The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-09-30
SHOULD PREVENT
Big FIRE WASTE
Continued from Page one.

tonllnutu from rage one.
their affairs and generally more eau
tious than we have yet become.
ut has been my observation that the
larse majority of fires arise from pre-
ventable causes. In fact every fire of
consequence is preventable
"The subject of fire prevention is
vastly more important than that of
fire fighting. when one confagration
has been checked or prevented you
have accomplished little. The chances
for repetition tomorrow are equally as
great.
Fireproof Not Fireproof.
IF we are to better conditions you
proof as II Is understood today. am
lslncere In the conviction that the gov
iernment should make 1t a heavily pun
ishable offense to apply the term to
anything but an absolutely fire-prooi
building.
There is but one principle to fire.
proof construction, be 1t either homes
hotels, office buildings, theaters. apart
ments, battleships, railway cars 81
whatever. To have fireproof buildings
architects and owners must throw
aside precedent and eliminate the use
of combustible and semi-combustible
materials in their construction.
IF | had my way about 1t ! would
not permit piece Of wood, even the
size of a lead pencil. to be used I'm the
construction or finish of any building
in the United States exceeding d
ground area of 25x5O feet or three stor-
les i'm height. If there was still an alb
solute necessity for it's use. If we could
find nothing TO replace II, IL would ther
be well to attempt to conceive o.
something better.
Opposes Wood Construction.
| Il am opposed to the use of Woo
I'm any form in fireproof buildings ant
the law ought not to permit its use
Wooden floors, wooden window-frames
doors and castings burn and help othe
things to burn; wooden trim and base
that is made of woot
burns and helps the fire to spread
Eliminate wood-remove the cause AM
you have precluded the possibility o
fires.
I'VE have no department of our gov
eminent devoted to the matter of fir
protection. Our laws on the subjec
are not specialized to completely cove
any particular building or business, al
though they could be made broa'
enough i'm their general application I
go great way toward partly solvin
the problem.
1T is my firm conviction that tn
UNITED States government should es
ltablsh q department, founded some
what on the lines of the pure food law
flor the purpose of establishing labo
lratories whose business 1t should be I
test and classify various material
used throughout the construction g
lhreproof buildings In order that TN
public may be provided with "a salts
factory and sane schedule of standard
Iof known safety and which shall be &C
cepted as such by all departments an
authorities i'm this country.
Protection of Lives.
"The laws necessary To make thes
conditions possible should be enacte
with the idea constantly I'm mind tina
the present so-cailed firoproof build
ings Is such only as far as its exterio
is concerned and that legislation
needed and demanded by the public
Insure adequate and proper protectio
to the lives of all persons who may b
called upon to congregate In all build
ings of public or semi-publlc nature
"The need Is not for ordinance re
Iouirements which will make the build
lings more effectually 'fireproof,' bu
Ienactments which will protect the In
! mates and contents of buildings b
: making It impossible for a fire ono
started to course virtually, unchecke
from room to room and floor To flot
of building whose walls are fire
!, lproof. In other words death-pro'
! land confiagration- proof constructio
/, Iare necessary requirements for ne
compulsory legislation for hrepro'
construction
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