Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-08-09


ing all possible fre hazards and also Of
having Ere distinguishing apparatus
ready for immediate use should . IRE
occur.
Precautions Against Fire.
Dry grass along the rosdsides and
in the pasture fields is a serious menace
70 ripe crop of grain. A spark from
= match or passing train or emitted
from the exhaust Of an automobile en-
CINE, or a lighted cigarette or cigar
stub thrown earelsssly aside, can easily
start . FIRE which, with surroundings
fsvoring its spreading, will result in
incalculable loss and destroy a guam.
Mty Of grain sufficient to furnish an
entire community with food. Who're
conditions permit, burrows should be
plowed between the grass and the grain.
II this il not possible, the grass should
be moved close enough to afford .
check to the spreading Of Ere.
A New Hazard.
A comparatively new danger to grain
lelds 10 wAite-hot carbon discharged
from the exhausts Of tractors when
pulling uphill or through q heavy part
Of the crop. Every exhaust should be
protected by fine wire screen, which
should be renewed at least once a
month, a. the heat becomes SO intense
- to quickly destroy it's effectiveness
When the grain has been threshed
and piled in the field, it should be pro-
tected by a sufficient number of fur
rows to prevent its destruction from the
burning of stubble.
Danger From Threshers.
The time of one of the great dangers
to grain and grain fields in the North
west is during the threshing season
and 10 caused by careless methods in
threshing and piling the threshed grain
too near to the straw stacks. Every
thrsshing machine by the very reason
Of its operations collects a certain
amount Of smut or dust, which is high
~ inflsmmable and subject to explo-
sion, and the farmer should insist that
before a threshing machine commences
operations on his settings the machine
be thoroughly cleaned out, flues exam
insd and water tanks kept full. If
possible, the straw stacks should he re.
moved every night, but where this Is
not possible then under no circum-
stances should the threshed grain be
piled so close to TIL" thrcsher or the
straw stacks that the burning Of either
would endsnger~ the grain. Every
threshing machine owner or operator
should be required to have good sized
chemical tank with its equipment to
imm ediately extinguiSh small fires.
II not sufficiently cured, and whether
baled or loose, hay win generate gases
which are susceptible of spontaneous
combustion unless the barn is suffi-
GENTLY ventilated to carry of these
gases. Every psrticulc Of dry grass
and all litter and rubbish should be
removed from harnyards and from all
buildings on the farm. Under no cir
cumstsnces should smoking or the use
of matches be permit ed around barn
buildings, while candles or any other
open flame should be strictly prohib-
tied and only closed lanterns or cleo
trio pocket flashlights allowed in or
around barns carrying any quantity of
hay.
Fighting Fires.
The great difference between the
trained Are department and the volun-
teer organization is the fact that an
experienced fireman knows exactly
what to do in answering an alarm Of
FIRE and has his apparatus and equip
ment in such condition as to give the
best service in the shortest possible
time. Even a volunteer organization,
however, is better than none at all, and
the farmers in every community should
Immediately organize and secure FIRE
fighting apparatus for the purpose Of
Are protection aud to extinguish any
FIRE that may happen in their section.
Every such community should select
the necessary number Of mon to act as
chiefs and to take charge of the forces
lighting a FIRE. These chiefs could ar
range for certain signals and alarms to
be given to denote are in any locality,
and also where shovels, wet sacks, chem
and utensils are to be obtained At the
shortest notice.
Water in many cases is not available,
but chemical fire extinguisher, with
which each farmer should be provided,
will accomplish more in putting out .
fre which has not assumed large pro-
portions, than any other means.
Where the district will permit, IN
automobile or motor truck can be
equipped with chemical tanks, and these
will prove more effective than river
water improperly or unskillfully APP
Piled In several sections of the State
this has already been done, and these
machines, so equipped, have demon.
strsted great efficiency.
| The Vital Hour.
This is the hour of patriotism, In
Inch the entire strength of the Ma