Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-05
lowA's FIRE RECORD OF 1912
SHOWS 2,so1 sLAzEs, WITH
LOSS OF $4,s42,oo.
EXCESS OF LOSS OVER
INSURANCE s1,125,2s5
Fire Marshal Investigates 13s Sus.
pieious Fires and Secures Several
Convictions = Recommends General
Inspection and Special inspectors in
Larger Towns.
special TO Times Republican.

Special TO Times Republican.
day submitted TO the governor his sec
ond annual report on operations OF the
fire marshal department of the state.
Fires reported, 1912, We're 2.so1, in
volving property valued at sls..3,, 0S5,
resulting in s4.942. 600 loss.
OF the loss thus reported property to
the value OF sSS16,7l5 was covered by
insurance, leaving an excess Of loss
over insurance OF s1.l25.2S5. and in
volving S4S properties.
The state was spared from any large
contagration. The most destructive
fire reported was az Sioux City, Jan.
81. 1912. with loss OF s275.000.
There We're forty-two deaths report
ed TO the office which We're the direc,
result OF fires. OF these eighteen were
women and sixteen were children. In
the case of eighteen deaths reported
the careless use of gasolene or other
infammable oils was responsible.
Three hundred eighty-seven inspec-
tons of buildings and premises were
made in tifty-sx different cities ana
towns Of the state. resulting in the
issue of 100 clean I'D orders forty nine
repair orders. sixty four orders ol
change. ninety-nine orders to remove
buildings. ard thirty seven orders to
clean UP and repair, or a total OF 300
orders.
Suspicious Fires investigated.
One hundred .hirty-rine suspicious
fires We're investigated in forty-eignt
different counties Of the STATE. OF
prosecutions Instituted three resulted
in convictions and .ertences 10 the
peri,entia-y. one in d jail sentence,
one in a sentence 10 the boys indust-
rial school. four in sentences TO the
hospital for irebriates. and ten indlct-
ments are now pending.
Seventeen public addresses on fire
prevention were made in various cities
of the state.
Mr.. Roe recommends again tha'
every person required 10 make a re-
port on fires be compensated III snla!
amount for so doing and also that the
fire marshal be empowered to impose a
penalty for failure to report. Ihere
are over $500 persons in the state VINO
are given the duty OF making these re-
ports and necessarily a great many o:
the reports are incomplete or not MADE
ar all! The fire marshal states thai
the greatest trouble has been eSper'
! fenced in getting reports from the
| MAYORS OF the smaller cities.
The fire marshal department ISSUED
| bulletin on fire prevention, and proc
,amati and advice regarding hrt
prevention We're issued ~ the gov
ernor and himself.
Recommends General Inspection.
The requirements OF the office as &c
repairs and cleaning up have seneraLs
| been complied with where orders "eEs
issued. Nj. Roe advises that the value
! OF the work could be increased BY eX'
+! tending il 10 every city and town o
| the state. Owing TO limited force IN
! spection has been made only IN 'h'
! cities where there have been COM
plants or requests. The department
mas sought 10 induce appointment IL
every city Of city fire marshal, an'
quite a number Of cities have detailed
one or more men from the fire depart
r,ent to do periodical inspection.
"However," he says, L kno" OF n
c;-y in the state where the fremel
ar. too many in number. In most case
/ they are rather TOO few for the neeo
Of the city. and as these men mus
be ready night and day TO Tespon
10 calls when fire breaks out II Is III
Judgment that every city having
population Of 10000 Or over snout
have some one official, acting unde
the direction Of the fire department
who could give mis- entire time ana al
tention to looking after buildings an
building conditions. as the same ar
related TO fire hazards. making a spec
ialty of inspecting furnaces, heaAn
apparatus, chinneys. electric "lrin;
the storage and handling OF sasoien
and other inaanmable oils. and es
pecially the conditions in and aoot
business buildings and houses as
cleanliness.
Limit Erection Of Sky serapers.
He recommends prohibiting the ere'
ton Of any school building more ina
TWO stories high, or erection OF al
so.s., o- public hall EXCEPT Of nor
.