The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-26
FIRE PREVENTION
METHODS SUCCEED
Commissioner Adamson Shows
Good Results Obtained
During 1914.
LOSSES ARE MUCH LOWER

These are the efficiency claims OF Fire
Commissioner Robert Adamson for his
department during last year. given out
for publication this morning. They are
In his report to Mayor Mitchell.
The lowest per capita IRE loss for
any year in the history OF tho city save
one.
The lowest Are loss for any year
since 1907. save two with a population
$4,000 greater.
"A budget for 1915 lower by o66, 900
than that for 1914. despite provision for
twenty new fire companies, costing $780,
600 year. the first decrease in the Fire
Department budget since the creation OF
the greater city.
buildings. no longer needed as . result
Of economies. valued at S360.0o0.
"A reduction OF s152,s2s27 In open
market order purchases for tho depart
ment.
AN increase Of 6s1a per cent. in the
number of fire prevention orders COM
piled with and Of 29i2 per cent. in the
Winning OF a suit establishing Fire
Commissioners right to recover cost OF
extinguishing fire duo to 'culpable
and wlful negligence
Establishment OF an emergency FIRE
alarm system. introduction of the teach
ing Of fire prevention in the schools, In
spection Of all lodging houses and public
schools and the Introduction of many
measures Of Improvement and economy"
hA
were effected In the face OF "A great ak
pansion of the department and were
made possible only by reducing details
of firemen and by taking intelligent ad-
vantage Of the benefits of the motoriza-
ton Of fire apparatus. Details were re-
voked OF hremen whose annual salaries
amount to slo7,500 and by careful re-
adjustment OF companies f,remen with
annual salaries OF slS4,l0o were made
available for other purposes,
THE total number of fire alarms re-
ceived was 1925. of which 1920 were
false alarms. The actual number OF
fires was 1895. OF these fires tho
extraordinarily large number of 2.<l4
occurred outside Of buildings--that is
brush fires, boniircs, automobile fires in
the street. &C..
THE total fire loss was ss,2l7.st1. an
average loss per fire OF s464.11 and a
per capita loss OF Wv. Inc tOldl nrc
loss IN 1918 was s7467.99l and the
total number Of fires was 12.5es. The
average fire loss In 1913 WAS S57s.32.
There was. therefore, an increase OF
s74s.sI4 in the fire loss In 1914 and
reduction in the average loss from
sj7S.32 to st64.li. There was an in
crease in the population OF the city in
1914 OF $4,000.
Investigation by our Fire Marshals
shows that the principal causes OF fro
were Carelessness with cigars. cigar
cites and smoking pipes. 1.342 careless
use Of candles and tapers. 523: children
playing with matches or Are. 1855 caro-
less use of matches. LAS: overheated
stoves. boilers. ranges. &c. 1858. defec-
tive insulation. Az hot ashes igniting
woodwork. 90, bonfires. brush nres and
rubbish fires. 1891"
Under the heading Of recommenda-
tions the report says in part:
THAT high pressure water service.
which was extended during tho year
from Twenty-third and Thirty-fourth
streets. be extended to cover all OF Man
haitian Island south OF Fifty-ninth street.
THAT the high pressure service be
extended in Brooklyn and In tho Rock
away section.
to complete tho construction OF a new
! fire alarm system In Manhattan and az
soon as possible TO place all tho wires
underground and reconstruct the sys-
/ tenn in tho other boroughs."