The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-06
NEXT MONDAY FIRE
PREVENTION DAY
GOVERNOR MANN ISSUES PROCLA-
NATION GIVING PERTINENT
FACTS.
TERRIBLE FIRE LOSS
EDUCATION ALONG CONSERVING
PROPERTY OF PEOPLE ONE OF,
NEEDS OF THE DAY, SAYS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE.

Governor William Hodges Mann has
issued proclamation designating
Monday next, October 3. as Fire Pre-
vention Day. many other governors
having issued similar proclamations.
The terrible fire waste in the United
States, largely due to negligence ana
poor or careless construction, has
attracted the attention of the whole
world Our fire loss is manifold that
OF the countries of Europe. The
popular belief that IL a property is
covered by insurance nobody loses
when II burns, is one, of the most
fallacious ever conceived When value
goes up In smoke il reduces the ma
ttonal wealth just to that extent Ii
the property is not insured the loss
of course falls solely upon te owner.
Where 1t is insured the loss is born
by the insurance companies, who pay
out money collected from their policy
holders. On account of the large fire
loss insurance rates are exceedingly
high in America. They are paid
by the public along with the other
high cost of living figures and con-
Stitute an enormous and tnexCusable
burden.
October is the anniversary of the
great Chicago fire. 1t may very fit
tingly be observed by property owners
taking due precaution against con-
flagrations. The defective ilue. the
pile of trash. and the electric wire
with the insulation gnawed off are
potent causes Of disaster.
The Proclamation.
The governors proclamation reads
as follows;
Whereas. the National Fire Mar
shais Association has urged that
Law nefni,ar 141t hD l.
yersary of the Chicago fire. be OBJ
served as fire prevention day. and
as our losses by preventabie fires are
large, II is fitting and proper that
the day be observed In this Com
nenwealth.
Annually in these United States
property to the value of two hundred
aud fifty million dollars. is destroyed
by fire. In this Commonwealth alone
the annual loss to the people from
fire is over three million dollars.
Most OF this loss IL preventative
and much of 1t liz directly attributable
TO carelessness and neglect. Accord
ing IN information gathered by the
commissioner of insurance. of i,o.s
reported in Virginia in the last year.
nine hundred and seventy-tour, with
4 property loss estimated al about
$500. aoa. were due to the neglect OF
reasonable and simple precautions.
The education OF our people in
fire prevention IL the smrest method
of reducing the loss and Thereby or
conserving the property interests OF
our people. The removal 81 waste. In
speotfon 81 ehmneys and dues, regd-
far inspection OF electric lights by
competent men. systematic care of
lamps, stoves and open fires. having
on hand al all times and in convenient
places suitable apparatus FOR putting
out fires the establishment OF hre
drills, the inspection of fire appafa-
tns and the examination OF fire es-
capes, are means To this end.
Vow, therefore. /. William Hodges
Mann governor Of the Common
wealth. urge all good citizens TO on-
serve Monday. October =. f9iit a.
tire prevention day. and on that day
to observe all the precautions men
toned above. to inspect fire appara-
tus in factories and public buildings
and to have fire drills in all estab-
lishrnents l likewise urge the school
authorities of the several counties
and cities to have fire drills In the
schools under their jurisdiction on
that day and TO instruct the pupils IN
the prevention OF fires -~
Given under my hand and under
the lesser seal OF the COMMUNICABLE
at Richmond. this Attn day OF octo-
her in the year of our Lord, one
thousand nine hundred and eleven.
and In the one hundred and thirty
NTH year Of the Commonwealth.
CIVILIAN HODGES MANN.
Governor"
By the governor
secretaryNb oifrovtsG,n G
"B. O. JAMES,
..Secretary Of the Commonwealth,