Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-07-06
cIRclll ATInN of last issue to actual ~,
subscribers .............. vi
SOLDIERS OF. THE SOIL

Farmers and fighters must win the
war. The farmers only uniform may
be the blue jacket and Overalls, lack
ing gold braid and shining buttons,
his only decorations the pearls OF
honest sweat; yet he must consider
himself in che active service of his
country until the battle for freedom
and democracy is won. His lot is
less dangerous than that Of the SOL
der, but his duties are no less i'm
portant. He must raise the food to
build the bone and muscle Of our
fighting men, must raise more food
for the worlds needs.
Some of this food finds it's way to
the bottom of The ocean, much Of it
each year goes UP in smoke. We
call the sinking Of food-laden ships
"a crime against humanity" De-
stroying food by careless fires is no
less so. The effect is the same;
the food is gone, and insurance can
not bring back single pound of 1t
to feed the needy and the hungry,
and BECAUSE Of this waste the high
cost Of living becomes more OF a
problem each month.
Besides raising more food and feed
for man and beast, the farmer must
carefully protect from fire all food
products he now has on hand. His
surplus food products he holds as
trustee for the nation and for hui
mainly, fully as much as the banker
holds the savings and deposits of
the many. Let no farmer fail in this
sacred and important trust. Every
pound of food products may be need
ed to prevent famine and starvation.
In 1916, in this state, 618 barns
with contents burned down, entailing
a loss OF $85S,955.00 and II granar-
les with a loss of $10,095.00. There
were 81 grain stack fires with loss
of $40, 715.00. About tWo-thirds OF
all this loss was on food products.
Fully three-fourths Of these fires
could have been prevented by ordi-
nary care and watchfulness.
Lighting is still the farmers worst
enemy, but it can be robbed of it's
sting by a good lightning rod sys-
tenn, properly installed, and well
grounded. The 1916 fire reports give
us a total of 324 fires in unrodded
buildings with fire loss of $685.
$4,000, and fires in rodded build
ings with a loss of $18,19O.O0. Each
years records demonstrate the gen
eral efficiency of lightning rods
Although lightning rod materials
have risen in price, we cannot rec
ommend a makeshift installation. If
the price of copper is prohibitive, a
cheaper, yet fairly satisfactory sys-
tenn, may be installed, by. using No.
3 or No. galvanized iron wire as
conductors.
Children playing with matches,
smokers in and around buildings and
stacks, carelessness with lamps, Ian
terms and gasoline. unclean condi-
tons, placing threshing engines too
close to buildings or stacks, and de-
fective stoves, smoke flues and
chimneys are responsible for many
of these fires. Each farmer can
and should prevent such fires.
Few farmers have waterworks for
fire protection, but all can have a
few buckets handy, a few chemical
extinguishers about the buildings,
and a ladder to reach the roofs.
With this simple equipment you may
be able to reach and extinguish a
fire, which otherwise may wipe out
your lifes savings.
M. j. CLEARY,
ms. Com and Fire Marshal.