Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-01-06
Fire Hazards On
Farm or in Town

III Is esllindleu tnaJ oO per cent OF
the fire losses in our country are due
to carelessness. The following ar
ticle taken from the November "Tri-
dent" is well worth reading and
thinking about. Better yet, take the
dos and don't and paste them in
your hat" so that you will see them
again.
Fire prevention is not a passing
fad, it is the sensible way of re-
ducing insurance rates. 1t can be
done. The annual per capita fire loss
in the United States is $2.51 and in
Europe only 81 cents. Because of
more rigid laws, better construction
and less carelessness:
With the approach of winter
come also the many dangers that
have lain quiescent during the sea-
son when the stove, heater and the
hearth have been forgotten, or have
done duty as receDtacles for waste
paper, etc. In the latter case they
will perhaps show conclusively that
wood burns" by immolating them
selves, the building and contents as
the result of the burning of their ac-
cumulations of paper and rags, Of
ten oily, with a maximum of reck-
lessness and a minimum of common
sense, whereby burning pieces are
elected through the flue and deposit
ed on wooden roofs. Sometimes the
stove is stuffed so full with q goodly
proportion of the more than ordin-
arily combustible that the effects of
the first application Of the match,
when the cold days come on sudden
ly, are such that the combustibles
haven't time to disappear by way of
the chimney, and, therefore, dis
tribute themselves, the stove and Of
ten the Fireman" and innocent by
ISLANDERS freely about the place.
A stove disintegi ated recently
with resulting death list of three,
a long list of wounded and a prop
erty loss of considerable amount A
modern 16-inch shell could be con-
verted into handy stove when the
bursting charge has been removed
and, contrarywise, the most domestic
appearing stove may be converted
into household shrapnel." The
heater, whether store, office or in a
school, is full brother to the stove,
and has the same family character
istics. The fireplace may be the in
nocent means of distribution of burn
ing papers and rags upon adjacent
roofs, or may, where no hearth
screen is provided, throw out Its
firebrands upon the floor or house
hold furniture with disastrous re-
suits. 1t should be kept in mind that
the fires having their origin in fire
place negligence so often make the
most pitiful addition of all to "fatali-
ties due to fires" Such news items
as "the three children were fatally
burned and the mother may not re-
cover" twenty children and teach
ers lost their lives" ETC., etc, What
a sickening mockery is the phrase
"loss fully covered by insurance"
Giving recognition for the inspira-
tions to Mr.. Lee Mckenzie of Seattle,
the well known fire surveyor and pre-
ventionist, we quote below a few
axioms. If our readers do not need
the common sense they impart, pass
them along, or impress them upon
some unthinking incinerator of
homes and children, of whom there
are so many in every community.
This act may be apparently less her.
oic than dragging a child from the
path of the onrushing locomotive,
but in reality is a great social serv-
ice and more humane in the aggre-
gate.
What to Do
| Learn how to turn in fire alarm
Know where the nearest fire alarm
box is located.
Have all chimneys, stovepipes, etc,
thoroughly cleaned at least once a
year.
Always know that there is a screen
on the hearth-in front of the crate
fire-when not there yourself.
Know the telephone number of the
fire department station.
Secure hand fire extinguisher-
get real one,if in doubt ask the
agent for the approved list.
Remember that cigars, cigarette
ond matchac ch0u1d not ha tbro,,,,