The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-10-04
. FIRE WASTE.

proper care. October 9th has been
named as Fire Prevention Day all
over the country. The President of
the United States and the Governor
of South Carolina, taking note Of
the enormous losses in lives and prop
erty sustained by this element have
issued proclamations calling on the
people to take an interest in this
day.
Insurance Commissioner McSwain
has sent out an appeal from Colum-
bia which gives the facts so fully and
gives such good advice to people that
we are taking the liberty of publish
ing it with out endorsement. The ar
ticle says:
We ask your attention to the Pro-
clamation of the President of the
United States and of Governor Coop
er. We earnestly urge every citizen
of this State to cooperate in the eff
fort to curtail the unnecessary fire
waste of the nation:
cover $4,000 of our citizens were
burned to death last year and over
1000 seriously injured" Mr.. Flem-
ing says. cover 80 per cent. of these
casualties was the result of careless
ness. At the present time, according
to the United States Housing Com
mittee, more than twenty-five mil
lion of our people are living in tenn
porary quarters. But over 65 per
cent. of all fires take place in the
homes, chiefly as the result of care
lessness. The present commercial un-
rest and the increased moral hazard
incident thereto calls for larger de-
gree of cooperation in avoiding all
preventable fires. To this end we are
planning a very much enlarged cam
paign this year."
The fire waste of the United Stat
es for the past six (6) years, as re-
ported, averages $24S,S50,OOO an
nually, and the unreported fires will
increase the figures considerably.
The cotton crop of South Carolina
for the year of 1919 was approx
mately 100000 bales, valued at
100000 per bale, would amount to
$2S0,OO0,OO0.00 So that the uncon-
trolled fires of the United States eve
ry year destroy material values equal
to the amount of the cotton crop of
South Carolina,
Buildings SHOULD have non-com-
bustible roofs and be free of conceal
ed spaces where trash may accumu-
lSte. Electric wires and g>s pipes
should always be in order. Chimneys
having number of openings should
be avoided. There should be separate
f1ues for each opening, and the fire.
place and CRATE should be arranged
so as to prevent leaking of fire and
hot ashes. Flues should be lined witn
tile and enclosed with bricks laid fiat.
All fues should be built from the
ground.
Housekeeping might be said to in
clude the whole catalog. Good house.
keepers will not allow trash to accu-
mulate inside or outside of the build
ings-premises will be carefully in
spected from day to day, and any
unsatisfactory conditions promptly
removed. Gasoline, kerosene, floor
oils and other highly inflammable ma
terials should be kept only in small
quantities, and always. in closed re-
tainers. f'Strike anywhere matches"
are in the same class.-Electris irons
should be used only by persons who
will he sure to turn the current off
when not in use.
If you detect the odor of escaping
gas, open all doors and windows i'm
mediately and then report the leak.
Never look for escaping gas with an
open light. If your building has wood
shingle roof, we suggest that you
keep a ladder and casks of water and
buckets of water ready, so placed
that any part of the building may be
reached quickly. can ounce of pre-
vention is worth a pound of cure"
and bucket of water thrown upon