Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-12-26

The question of Fire Prevention at
this time is especially pertinent, and
the results of sustaining loss, in
view of the trials through which bust
ness is passing, would be much more
severe than normally. A fire now not
only means property destroyed or a
business ruined, but the loss of plant
which it would at this time be most
desirable to have in service, and one
which likely could not be replaced.
Commodities are selling for more
than they were short time back, and
a merchant cannot restock his shelves
at the same cost. In many lines he
cannot replace his goods at all. Build
ing material, low at present, is ad-
vancing gradually, and to rebuild will
be more expensive. Machinery is hard
to get, and imported designs cannot be
had at all. Cotton is slowly gaining in
value, and its destruction means actual
loss of money, and prospective loss of
profit.
Nothing is to be gained, but much to
be lost-more than in normal times
by fire.
Some of the largest concerns of the
country are calling their employees at
: tention to the need of unusual care. A
/ job lost now means no pay-check, nor
is other employment, frequently to be
had. Remember, there are many out
| of work.
The losses by fire for the country
have increased this year, and should q
conf1agration occur the existing financ-
ial and banking conditions would pro-
uuCS uHuSudl T6SulIS, anu Ine rllS III
surance Companies-with the stock
markets closed-would be unable to
finance a loss of confagration magni-
tude, no matter what sacrifices they
might be willing to make in order to
meet their obligation promptly.
In a period covering approximately
two weeks there have occurred nine
fires in the State of Georgia, in which
were burned 1922 bales of cotton.
This means about $4,000 which, in
the end must, every dollar of it, be
. paid by the public, and had this cotton
not been destroyed it would Rave been
worth at the quotations the past week
from $25,5OO to $1,000 more. An actual
money loss to the owner both ways.
The majority of these cotton fires
have been due to carelessness-to
smoking, and to the storing of bales on
fire from the gin. There is no possible
excuse for matches or smoking around
cotton warehouse. A fire will smould-
err in the interior of a cotton bale for
days, often without any external evil
, dence. If no bale was permitted to get
|, into the warehouse until it had been at
least "a hours preferably As hours)
out of the gin, many poor people would
not have lost their cotton.
The great house of Marshall Field &
? Co. has issued this notice:
"It is the duty of every one, be he
householder or employee, to take every
wise precaution to prevent fire and its
dire results at all times, particularly
so at the present. Consequently we
Gail upOu every 6ulpiOyCC III SNOly dC-
partment, in all parts Of our business,
to be more watchful and careful In
this regard not alone for
the good of the house but for the well
fare of the employees themselves. Let
every one read this notice, and let the
wisdom of it impress itself upon him OF
her as the case may be-"
Carelessness is the cause OF mos
, fires. This is not time to take chanc
es.
VI Property burned is property gon'
e forever, and there can be no possible
gain in any way from it's destruction
The man whose carelessness and in
difference causes another's factory
! storehouse home, or other possessions
to burn, does you equally as mucl