Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-03
FIRE PREVENTION
DAY IN VERMONT
Governor Mead in Proclamation
Names Wednesday, October
8. As the Date.

Rutland, Sept Ex-Governor John A.
Mead has designated Wednesday, October
10, as Fire Prevention day in the follow
ing proclamation:
The immense and steadily incrca sing
fire losses in our state and nation are and
should be the only argument necessary
to stimulate our people to an active cam
paign to eliminate or largely reduce this
burdensome and total waste of life and
property.
The five mutual fire insurance COM
panies of our state alone during the
year ending August 1. 1911, paid to their
policyholders and for expenses sJ16.5So and
for the year ending August I. 1912, these
same five companies paid for the same
purposes 1881, $50, showing an increase of
over s2l, 600 in these mutual companies
alone. Add to the above the losses sus-
tanned by the stock companies in Yer
mont and the aggregate loss will large
~ exceed one million of dollars annually
in Vermont
The aggregate loss of property in our
country for the year of 1911 was in ex-
cess OF s2l7 OOo, 600, over $1,000 oo in excess
of the fire losses of 1910, and, in addition,
in 1910 nearly $50 persons died in buildings
their lives as the result of burns, and
when 1t is estimated that many of these
lives and fully $50 100000 of this loss of
property is due to carelessness and should
have been prevented, this subject should
appeal to us as one surely of great i'm
portance.
The social as well as the economic
welfare of our people Is ever improved
l. IA
has seemed advisable to call the attention
of the citizens Of our State to those con-
| ditions which are permitting this immense
loss and urge them to carefully consider
those methods which should surely pre-
! vent one-half of this waste of life and
property.
Believing that the welfare of Vermont
so demands, |, John A. Mead, Governor,
do hereby designate Wednesday, the 9th
day of October, A. ID. 1912. as Fire Pre-
vention day, and do hereby cal, upon our
people to devote the day to inspecting
their buildings and premises, thoroughly
removing all unsightly and COM
| bustible material to carefully re-
pairing and cleaning all parts of their
heating apparatus. All SCOT and ashes
should be removed. rendering the same
safe for winter use. Boards of educa-
| ton should personally examine the insu-
tutions in their charge. City and village
| authorities should cooperate with them
| and with the public generally in the adop-
ton and enforcement of such rules and
regulations as will prevent this enormous
and constant drain upon the resources of
our State. The superintendent and
teachers Of our schools should carefully
consider this eminent danger. Fire drills
| should be had regularly and every means
of safety provided I invite the public
! press to take an active part in awakening
| the public to the importance of this
| movement and impress upon every indi-
vidual a sense OF responsibility to his
neichbor and himself. to the end that the
loss of life and property by fire may he
! reduced to a minimum
Let us remember that our PEI capita
loss annually by fire in Vermont is 1885,
twenty-five per cent. higher than the
average per capita loss in the United
States nine times large as that of
| the average per capita loss of the i've
| leadins nations of Europe.
rs another has said. america is a
nation of money makers Europe a ma
| ton OF money SdNtlS. ItHiciitd ilSuiN'
that the most important thing is to make
a dollar; Europe that 1t is equally i'm
portant to save one.
America regards fire as misfor-
tune and one sympathizes with the man
who has had one; Europe regards fire
as the result of crime. and they in
vestigate and If possible punish the man
who Is guilty
| I'VE figure that the insurance COM
pany restores the loss; they that the
insurance company indemfes the owner
| for loss, which can never be restored
Our supreme effort Is to eXtinguish
fires; theirs to prevent them
I'VE are losing fortune every day
they are saving one"
| Should we not then endeavor to profit
! by their example. the result of two
thousand years of experience.
| Given under my hand and thu
| great seal of the State. thi
| twenty seventh day of Septem
| Der, in the year Of our Lord
one thousand nine hundred ant
twelve. and of the independence
of the United States, the on
| hundred and thirty-seven.
| JOHN A. MEAD, Governor.
| BY the governor: Harvey r. Kingsley
Secretary Of Civil and Military Affairs
|