The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-25
MAYOR W|ll PROCLAIM
FIRE PREVENTION DAY
Calls on CHouseholders to Remove
Rpbbish From Stores and
Furnace Rooms.
FROST BRINGS FIRE EPIDEMIC
Assistant Chief Ratio, OF Fire De-
partment.. Prepares Bulletin of
s'Don'ts'' for Guidance of House
keepers-CIty Departments to Aid.

Following the practice of many of
the larger cities OF the country, May
or Ainslie will in the next few days
issue n proclamation designating a
Fire Protection Day" upon which all
househoiders will be urged to begin
the winter right by removing from
their homes all rubbish and unneces-
saFy tombustihies that might tend to
increase the fire hazard.
The. weeks Immediately preceding
cold weather have always been re-
garded with uncasiness by the Fire
DEPARTMENT The records OF tho de-
paftmont show an almost invaria BILE
endemic of Ares during this season Of
every, year. traceahle in large part to
the caFelessness with which the aver
ate housholdess goes about the task
of cleaning the furnace and starting
the Gre for cold weather.
FURNACE-ROoM OFTEN
ASYLUM For RUBBISH
In numberless homes the furnace
room Is tho asylum Of accumulated
summer rubbish, much of 1t highly in
fsmmable. Heating pipes have. dur
ing the summer, become coated with
cofnpustible deposits, and tlreplaces
crammsd with paper. rags and other
combpstibles
The object Of proclaiming Fire
Prevention Day Is to direct attention
w rftHo HdL0fp WHICH iuTh6 III lH6S6
summer denominations and to encour-
age q united house-cleaning through
out the city. Such ca cleanup cam.
paign, II tn roughly carried out, the
authorities believe, will materially re-
dpep the lumber Of fires that the de-
PARTNER be called upon to combat
upon the arrival of cold weather.
Mayor Ainslie held a consultation on
this subject yesterday with First AS
sissant Chief John F. Raffo, of the
Firo Department., who gave the plan
his strongest Endorsement. New York,
Boston and other cities, he said. have
declared fire prevention days, and have
experienced gratifying results It will
be. the first fire protection day in Rich
mond's history.
FIRE Loss FOR 1913
ABNORMALLY Low
ut is worth noticing in this connec-
tiolL" said Mayor Ainslie, yesterday.
that Richmonds fire loss last year was
only sa0.745--the smallest since 1899
twas during last year that we car
risd out our comprehensive cleanup
campaign. The Fire Department agrees
with me IN attributing much OF the
credit for the small fire loss to that
movement, have no doubt that a gen
eraI house cleaning on Fire Protection
Day will likewise make for bettor
fire record this fall"
In 1919 Richrn ond,s fro loss was $685.
4o6r-an abnormally high record. The
average annual loss for the past ten
years has been 100000. Compared
with this, the .loas. of 1913-s9p.746-is
regarded as remarkably low. Tho Fire
Department is making strenuous cf-
fort to keep down the losses tho rest
OF tho Year. the loss OF tho past nine
months already being more than or
,l'nari,y heavy.
according to eminent authorities. the
IRE loss all over Tho United States is
approximately $4,000 an hour. Fully
half Of this loss, according to experts,
is qpreventable by the exercise of rea
sonable care Just such an exercise OF
reasonable care is sought In bringing
the Importance Of a general house,
nleanirig to the attention OF house
holders by the designation OF Fire
Prevention Day.
RAFFO PREPARES
BULLETIN OF "DoN'Ts.Y
Mayor Ainslie said yesterday that he
viii take the matter up with superln-
tendent Cohr, Of the Street Cleaning
Department, and arrange with him for
the removal OF the refuse that will be
collected. The Street Cleaning De-
pertment, he said. rendered valuable
service during the recent cleanup cam
patEn, and may be depended upon to
do It's Share on Fire Prevention Day.
Firat. Assistant Chief RATIO, of the
FIRE Department, prepared the follow
.inE bulletin yesterday, TO aid. citizens in
carrying out the suggestion OF tho
Mayor:
Remove all useless rubbish from at
tic. cellar and outbuildings.
Clean out thoroughly fre-places
nues and furnaces.
Inspect heating pipes for gaping
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