Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-04-07
FIRE Loss ON THE FARM
ABOUT THREE. FOURTHS OF
LOSSES ARE DUE TO EASILY
PREVENTABLE CAUSES.
These Facts and Total Absence OF
Fire Protection Call For Greatest
Care and Watchfulness on
Part Of Farmers.

Over one.half of all fire losses is due
to carelessness and easily preventable
causes; on farm about three,fourths.
Farm property is insured at only a
small part Of its value, seldom more
than two-thirds, 50 that the losses.
over and above insurance paid, are
relatively larger than In cities. The
loss Of lives in fires is also larger in
the country,
These facts and the total absence of
fire protection call for the greatest
care and watchfulness on the part of
the farmers.
Let US consider some of these need.
less and preventable fire losses In the
order Of their importance
Lightning leads the list in number,
although it has been demonstrated that
a good lightning rod system, prop
erly installed and well grounded, is an
almost sure protection.
Defective flues and stovepipes,
stoves near wood, and over.heated
stoves are responsible for the large
majority Of farm residence fires. This
Is also true OF fires reported to us as
cause unknown" as the additional
tell.tale facts are usually given. start,
ed in attic" or started near chin.
ney."
Annually quite a number Of lives
perish in these fires. sacrificed on the
altar Of carelessness.
Every chimney tiue should have an
ca Of not less than sixty.for inches,
and should be lined throughout with
fire brick, hard burned terra Gotta, OF
flle-clay lue linhs
Careful inspection and prompt re.
pair Of defective tues, and asbestos or
metal protection for all woodwork near
stoves and pipes would reduce this
! sacrifice of lives and property to the
minimum.
I Children playing with matches are
responsible each year for quite a mum.
Der of these fires, and the sacrifice OF
several young lives. although matches
could and should be kept from chill.
dren.
Smokers carelessness is responsible
for many Of these fires and will con,
tnue to be until farmers and their
help refrain from smoking in and
around barns and near grain, hay and
strawbacks.
Mrs. OLeary's COW is about the only
critter that has moved from Chicago
onto the farm. and she is up to her
OLD tricks, kicking over the lantern,
which of course, could have been safe.
ly hung up.
Quite number of fires are due to
engines stationed too near stacks and
buildings.
Careessness with gasoline calls for
ito toll of lives and property; so does
kerosene used in starting and quicken,
ing a fire.
Just few prevention suggestions:
Because Of the absence of all fire
protection, tireproof construction Of
farm buildings, especially residences
is OF prime importance
Farmers are not limited to small
building site. and 1t is folly to place
the buildings 50 close together thai
FIRE In one of them can make a clear
sweep
The time is coming when the sub
stuntial farmer will plan for an ade
Quate water supply for domestic use
and for fire protection All, surely
can afford ladder to reach the roofs
sonic fire backets and few chemica
fire extnguishers, which can be
bought for few dollars.
Locking doors at night will keeT
on the tramp and his dangerous pipe
The automobile should be housed in
a seperate shed; so also should gaso
line.
Most important Of ALL however, Is
eternal care and watchfulness--T. NJ
Purtell, State Fire Marshall, Missouri