New-York tribune., 1917-11-14
Favor Armed Guards on
Property Likely to Tempt
Enemy's Torches
Incendiarism in South
Convention at New Orleans
Will Take Steps to End
Growing Menace

NEW ORLEANS. Nov. 10. Armed
guards on all property likely to tempt
alien enemy frebrsnds, guards whose
origin and sympathies have been care
fully investigated and who are well
paid. guards paid o. the owners OF the
property and supplied in sufficient
numbers 10 give genuine protection
against frebrands-th is the pro-
gramme which the Fire Marshals' As
sociation Of North America probably
will adopt at its annual session here
tomorrow.
Enemy alien fires will be the fore
most subject before this convention.
No issue so vital to the national we'll
being has ever confronted the men
whose sworn duty It is 10 protect the
country against incendarism.
Conservation measures 70 meet TINS
new danger were almost the sole topics
OF discussion among the advance guard
Of the delegates gathering here to-
night.
Cotton Fires Increasing
The revelation that incendiary cotton
fires in the South were of far greater
consequence than is generally known
and have the insurance companies
alarmed was one Of the developments
of the preconvention discussions.
Sol Bloodworth, former secretary Of
the Louisiana Fire Prevention Bureau
and one Of the pest informed insurance
men In this part o. the South, said:
There is no question that in spots
there is a well organized movement TO
destroy cotton and oil. In one gIn Of
which ! know there were seven fires
in two weeks; in another twenty fires
In a month.
"These fires are caused by match
heads, nails and pebbles put IN the cot
ton in the fields where it is picked.
Enough tracing or origin has been done
TO make this positive"
Some insurance companies have can
celled all their policies in gins. One
insurance company handling a line Of
small gins suffered $4,000 OF losses
inside seven days. Because OF the
alarming increase in gin fires in Texas,
mutual companies have increased their
rate on this business IN that state 20
per cent. Oklahoma. where the Jones
Family" operated, u said to be the
worst or.
Insurance companies practically have
come 70 this proposition: To get IN.
surance a gin must MAINTAIN armed
guards and have steam jets 20 eXtin-
guish fires "a soon as they break out.
A committee OF three New orleans
insurance men, acting under authority
from the National Board OF FIRE IN
derwriters and the Council Of National
Defence, has been at work IN Louisiana
and Mississippi along the lines the con-
yention may advocate.
This underwriters' conservation COM
mittee has Offices with the Louisiana
State Fire Marshal. and has inspectors.
armed with state and Federal authority,
inspecting all property likely TO be at
tackled by the iirsbrands. the inspection
looking especially 20 The adequacy OF
guard service.
To Guard the Cotton Gins
So far this work is confined largely
10 New Orleans, but is being extended
rapidly, and will take in the cotton
gins soon.
II is worth while noting that the cot
ton gin fires have not been unusually
numerous In Louisiana and Mississippi
as elsewhere. but the committee is
going TO prepare for them, anyway.
The underwriters committee also has
a subcommittee, consisting of one lead
ing man from each branch Of industry,
20 cooperate in it, work. This work
will be brought before the national
meeting.
y. z. Mailaileu, general manager Of
the National Board OF Fire Underwrit-
ers OF New York. said to-day:
ARMED gusrds-that's the solution.
The guards must be sufficiently paid.
aust be men whose snteeedents are
known and who can be trusted. and
they must be supplied in sufficient
numbers, and they must be paid b. the
owners Of the property"
c. j. Doyle, of Springfield. H., asso-
cia,e counsel Of the National Board OF
Fire Underwriters. regards proper
guarding, accompanied by adequate fire
Doyle has had considerable experience
Dole has had considerable experience
with Southern cotton fires, and says
these are serious.