The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1912-02-06
HOW TO PREVENT
CONGREGATIONS
Chief Day in Interview Tells Of
Chief Croker's Methods.

The new board OF engineers of the
Morristown fire department have
taken hold of the fire fighting phase
of Morristown's government with a
will. With one serious conflagration
and several that were threatening the
new chiefs we're at once put upon
their mettle and "made good" Chief
Wilbur F. Day, jr., has seen twenty
one years service as member or
Resolute Hook and Ladder company.
His fire fighting ability, perhaps, Is
inherited from his father who is
charter member of the hook and lad
der company and at the present time
its Oldest active member. Chief Day
has held many offices in the company
including those of assistant foreman
and foreman and for two years was
first assistant engineer of the de-
partment under Chief J. Fred Run
yon.
In First Assistant Chief Fred J.
Sharrette the department has another
experienced officer. AS member OF
Humane Engine company for fifteen
years he has assisted in fighting many
serious fires. He has served as fore
man, assistant foreman and other of
fices of his company faithfully and
we'll.
Second Assistant Chief Engineer
John H. Madigan rounds out trium-
virate of able executives. He is a
those boy" having been a member OF
Independent Hose company for eigh-
teen years. He has ran with the
old hose reel, with the horse drawn
chemical engine and is now chauffeur
ing occasionally the automobile chem
ical engine He has served the COM
pany as its foreman it's assistant fore
man and also as clerk
Alderman Frederick Horsefield,
chairman of the fire committee,
though he has not been a-firemen as
long as the members of the board o.
engineers, still has secured let OF
experience and has many IDEAS re-
garding the administration OF the de-
partment of value. He is q member
OF Resolute Hook and Ladder com
pany
Chief Day is much impressed with
the idea of preventing fires as well
as extinguishing them. He thinks
ee,s.s.,s,, ,.s... sss2f education would be
GOOD thing, to tdsss. Morristown
people to be more careful in handling
matches and other things liable 70
start fires.
.There are many things the people
of Morristown can do to aid the
cause of fire prevention" said Chief
Day the other day, Il would call at
tention to the importance of handling
matches, cigarettes. cigars and other
fire producers. These things are
doubtless the cause of many of our
fires. Easements should be kept
free of rubbish of all kinds. These
rubbish heaps are probably the great
est menace of apartment and tene-
ment houses.
~ am a great admirer of Edward
r. Croker, former chief of the New
York fire department. 1t is the be-
lief OF Mr.. Croker, who has given up
his work for the city to apply himself
to the greater task of educating the
people Of the United States how best
to prevent fires, with their attendant
loss of life and property, that the
average fire can be prevented Mr.
Croker has devoted thirty years to
scientific firefighting. and he un-
doubtedly is one of the best Quail
fled men in the country to discuss
the subject"
He says that carelessness, some-
times criminal carelessness, is the
cause of the average fire. Smoking
by employees and the careless dis
posal of waste are the most frequent
causes of fires in Industrial concerns.
A worker will often throw away
cigarette or cigar, walk away from
the place and think nothing more OF
the matter BY chance the cigarette
or cigar may ignite some inflammable
material and before the busy workers
notice it a good size blaze is in pro-
gress.
Lack of training in fire prevention
makes it difficult for the men in the
place to handle the fire before it gets
considerable headway Many dis
astrous fires could have been checked
by men properly trained
"Chief Croker has said.' went on
Chief Day, that if he had his way
not piece of wood, even the size OF
lead pencil, would be permitted to
be used in the construction or finish
of any building in the United States
exceeding ground area OF 25x50
feet or three stories in height II
there was still an absolute necessity
for its use. If it could not be replaced
with steel, as it has been in many
modern constructions, it would then
be we'll to attempt to conceive oi