The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-26
SECURE MACHINE ID
 D|S|NFECT MONEY
First National Bank Takes Precaution Against
 Money Germs"

| A machine for the disnfection of all | money deposited there has been installed l by the First National bank of Brming- | ham. The little instrument throws out formaldehyde in vapor which permeates all money which is in the vaults at the
 time. Every evening, when the money for the day has been taken in, the dis 1 infeeting machine is locked up in the vaults with the money The cleansing process begins with that and when the money is taken out the following morn ing it is absolutely free of all germs. The instrument Is operated at cost of about g per month. The sole rights to the machine is owned by bank in Bos- ton. which has been operating the ma chine about go days. The instrument proved to be so valuable that the Boston bank permitted it's various correspond ents to secure one. The First National is the only bank in Birmingham having a right to use the machine, II Is said. The money passed over the counters of this bank is absolutely clean and free of germ life and those who may have held in the past some fear of ''tainteds | money may rest at east so far as the
 First National is concerned.
 ~~~~~-~~~~--~o-~-~~~ could not be located to ascertain the amount of insurance on the house.
 John lowers, 47l6 Eleventh avenue, brick house; total damage, $500; no insurance on contents. II. M. Robinson, owner of the house. could not be located to ascer- tain amount of insurance on house.
 Partly Damaged District
 The following houses in, the entire dis trict were partly damaged: John E. Ellis. S75; NJ C. White, $50; Ralph Goodgame, $50; $. P. Ray, $10 w. L. Deal $2O J. l.. Cummings, $40; A. J. Hucks, $l0; vacant house, $1O0 J. NJ. Wood, Sl0; J. s. Ken driclS, $50; J. II. Trice, $l5. There were others which were possibly damaged as much as these, but the occupants of the houses could not be found owing to the extreme state of excitement in the dis
 trict. Secretary Albertson stated last night that it was with the greatest diff culty that he secured as many figures on. the fire as he did. Of course, the figures quoted are estimates, but they are made by those who are experienced and are regarded as conservative.
 Prior to the breaking out of this fire negro house at Tenth avenue and Forty sixth street caught fire and was totally destroyed. While the firemen were busy On this house, the falling sparks from the fire went two blocks and set fire to two other negro houses, but these latter two were extingushed without any loss.
 Furniture Lost
 The occupants of several houses suf- fered the loss of their furniture, while their houses were not damaged in the least. Because of the close proximity os the houses which they were occupying to the fire they thought that they were sure ly doomed and began getting their things out. While they were i'll the streets and nearby vacant lots the falling sparks set fire to them and burned them up before drop of water could be gotten to them. Several women were burned on the hands and face in their frantic efforts to save some treasure from their homes and were taken to other houses by sym rathizing -neighbors. A man named Phil lips suffered the injury of a broken arm.
 He was taken to his home, where his arm was dressed. Chief Bennett was bitter in his denun- ciation Of the wooden shiDgle.
 That is the .uDshot of the entire fire.
 said the chief while at the scene of the fire yesterday. "Of course, the wind had q whole lot to do with spreading the
 
 were dry and like finder caught up as tis- sue paper when a spark fell on them. I am certain that if metal shingles had been in use in this district we would have confined the fire to the house where it started
 Fault of Wooden Shingles
 But to Battle successfully against both high wind and wooden shingles requires something stlperhuman, and the fire de- partment is not that I am sorry that the loss was so great. l regret a fire loss of this kind more than I do of almost any other that can come up in the city, be- cause the loss incurred in almost every Instance represents the efforts of life- time Many of these people who are now homeless on account of this fire have probably avcd for years in order to own their own homes; they have paved for them on the instalment plan at d high rate of interest and have arrived at a dear ambition by dint of the hardest kind of work Then to see such efforts go up in a puff or two of smoxe is indeed heartrendng.
 =; want especial attention paid to the slIinge roofing proposition. however, and let others profit by this fire. If more metal roofs are put on in Birmingham feel safe to say that there will be less fires than ever before and certainly fires of this character will be reduced to a minimum"
 Exum Comments
 Commissioner Culpepper ExuIn. who also paid a visit to the fire. said last night: '.i was greatly impressed at the fire