The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-23

third OF the fire waste, while light
ming WAS the cause OF fire waste IN
the sum Of SsS.5i500. and incenSiary
motives h responsible for n Toste q
| S55,50S00, and Sl53.537.00 OF the fire
waste is from unknown causes.
| 1t is evident that had the proper
| precautions been taken at the proper
time the fire waste in this state
would have only been $l44 ,02S0O and
that almost one.half million Of dollars
Of property was destroyed through
acts of carelessness. directly or indl-
rectly. as the origin OF all fires come
from one OF three sources. incen-
diarism, lightning or carelessnoss.
While some may take issue with
me on the manner Of casslng the
causes of fire waste, yet their has
only been shown to be the three
classes of fire waste in tnls state.
since this office has been established,
and ! believe that everyone will al
nit, that had the necessary lrecau
ton been taken q the proper time all
fires could have been prevented, eX-
cept those fthe fire two named
CAUSES therefore have made the
third class carelcssness.
In reading the reports OF the
various State Fire Marshals / find
that the same three causes Of fires
apply in their states and the pro or |
tlonal loss of fire waste are equally /
rs great from the cause o! cIl. g.
ness, ii not greater in the stal,a I
than in ours. There can be Lu a., " !,
ment produced against the fact. that, !
the American people are extremely |
careless in the matter of handling
fire, matches and explosive materials. |
Our people must be educated in the
matter Of fire prevention. and it must
be done through the publicity of the
press. Very few of the people OF
this nation realize that between the
rising of the sun today and the rising
Of the sun tomorrow an immense for.
tune is wiped from the face OF the
aarth. which ca nneyer be replaced
Would you give a child match and
,ell him to go and burn your house?
IF course you would not do this, but
fou will build beautiful house and
hen place in II a detective flue or
illow your house to be wired by
Incompetent electricians, or possibly
,ut an iron stove pipe through a par
ition, ceiling or roof, which will
ooner or later cause the loss of the
louse. Which of the two would be
he worst evil? If you gave the child
he match and told him to set tte
louse on fire. you have been fore
but in the second instance
ou are placing all the occupants of
he house in danger, and doing so
without their knowledge and possibly
without any knowledge on your rart.
n either instance the fire will occur :
nd you are responsible The old !
aging that A pound of preventive !
$ worth pound Of cure holds good ,
n this case.
My dear reader, do you know that I
he American boy or girl is an imi- 3
ator? The boy or girl that watches d
he father, mother, sister or brother a
trike a match is sure 10 .mitate the
ne they have seen, and as soon as ]
Hc thllu cdil Stt Lle ildttit, ana nO
ne watching it, that child VIII 20
nto some dark corner or somewhere c
ut Of sight and build fire, which
yill result in property loss, If not the
oss of life. In this case who is the {
'erson responsible? Not a reader ,
yould say the child, but everyone !,
,ould point hter finger at the per !
on who placed the matches within
each Of the child and say, There is =
le guilty party" .
In closing | will say that Man is
laster OF fire SO long as he holds 1t
l his grasp, but release it and YOU
ave demon unconquered.
G. w. McKEEHEN. v