Buildings.
Use fire proof material, as far as
possible in constructing new store
buildings, especially the roof. Provide
and use fire doors and shutters to pro-
tect your store from possible fires in
the neighbofhood. In renting look for
such building. Your rent may be
higher, but your insurance will be less
and safety and security greater.
The other cautions we desire to give
are all embraced in the terms careful
ness and tidiness.
Never keep gasoline or napLtha ex-
cept in an underground tank. Keep
other oils in an outside fire proof build
ing, never in the main building, and
allow no filing of lamps or Of cans
by artificial light.
Destroy all oily waste and rags each
day. During the day keep them in a
standard metal waste can.
Allow no rubbish, papers or packing
material to accumulate in or about
your store. Keep these in fire proof
rooms or reccptacles.
Permit no ashes to be put in wooden
boxes or barrels or against walls of
buildings. Provide metal receptacle.
See that your electric wiring and fix
lures and all changes in the same are
approved by the city electrician.
Never use swinging gas brackets.
Do not permit paper, cotton or other
decorations on your electric light
globes, wires or fixtures. The use of
candles in decorating is also dangerous
Keep infiammable materials and decora-
lions away from stoves and stove pipes
ana steam pipes.
Do not hang drop cords over nails,
hooks or suspend them by wires or wrap
them around steam pipes.
Do not use or sell the parlor or
Snap head" match, Keep matches
in metal box, away from mice and
rats
Before starting the heavy winter
fires make sure that your heating plant
and chimney are in good repair and
clean. Have metal protection under
and at the back of the stove. Run
stove pipes direct to brick chimney.
never through ceilings or partitions.
The chimney should be built from the
foundation up, never rest on brackets.
Never permit rubbish fires near any
buildings. It is better that several
merchants Join in building safe
burner at safe and convenient place.
Wooden boxes and saw dust are dan
gerous cuspidors.
All windows, doors, stairways and
elevator shafts should be kept clear
from goods and materials of every kind.
Have chemical fire extinguishers on
every floor
Inspection.
Each merchant should inspect his
premises daily.
To enforce the lessons of carefulness
and tidiness the fire chief and his assis-
tants should make monthly inspections.
We prepared and sent to all cities an
ordinance providing for such inspec-
ton. Quite a number of cities have
adopted this ordinance or one similar.
If your city has not, it should do so.
We can supply additional copies of this
ordinance.
7. NJ Purtell,
State Fire Marshal.