The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-15
LECTURE GIVEN
At HIGH SCHOOL
Commissioner Gray Talks to the
High School Students on Causes
and Prevention Of
Fires.
LAW REQUIRES TALKS
Each High School In the state Must
Have Four Talks Each Year
on This Sub.
Ject.
LAW REQUIRES TALKS

AT the session Of the legislature.
passed resolution requiring the
boards of education of the High
schools in the state to arrange for a
series of four lectures, each year by
some one in a position to handle the
subject well on fires, their causes and
methods of prevention. IN accordance
to this law, the local board arranged
| for a lecture by Commissioner Thorn
as P. Gray who has charge Of the fire
department in this city and he deliv-
cred 1t this morning at the High
school assembly room.
Mr. Gray handled the subject in a
familiar way and received many con-
gratulations from his hearers. The
/ lecture, though brief, points out many
instances in the cause and prevention
of fires in the United States and
Europe.
Following is the complete lecture as
delivered by Mr.. Gray:
The subject assigned me, while not
at all an interesting OF inviting one
for young men and women. can, at
least, be said to be hot one, and It
Is a s1Sject which in later years may
prove OF much greater interest and
consequence to you than is apparent
now.
We Americans are the most am
bilious and thrifty of peoples and by
our efforts accumulate more property
than any other nation; and our care
lessness destroys many times more
than that of any of the European ma
tions. In our mad rush to accumulate
property. we neglect the essentials In
its construction, which SO often re-
} suits in its destruction Specialists on
the subject of fires have estimated
I that the loss by fire In the United
State annually is 100000 ant
that at least s15o.oOo,oo0 Of that los
was brought about by sheer negl
gence and carelessness. The sam
$ -eatistics show that the fire loss In al
s European countries combined dseJ
e not exceed $50, 100000, or one-fifth Q
If the loss sustained in our country. TIL
l. loss in the United States last yea
s. was 1881 per capita, while that In al
8 Europe combined was 33c per capita
In New York City the fire loss las
year was se,50o,a00. while that o
London was only 100000. Thes
If figures represent two things-fault.
D construction of our property and on
g cadelessness in the handing of fire
J. Germany has the least fire loss OF an
8 of the civilized countries and while
l. have not the figures at hand to shoy
C you how it compares with that of on
Y own or other countries, one Of tn
!. chief causes OF their low fire loss
d the fact that to have FIRE in Gel
many is a crime, while In our countr,
the person who has the misfortune @
being burned out gets the sympath
!, of his neighbors and friends and, OF
,r and sufficient funds raised to who'll,
or in part, renumerate him for tn
loss. In Germany, representative {
= the law comes around, takes the part
by the arm and says, Come down t
4 court" The position Of the Germa
authorities are that whenever I. by m
neglect permit my property to burn,
have placed hazard upon that of m
neighbors and possibly that of the e,
tire community in which I live,
= weather conditions are such as t
> spread the fire rapidly.
q Warfare Costs Money.
!, The fighting Of fire is warfare an
u one which costs our tax payers a goo
Y deal Of money and the community