Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-12

ment has responded to III alarms, |
60 per cent of which were caused by !
negligence. The property loss during
the last fiscal year was less than
$4,000 and the greatest loss was es-
timated at $4,000. The chief stated
that 10 minutes work each morning
would remove hundreds of chances for
fires to originate. Fully 80 per cent
of the fires in the city originate from
defective chimneys. Rubbish, such as
straw, excelsior, old papers, boxes and
numerous other things cause the larg-
est number of fires in Rock Island.
Gasoline and kerosene play an i'm
portant part while parlor matches and
cigaret stubs are not far in the rear.
The chief was asked by Mr.. Van De-
venter if he could not arrange to have
his men act as inspectors as is the
custom in Galesburg. He replied that
the present force of the Rock Island
| fire department is not large enough
to allow the men to leave the station
! for any length of time. The force of
paid men is now 10, including the chief
and with several men enjoying their
off days and away on furloughs, he
did not believe that the system could
be carried out in this city.
FIRE LOSS GREAT.
Earnest Palmer, assistant general
counsel for the national board of fire
underwriters, was introduced and his
talk proved to be the most interesting
of the evening He stated that the
fire loss on old mother earth is SO
great that he believed the inhabi-
tants of Mars had the planet slated
as another comet because of the trail
of sparks it left in the air as 1t travel
ed in its orbit. Mr.. Palmer told of
the old days when the insurance COM
panies owned the fire departments. At
that time when an alarm Of fire was
sounded the insurance companies sent
their apparatus TO the scene of the con
fiagration, and If they were protecting
their burning buildings they would en-
deavOr TO extinguish the blaze If not,
however, they would sit down and
gleefully watch il burn. At the pres
ent time the nation is spending mil
. lions of dollars annually for improved
fire apparatus while practically moth
: ing is being spent to prevent the dis
. astrous Losses from occurring. Chi
cago alone spends s3,0O0,OOO annually
5 for the upkeep OF its fire department.
= while Berlin. Germany, a city equally
as large, expends only ole-ten;h the
amount In the United States and Can
ada last year the total fire loss was
= 1925, zoe. 600. New York alone was the
scene of 1858 fires, while London
| England, a city twice as large. haC
only 1000 blazes. The daily loss
t caused by fires in the United States
: is 100000. In 80 cities in the United
T States the annual fire loss last veal
S was over $500 per capita. Illinois
e contributed three cities 10 the list
/ Moline. Belleville and Rockford. The
2 fire loss per capita in Europe is 8;
S cents, while in this country il is $500
per capita
HIGH COST OF LIVING.
Great fires" said Mr. Palmer, "adC
materially TO the Ligh cost of living
People little realize that when a larg,
d store is consumed by the flames tina
q thousands of dollars worth of merchan
5 disc is ruined and must be replaces
Il through human effort This happen
l. daily and thus il is easy to see hoy
: the manufacturing plants are taxed I
- their capacity all the time, replacin
great quantities of merchandise tina
was consumed before it was dispose
of TO the public for use" The loss Pc
capita in Rock Island is So cents.
In rs out of the As states Of III
I country the state fire marshal law
now in effect. While all OF the stale
N are making an effort TO curtail thei
y annual losses. it cannot be done VI
n less ale owners OF buildings assist I
% the work. The laws relative to tn
= prevention OF fires are not observed a
j. they should be and until they are oil
x served the people OF the United State
e will not enjoy a reduced rate OF insul
~ snce.
Z In concluding Mr. Palmer state
- that he hoped the building owners {
e. Rock Island would profit by the NEE