The Weston leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 189?-1946, 1917-08-03

lNFafNNN ANFtN IAfhAWA ~ ~ ~ a y "NNFN'
misfortune. from the personal point ol
ylpw, 10 see the Quits of years Of
labor swept away by Ire. hnt When
10 this Is coupled ihr grgaict an1 NOR,
dominant lors tp lbr tadhtfy 10 ths
destruction ~ food surrlicg. thr fe
sponsihiliiy " taking every pTcraulitn
sRsihst hre hecomrs doubiy imperative
IN the great grain growing sections
~ tho Pacific Ntntra ihr menace pf afs
during the summer time siways sTis,S
and this menace Is intensified ia this
majority OF rurgl districts by the alb
senss Of regular Gre departments and
other aro lighting ognhieatipuS The
farmer. therefore, - necessarily thrown
upon bis owp fesouf - ~, the mesnt
Of preseryatton, aud upon him resis the
doublc responsibility nf drs, eliminai
ing all possible 6ro hazards aud also II
having drr estinguish,ng apparatus
ready for immediate use should dfe
occur.
Precautions Against Fire.
Dry grass along the roadsides Rnil
In thr pasture hclds IA serious menace
TO ripe crop Of grain, \ spark from
match o. passing train ~ emitted
from the exhaust ofhn automobile en-
ginr, or lighted cigarette or cigar
stub thrown eaFelsssly aside, can easily
start Gre which, with surroundings
fayoring its spreading, viii result 10
iHcaieulhbie loss and destroy quan'
ti,y Of grain suifieiea, to furnish an
entire community with food. Where
conditions permit, farrows should be
plowed between the grass and the grain.
II this Is no, possible, the grass should
be moved close enough 70 afford a
check 10 tho spreading Of aro.
A New Hazard.
A comparatively new danger 20 grain
heids 10 w@iio.ho, carbon discharged
from the c1hausts Of tractors when
puliiug uphill or through a heavy part
Of the crop. Every exhaust should be
protected by hno wire screen. which
should be renewed At least once
month, NJ the heat becomes 20 Intense
40 10 quickly destroy its effectiveness.
When the grain has been threshod
and piled In the field, II should be pro.
tectod by sufficient number Of for.
rows 10 prevent lie destruction from the
burning Of atubhic,
Danger From Thrcshers.
The time ~ one Of the grea. dangers
TO grain and grain fields in the North.
west is during the thrcshiug season
and is caused by careless methods In
,hreshing and piling the ,hreshcd grain
too near 10 the straw stacks. Every
,hrrshing machine by the very reason
Of It's operations collects certain
amount Of smut or dust, which is high
~ inflammahle and subject 10 explo
sion, and tho farmer should insist that
before n thrcshing machine commences
operations on his settings the machine
be thoroughly cleaned ont. flaes exam.
ined aud water tanks kept full II
possible. the straw stacks should be ro.
moved every night, bat where this Is
not possible then under no eireum.
stances should the throshcd grain ho
billed 30 clnse 10 the thrcshor or the
liraw stacks that the buruspg IT either
would endangrr the grain. Every
hrcshin. machine owner or operator
ihould hA required a. have n good sized
'hcmical tank with It's equipment TO
cxtingnish small fires.
II NOT sufficimtilp cured. and whether
,nled or loose hay win generate gases
which are susceptible nf spontaneous
ombustion unless the barn Ia snffi
icntly ventilated to carry on these
.nses. Every particule Of dry grass
nd all litter and rubbish should be !
emovel from hatnyards and from all
on the farm. Under no cir.
umstanccs should smoking or the uac |
Z matches be permitted around barn I
while candles or any other +
pen flame should be strictly prohih, I
led and only closed lanterns or cleo
ric pocket flashlights allowed in or !
round barus carrying any quantity of :,
ay.
Fighting Fires.
The great difference between the
tained fire department and the volun.
ser organization is the fact that an
Spericnced fireman knows exactly
hat TO do in answering an alarm of 7
re and has his apparatus and equip.
eut in such condition as TO give the
sst service in the shortest possible
me, Even u volunteer organization, n
,wever. is better than mono at all, and q
10 farmers in every community should g
imediately organize and secure fire o
yhting apparatus for the purpose Of A
% protection aud TO extingpish any u
% that may happen in. their section {,
very such community should select
@ necessary number Of men to net as !,
icfs and to take charge of the forces :
yhting FIRE, These chiefs could ar.
nge for certain signals and alarms TO =
given to denote fire in any locality, u
ID also where shovels, wet sacks, chem
n extinguishors and other apparatus 81
ID utensils arc to be obtained at the Ii