The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-23
FIRE PREVENTION
AND FAMOUS Cow
When Mrs. o,Leary's MooIey Kicked
Over Lamp, It Made Itself Sub
Ject Of Sermons for
October 8.
PROCLAMATION IN IOWA
Gov. George w. Clarke Has Deereed
That state Shall Look to Its
buildings on That
Day.

| buildings on Hos
| On October 8, 1871, according to
the story which we are told ana
which we believe or not as we SEQ
fit, one Mrs. O'Leary went out into
the barn to milk the cow on her
| little farm just on the outskirts OF
the city of Chicago. It was far from
| light and she carried a lantern. which
/ she placed on the stable floor and
then sat down to do her milking.
| Now what particular devil possess
ed that COW does not appear. At any
rate the cows hoof struck the Ian
tern. The lantern fell over. The oil
spilled on the floor, and the city OF
Chicago was all but wiped on the
map.
That is the story we are told of
! the way the great Chicago IRE start
ed. Whether it is true or not is be-
| side the mark. 1t is typical. Many
fires started in just such way.
But however 1t started, the city OF
! Chicago has reason to remember that
day In October, and so it is that Chi
cago has taken mighty interest In
the establishment of national IRE
prevention day on the anniversary OF
its misfortune, that other muntcipal-
ties may learn a lesson from its ex-
perience.
The movement for Fire Prevention
day was started by the Safety First
Federation of America. Last year,
the governors of twenty-nine states
gave forth proclamations calling upon
their people to observe the day by
cleaning up their home; by removing
rubbish from dark corners; by seeing
that they were prepared to meet nre
II it came. This year, 1t is believed
that practically every state Will take
part in this great movement. and
there is reason to hope that Pres1-
dent Wilson may issue proclama-
ton that will go far toward awaken
ing people to their grave danger ana
to put the movement on firm ma
tional foundation.
Program is Urged.
In his letters to the governors urg-
ing them to impress upon the people
the need of preventing the loss OF
life and property by fire, Frederick
II. Elliott, executive secretary OF the
Safety First federation, laid down the
following program:
That on october 9, all public build
ings, factories and homes be
thoroughly cleaned OF rubbish accu-
mutation.
That all heating, lighting and hre
extinguishing apparatus be examined
and. il found defective. promptly re-
| paired. :,
That fre drills be held in all
schools, factories and other places
i where fire drills are necessary.
That lectures be given in public
schools and that sermons be preached
! in the churches on the subject OF fire
| prevention, and that meetings be held
| to arouse public interest in the move
ment.
The latest estimate Of the loss by
fire in the United States and Canada
| in 1914 was $3.50, 200, 900. Add to this
| the cost of maintaining fire depart
ments and the total is $5OO,00O.OOO.
This amount il. SO stupendous that
the mind cannot conceive 1t. VOW
OOO. 90 would build a Panama canal.
| There is a tax of IS a head on every
man. woman and child In the United
States. 1t means that every famlly
! of seven people pays $35 year 1or
fire protection.
The idea that insurance pays for
the loss is fallacious. Insurance COM
panies pay nothing. Insurance com
panies are nothing but great clearing
houses which collect from al! tnelr
! policy holders, so that those who are
burned out can pay their losses and
will not be ruined. The policy holder
passes the expense on and adds It
| to HIS product, so that in the last
ANALYSIS It is the public who pay.
Fires are Preventabie.
The pity Of it all is that ninety per
cent of all fires are preventapiS.
Ninety percent of all fires are Que 70
carelessness or ignorance. 1t may &c
careIessness in erecting the building;
| # may be carelessness in handing
Gasoline. it May be carelessness IN
nIacing matches or in hanging cur
fains close to a gas jet. 1t may be
careIessness IN neglecting to put UP
lightning rods, but 1t Is careiessness
| and 1t might be prevented
| The Safety First federatlon> en-
dorses the idea Of making the person
| whose property is burned lnLuueI
icarelessness nay for extingulsnine
That Are. as well as to pay for any
damage done to his neighbors prop
erty In Pennsylvania, laws nave
met been passed embodying this prin
cinle and IT is now established IN tns
city Of New York, which recently col
II.ctad from several concerns the cos
If the water used on the fire, tins
nro rata salaries Of the men wne
worked at it, a rental on ehe appa
ratus and an additional charge vi
percent on all to cover the overheau
It is held that man should be Jus
as much responsible for burning M, |,
neighbor's property as he wouid =.
his neighbor fell into a hole IN III
sidewalk and was hurt.
Mr.. Duke, the new secretary iol