The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-22

FOR THE CAMPAIGN
Effort at Creating New Senti-
ment in North Dakota Is
Under Way
Jamestown. N. D.. Sept 22.-Work
Of the North Dakota Fire Prevention
association was formally launched In
this city with Commissioner Of lnsur-
ance Walter c. Taylor as the principal
speaker. He declared his department
to be heartily in favor of the move
ment. urged new laws and regulations
concerning fires, and otherwise point
ed out Ways and means that could be
adopted to reduce the fire waste IN
North Dakota. In part, he said:
81 shall not undertake to discuss
IRE insurance rates. rate making. IN
spection Of risks nor any OF those
technical questions which more es-
pecaally concern insurance companies
and their patrons. because there are
others here who r Infinitely better
nualfaed than ! am to handle those
subjects. But I do want to endorse
IN the most positive and unqualified
manner the North Dakota State Fire
Prevention association and the SPLEEN
did program to which 1t Is committed.
Is Greatest Problem.
Il believe that no greater economic
problem c%onfronts the nation today
than that Of finding ways and means
for bringing about q very substantial
reduction Of the enormous annual fire
waste In this country, and that 1t Is
the solemn and imperative duty of
every citizen to cooperate in the
movement having that object in view.
"The North Dakota State Fire Pre-
vention association, which was Or
ganized about q year ago. has entered
upon the task Of arousing public in
terest along these lines in this state.
shall not be surprised If the
pioneers in this field become discour-
aged at times, because in all human
experience there is nothing more re-
markable Or disconcertng than the
calm indifference Of the public toward
matters Of economy which effect 1t in
the most vital manner. Even the
most obviously virtuous and neces-
sary reforms move slowly. Mrs.
Browning must have had this thought
IN mind when she wrote: 1t takes a
soul to move q body. It takes a high
souled mar to move the massee-even
70 Q cleaner stye.'
"But, after all, It Is not strange
that there seems to be SO little gen.
sral interest in the subject of fire
prevention, because It has been only
within recent years that those who
had the facts before them and were
most directly concerned-I mean the
fire Insurance companies, the under
writer's and field men-commenced to
give the subject intelligent and seri.
Gus attention.
Use Str1kins Figures.
with the view, I suppose, Of break
ing down the wall Of public indif-
ference and Of driving home the les
Son sought to be conveyed, the
melancholy facts regarding the an
nual fire waste In this country are
presented in picturesque and striking
figures. Thus we are told that fires
In the United States cost $500 a min
ute; that the cost Of fires each year
IL equal to one-half the cost of all
the new buildings erected In a year;
that the annual fire waste and cost
Of fire prevention in the United States
amount to $450.000.000, or more than
the total American production Of gold
silver, copper and petroleum in q
year; that the annual per capita fire
waste in the United States is s2.51
while in Europe It Is only 80 cents;
that 1900 people are killed and 5000
injured annually as a result Of fire
It is said that the fire losses in the
United States in 1910 would pay the
total Understanding debt Of the
country in four years; would build
the Panama canal in two years; thai
they exceeded the total cost Of main.
tanning the army and navy of the
United States in the corresponding
year.
Proud Of the Wastei
someone has suggested that the
people Of this country are so bent
upon doing things on a big scale that
We are sven proud Of the fact that w
completely distance every other civil.
ICED nation in the magnitude of GU,
fire waste and the Incidental destruc.
ton Of human Life II this Is true
We have nothing on the Robinson
family, Of whom Col. Plummer, tn,
silver tongued orator of an earlier
day In this state, used to relate tina
n Of its members said, Yes, W,
have the seven-year itch, and weir
proud Of IT,
Dakota Loss Heavy.
How shall we In this state tackl
the problem Of reducing the annua
ire waste within our own borders
The first step. I think, should be IL
the direction Of stirring the publ
conscience to a realizing sense of tn
enormity Of this loss-which amount
ed to nc less than $4,000, 900 last yea
and to the fact that this tremendou
loss can be very materially reduces
by the exercise Of common prudenc
and the use of simple and easily &C
cessible means of fire prevent.
"The next step, in furtherance O
this effort to spread the gospel. i