The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-23
Inspection of Chimneys Should
Be Made at Once.
FIRE DRILLS IN THE SCHOOLS
Department Will See That Law
Is Enforced Rigidly.
Careless Wiring Alone Costs
Kansas 100000 Yearly.
A night in the winter.
A crack in the flue,
A heap OF black charcoal
When the fire is through.

Defective chimneyS are expensive
luxuries, declares L. T. Hussey, state
fire marshal, in a repor- made public
this morning and as old man winter
approaches and all manner of appar-
atus used to generate heat is Impress
ed into service, Hussey strongly ad-
ViseS an investigation of all flues-
During 1914, 375 fires that were
caused by defective flues were report
ed to the office of the fire marshal.
S223,41O. Yet every dollar of that
loss could have been prevented.
The fire marshaFs office is exertinis
every effort to reduce damage to
property by fires that result from
chimneys that should be repaired. All
over the state the warning is being
sounded, .if there is a crack in the
chimney when the flames come roar
ing up,-look out"
Fires at Night.
The danger is not alone to property
Fires frequently occur at night.
Flames ooze into the attic, smoke
forces. its way through crevices into
sleeping rooms, suffocating persons
ardiZing their lives. Why persons take
such chances, the fire marshal can
not explain, but the fact remains that
they do.
School Fire Drills.
The holding of monthly fire drills
in all schools, public and private, is
also urged by Hussey in his report.
The holding of these drills is specifi-
cally required by the laws of the state
and members of scho boards who
fail to see that this requirement is met
are liable to arrest and fine. Neverthe-
less a number of schools throughout
the state have in the past failed to
hold the drills. Every effort will be
made by the fire marshal this year
to see that the law is enforced in
cry school in the state.
IS Burned to Death.
AS a result of fires from various
burned to death in KanIaS last year.
Also, during the past year careless
wiring cost the people of the state
more than 100000.
Property valued at $123,903 was
destroyed in Kansas during August,
1915. Fires in dwellings, of which
there were 60, head the list. The loss
amounted to $31, Thirty-six
barns. valued at $35, 405 were destroy
ed by fire; 10 fires destroyed grain
and hay to the value of $5,197; and IL
fires in stores resulted in a loss of
$26,627. During August, one church
was damaged by fire, one depot was
damaged, one factory, two granaries,
one hotel, two laundries, one livery,
one flour mill. one power house, two
restaurants, five sheds, one shop, two
schools, one warehouse, one autom }
bile and two threshing outfits.
Causes of Fires.
Forty-three fires resulted last
month from lightning. Of this num-
Der, AZ buildings were not rodded. Fiji
teen fires were started by incendia-
ries IL originated in petroleum or its
products, 10 were started by sparks,
resulted from spontaneous combus-
tier, s are charged to matches and ,
to defective flues, six followed eXplo-
sions, and three originated from de-
fective wiring. Two fires are charged
to gas, one to fireworks, one to ex-
posture, one to rubbish, two to smok-
ing, and one to a stove. The manner
in which 80 fires started is unknown
and may never be known while four
fires started from miscellaneous
causes