Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-08
FIRE PROTECTION WORK
AT HOME AND ABROAD
Comparisons Cited by Mayor
Harrison of Chicago in
Recent Address.

| An interesting commentary on fire pro-
lection methods in the modern American
| city was offered recently by Mayor Car
| ter Fl. Harrison of Chicago in the course
of an address before the annual meeting
of the National Fire Protection Asso-
| citation. Mayor Harrison drew compari-
sons between Chicago and Berlin, and
also spoke of the gradual Improvement
| in building construction in American
cities as the best agency for reducing
| the ratio Of fire loss. In part the mayor
said:
~ comparison Is frequently made be-
tween Chicago and Berlin In the matter
| of losses by fire. The population of the
two cities being approximately the same.
| it is shown that the fire loss per capita
in Berlin is only 10 per cent that Of
Chicago, and the cost Of maintaining fire
departments is in about the same ratio.
Spe akers and writer's on this subject call
attention to the carelessness Of the
American people as compared with the
of ones neighbor evidenced in the prac-
tees and the laws Of the German capital.
Duty of Municipality.
Il believe 1t is the duty Of q munici-
pality to protect the lives and property
of its citizens against loss by fire. and
that this protection is quite as essential
as proper protection against contagious
diseases and similar menaces to the pub
lie health. Fire departments are MAIN
tanned for this purpose, building laws and
ordinances are enacted, fire limits are
prescribed, and in Chicago at the present
time we have in contemplation the es-
ta'blishment of a syecial bureau OF fire
prevention to deal with many phases of
this subject, which do not or cannot
come within the scope of the duties of
present municipal officers.
AT the same time 1 wish to point out
what believe to be the underlying cause
for the disproportionate losses by fire in
American cities. No one has q greater
admiration than I have for the thrift of
the German people or the orderliness OF
German municipalities but we must not
lose sight of the fact that the average
European city was not built in seventy
five years. Chicago. which has grown to its
present size in this comparatively short
period. could not possibly have attained
its present size and Importance as a city
IL it from the outset had attempted to
follow those precautions which we at the
present time recognize as necessary.
Pay Heavy Tax.
1T is indeed heavy tax that we pay
for rebuilding our cities through loss by
fire. and il is to be hoped that modern
building construction and methods are
sufficiently stable so that future improve
ments will take place through other
agencies. AS a means to this end, It
should be the aim of every municipal off,
Ger to increase the efficiency of his citys
fire defense. The separate high-pressure
fire service system of water supply has
been adopted more or less completely by
a number OF cities, and in Chicago we are
endeavoring to put this movement for
ward in connection with our subway and
other problems of underground construc-
ton. We have a new, and what we be-
Ieve to be comprehensive, building
code. in a proper enforcement of which
We are determined to proceed. The en-
forcement of adequate building regula-
tons and the equipment of premises with
first laid appliances is essential in con-
nection with all large establishments.
and particularly in those places where
large numbers of people congregate.