The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-30
CHICAGO FIRES
 ANNIVERSARY IS
 PREVENTION DAY
Every State in Union to Take Steps to Prevent
 Conf1agrations.

On OclODer J. loIl, according U
 the story which we are told and which
 we believe or not as we see fit, one
 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
 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 COW was moved to kick, and
 the cows hoof struck the lantern. The lantern fell over. The oil spilled on the floor, and the city of Chicago was all but wiped off the map.
 That is the story we are told of the way the great Chicago fire started. Whether 1t is true or not is beside the mark It is typical. Many fires started in just such a way.
 But, however it started, the city of Chicago has reason to remember that day in October, and so 1t is that Chi cago has taken a mighty interest in the establishment of a national fire pre- vention day on the anniversary of its misfortune, that other municipalities may learn lesson from it's experience.
 The movement fer 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 clean ing up their home; by removing rub bish from dark corners; by seeing that they were prepared to meet fire if it came. This year, it is believed that practically every state will take part in this great movement, and there is reason to hope that President Wilson may issue a proclamation that will go far toward awakening people to their grave danger and to put the move ment on a firm national foundation.
 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 H. 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 thor ough1y cleaned of rubbish acc1mu1a- ton.
 That all heating, lighting and fire extinguishing apparatus be examined and, if found defective, promptly re- paierd> /
 That fire drills be held in all schools, factories and other places 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 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 Can ada in 1914 was $250, 1000, 900. Add to this the cost of maintaining fire and the total is $500.- OOO,000. This amount Is 50 stupen- dous that the mind cannot conceive it Five hundred million would build a Panama canal There is a tax of $5 a head on every man, woman and that every family of seven people pays S35 a year for fire protection
 The idea that insurance pays for the loss is fa1lacious. Insurance are nothing but great clear ing houses which collect from all their 50 that those who are burned out can pay their losses and will not be ruined The policy-hold- ] er passes the expense on and adds it to | bis product, so that in the last analy- l sis it is the public who pays
 The pity of it all is that 90 per | cent of all fires are preventable. Nine | ty per cent. of all fires are due to | or ignorance. It may oe carelessness in erecting the build ng; it may be care1essness in hand ing gasoline; it may be carelessness n placing matches or in hanging cur aims close to a gas jet It may be in neglecting to put up lightning rods, but it is care1essness lnd it might be prevented.
 The Safety First Federation indor- es the idea of making the person vhoes property is = burned through arelessness pay for extinguishing that Ire, as well as to pay for any damage lone to his neighbours property. In laws have just been ,assed embodying this principle, and t is now established in the city of Jew York, which recently collected rom several concerns the cost of the water used on the fire, the pro rata diaries of the men who worked at |, a rental on the apparatus and an dditional charge of 10 per cent. on II to cover the overhead.
 It is held that a man should be just s much responsible for burning his eighbor's property as he would if his eighbor fell into hole in his side walk and was hurt.