The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1917-08-26
OF LOCAL INTEREST.

NN9t1 uNtAou " lIG VI lOOuSl unSs sup
plies, warehouses, docks or dwellings,
during the war would have more ell
feet toward Gripping the armies OF
the United States than could any
thing else, there is every reason why
every thoughtful and patriotic citizen
of Brunswick should attend the meet
ing at the city hall at / O'Clock to-
morrow afternoon, called at the re
quest OF the Georgia Fire Prevention
Committee OF National Defense. All
officials of the city and county gov
ernments and the supervisory Off
cials OF the public utilities and every
owner or officer who has charge OF
d dock, warehouse. shipping business
or store, should be present to hear
the plans for the prevention of fires
that Will be laid before the people of
Brunswick by these experts vino have
been asked by the United States gov
eminent to conduct campaign for
the elimination of ayoidable ire risks
and to minimize fire losses during the
war.
According to the Spectator, the
recognized authority on fire insurance
in America, the value of property Ill
the United States covered by insur-
ance is $50 ,000 600 00o This stupen-
dous sum indicates, in all probable
ity, not over half Of the actual value
of property that could be destroyed
by fire.
Immediately after the Atlanta CON
fl2gratiOn OF MAY Il, last. the Com
mittec on Fire Prevention of the Ma
tiOnal Board OF Underwriters dis
patched one of its most experienced
engineers to the STRICKEN city in or
der to make a close study of the
characteristics of the fire, the causes
to which it was due, and the lessons
that can be deduced from it. Ills
report has just been published Its
greatest value consists in the fact
that it should serve as Il warning TO
hundreds OF other American cities
where conllagration conditions exist
The report shows that the Atlanta
disaster Wuo essentially d 'shin%le
root conflagration OF the type so
painfully familiar, notes that The fire
department rendered excellent sery-
ice, although somewhat handicapped
by lack OF motor apparatus, INSULT
cient reserve supply Of hose, and I'M
paved streets at certain points; il re
fers TO the value OF high presSures"
on the water system, questions the
utility of dynamiting buildings, and
records the fact that some OF the
hose sent from nearby cities could
not be used through lack of stand
ardized couplings. The reports great
est emphasis however, is laid on bad
roofing conditions, summed up IN the
following statement;
This conflagration, together with
two OF the other fires occurring al
the same time. emphasizes the case
with which spreading fires may dc
yelop III cities where wooden shingie
roofs pre1ominate, even where the
fire depai tment is mainly well equip
ped and manned. 1t illustrates the
startling sUddcnncsa with which such
nre may grOW into a conflagration
under favorable conditions. For Il
period OF eight hours, the remaining
part Of the city, including the bust
ness district, was practically without
fire protection A shift OF the wind
during the fire would have resulted
in corresponding change of the path
OF devastation and might have in
yOlVed the business district, for it
would have been impossible to stop
the spread through the shingle roof
area which even now extends to the
edge OF that district"
The danger OF conflagration is
present in every city and village of
the United States, and with il the
possibility of large -oss of life. The
most efficient ire department i'll the
country is powcrless when a fire gets
under considerable Roadway in a To-
cality where bad construction pre-
walls. COnflagrations are not neces
sary evils They may be avoided by
the mere taking of proper precau
tions. National board engineers have
made exhaustive surveys of more
than three hundred ledaing American
cities and i'll each case have worked
out plans which, if adopted, woult
i provide for their safety Their re
! port on San Francisco conditions
| published six months before the grea
conflagration. contained these words
san Francisco has violated all un
dcrwriting traditions and precedent
by not burning up
Similarly. the National Board re
ports contained specific warnings 0
the disasters that overlook Salem
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