Evening journal., 1920-10-06
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1920
FIRE PREVENTION DlY-AND CONFEDERATION.


OF conneOration exist today in every American
city.
They arise from variety of causes, hut the experts
agree that the chief is improper construction Of
buildings, accompanied in many instances by inadequate
water supply and poor fire department protection.
Nearly every fire potential connaaraiion and when
these catastrophes the damage IS vast aud the
loss Of life often great that the growth of
mites where they is seriously set back
The history of the United States shows that connagra
lions have occurred less irregular intervals and
have caused losses date estimated AT than Sl9OO
100000
fire is called a connagration when u gets beyond
control and sweeps from building TO another vnt
whole district Of city entire sections have
become Of charred ruins.
Technically the experts say that conla0ration is "a
fire involving number of buildings of such proportion
that will materially affect the loss ratio Of city for
period years"
But oven without connagrations the fire loss Of the
United States has reached such figures
serious 10 thoughtful and women.
Tho Fire Prevention and Conservation Committee Of
this city its campaign OF education has brought 10 the
of thousands State the striking fact that
the of the United States year in property due TO
proventabc fires amount less than S250OOOOO0O,
while the loss Of lives reaches the appalling number Of
$4,000.
Every state contributes this and is in the hope
Of reducing that share which is borne by Delaware that
The committee engaged in its splendid work of trying
10 eliminate fire hazards
Fire Prevention Day this year. October o. offers spIen-
did opportunity for everyone have thorough cleanup
period and inspect his home factory, store or other
premises so any lurking danger Of fire that may
exist will be done away with.
n such practical observance OF the day takes place
IN Wilmington il will materially decrease our dangers
not only from and isolated fires but from the caas
lrophc OF a confagration.
So many of these great hoocausts have occurred from
small acts OF eareIessness that Il is idle to one cou'
not occur in Wilmington.
For instance The date ON which Fire Prevention Da!
is observed in this country. namely October g. has beer
selected because the onn ersary OF the great Chicago
Gre in 1871 This fire destroyed $4,000 houses. Near'
100000 persons were homeless, and 200 met thei
death u caused a property loss OF Si650OOOoO.
lis cause generally attributed TO the kicking over
an oil lantern in a barn by belonging TO one Mrs
OLears-
The disastrous Baltimore fire i90i was caused, Il
believed when passerby threw match cigarette en
which fell through opening and gned quantity o
blankets and cotton goods stored in the basement of
six-story Wholesale drsgoods house. In this th
basement ran under the street and partial light wa
obtained by OF the familiar patented glass side
walk In which il is said bulls eyes" were missing
Through one of these apertures the match cigarette
fell From this small beginning fire started that con
tinued for two days and $50 acres, comprising som'
rohiy cf blocks, were devastated
The great fire in Mobile Alabama, several years ago
destroyed buildings and caused by eareeSsness
The rc was the result burning trash and old chicken
coops In narrow yard situated between frame garage
and solid board fence twenty-our mile wind was
blowing at the time The fence first 10 ignite and
the spread several coal and feed houses
and the conlagration its way
The time to fight fires is before they and that
the Of the existence OF the Conservation and Fire
Prevention Committee of this city. The careful and pru
dent person who nspecs his property and that nc
hazards exist is the hest fire fighter the has ever
known; after the flames start and begin to con.
sumo buildings, the services of the most slfull nrs
prevention engineers 0l no account Probably the
most celebrated instance forehandedness and preyen
Non Is hat OF Noah, who built Ark before the aoof
rame and thus was able 20 save his family
II might be objected that Noah was fore,var,ed M u
pan0er but there have been repeated instances er a.
prevention engineers have prophesied connaoraons
American cities and these prophecies have been feu.,
They predicted that sooner later a connaorao
would occur in San Francisco and while an earthoual
the primary OF that great disaster never,h
less when the flames started they did everythir
that the experts had said they would do under cond
existing in that city. There have been numero
examples smaller scale The large fires in saIc
Pittsburgh Fall River and other places.
II has been pointed out that the factors which Gsur
prominently in connagratons OF the past may be SUI
married. follows:
l. Improper construction: (a) Unprotected Yerti-
cal openings; (b) Excessive floor areas; (e)
Lack OF approved shutters wire-gls in