The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-01
''SWAT The FIRES"
Congress VIII Be Held Wednes-
day to Discuss Prevention.
Men of Prominence. Are on the
List of Speakers.

A rigid investigation into the fire
waste in Kansas will be conducted in
Topeka next Wednesday, when a state
wide fire congress will be held. The
meeting is promised to be the biggest
ever attempted Several speakers of
Starring among the attractions. per-
haps, is eX-Chief Croker, of the
New York fire department, who
is known as a veteran fire fighter, and
who has now turned his attention to
fire prevention. He is scheduled to de-
liver an address that will prove of in
tense interest, not only to those who
are directly interested in the subject,
but to every man who owns property
that is subject to fire.
Other noted speakers, each a fire pre-
vention expert. include Fire Marshal
c. J. Doyle, of Illinois. and Superin-
tendent Doane, of the Utah insurance
department. who is said to be one of
the finest platform orators on the sub
ject of fire prevention in the country
Governor-eIect George H. Hodges is
slated for at least short address, and
several other speakers from various
parts of the state will be arranged for.
The congress will consist of three ses-
sions, one in the morning. one in the
afternoon and a third at night.
Statistics relating to the immense
fire waste in the state and nation will
be presented and the burning question
will be, how to decrease such loss.
1t is a we'll known fact that the fire
loss in this country is greater than in
any civilized country. Kansas is by no
means behind the average, being
rather ahead of the average in the loss
Der CAPITA The average loss for every
man, woman and child in the country
in a year is SEAS. In Kansas the an
nuaI per capita loss reaches $2.S6-
Ex-Chief Croker has been a promi-
nent figure nationally for a number of
years His life is full of thrilling IN
cidents, narrow escapes and Diooo
curdling scenes. He has seen tne
abomination of the crowded fire traps
called factories of New York, ana
where hundreds have lost their lives in
the space of a few minutes
They Pay the Price.
Emphasis will be laid upon the TACT
that every man, whether he owns pro-
nertv or not, helps to pay for the hre
waste The property owner pays the
nrice partly in increased cost of IN
surance and partly in increased FISK
to that part of this property or busl-
ness that never can be covered by IN
surance. The man who owns no pro-
perty pays his proportion in the in
creased cost of living, due to the fact
that, in some way, property destroyed
must be replaced.
The record of incendiarism in Kan
sas also will be related, and the record
bad enough. III several NdASe1S
cities fire after fire has been traced
to incendiarism. To each case there
was a heavy loss to property owners
besides the loss to insurance com
panies.
Commercial bodies in every part of
Kansas have been asked to cooperate
in making the congress a success.
Civic organizations of every kind have
been invited to help in the work. Fire
chiefs of the various cities and towns
of the state have been invited, and
clubs and other organizations will be
urged to take part. The meetings will
be for everybody, and light on the
subject of prevention of fires, simple
rules that will Obviate many danger
Gus situations that might require only
a half burned match or lighted cigar
stump to start into a disastrous blaze
are promised.
The congress will be held by the
kansas State Fire Prevention associa-
ton, which already has helped in the
fight against preventable fires. The
motive for the meeting is to give those
who want to know more about the
prevention of fires an opportunity to
learn, and to help spread the gospel
of the conservation of fire waste The
congress, from replies already receiv-
ed by the committee in charge, promi-
ses to be an immense success