Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-10-02
A Proclamation.

The immense and steadily increasing
fire losses in our state and nation are
and should be the only argument
necessary to stimulate our people to
an active campaign 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 /, 1911, paid to
their policy holders and for expenses
$516,5 $50, and for the year ending
August 1, 1912, these same five
companies paid for the same pur-
poses $537, 632, showing an increase
of over $4,000 in these mutual COM
panies alone. Add to the above the
losses sustained by the stock compan-
les in Vermont and the aggregate loss
will largely exceed one million of dol
lars annually in Vermont. The ag-
gregate loss of property in our coun-
try for the year of 1911 was in excess
of SIT, 900, 900, over So, 0O0 900 in ex-
cess of the fire losses of 1910, and, in
addition in 1910 nearly $50 persons died
In buildings destroyed by fire and near
ly 1920 lost their lives as the result of
burns, and when it is estimated that
many of these lives and fully $3.50, 0OO,-
carelessness and should have been pre-
vented, this subject should appeal to
US as one surely of great Importance
The social as we'll as the economic
welfare of our people is ever improved
through educational methods and thus
it has seemed advisable to call the at
tention of the citizens of our state to
those conditions which are permitting
this immense loss and urge them to
carefully consider those methods which
should surely prevent one-half of this
waste of life and property.
Believing that the welfare of Yer
mont so demands, |, John A. Mead,
governor, do hereby designate Wednes-
day, the 9th day of October, A. D.
1912, as Fire Prevention Day, and do
hereby call upon our people to devote
the day to inspecting their buildings
and premises, thoroughly removing all
unslghtly and cOmbustible material, to
carefully repairing and cleaning all
part Of their heating apparatus. All
SCOT and ashes should be removed, rem
dering the same safe for winter use.
Boards of education should personally
examine the institutions in their
charge. City and village authorities
should cooperate with them and with
the public generally in the adoption
and enforcement of such rules and reg
ulations 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 |
invite the public press to take an active
part in awakening the public to the
Importance of this movement and i'm
press upon every Individual a sense of
responsibility to his neighbOr and him
self, to the end that the loss of life
and property by fire may be reduced to
d minimum. Let US remember that
our per capita loss annually by fire in
Vermont is 81. Sc, twenty five per cent
higher than the average per capita loss
in the United States, nine times as
large as that of the average per capita
loss of the five leading nations Of
Europe
AS another has said, "America is
nation OF money makers Europe a
nation of money savers. America fig
ures that the most important thing is
to make a doIlar-Europe, that it is
equally important to save one.% Amer
lea REGARDS a IRE as misfortune and
one sympathizes with the man who has
had one-Europe regards fire as the
| result of crime, and they investigate
and if possible punish the man who is
guilty.
We figure that the insurance COM
pany restores the loss, they, that the
Insurance company indemnifes the
owner for loss which can never be
restored. Our supreme effort is to
extinguish fires, theirs to prevent
them. We are losing a 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 the great
seal of the state, this twenty-seventh
day of September, in the year of our
Lord one thousand nine hundred and
twelve, and of the independence of the
United States, the one hundred and
thirty-seven.
John A. Mead, Governor.
By the Governor:
Harvey R. Kingsley, Secretary of
Civil and Military Affairs.