Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-05
Condemns Negligence
Clean Up Rubbish

S4OQ41 W AVIAb0A0AA
Insurance Commissioner G. Walden
Smith in a recent interview was most
emphatic in his condemnation OF the
negligence shown by owners of build
ings and merchants in the matter OF
cleaning up cellars Of tenements OF
rubbish. old boxes. papers and other
ihfiammable objects. WHY" said
Comm sioner Smith, only recently
my attention was called to- tene-
ment building in which there lived
eight families. the total number Of
human beings sleeping there every
night in the ne1ghborhood Of SO. The
chief of the Fire Department Of the
city alluded to called my attention
to the fact that four different fires
had occurred in this special place
within one month. two of them i'm
periling the lives Of the occupants.
The first of the fres was of incen-
diary type and the Insurance Depart
found that most Of the fires had orig
mated in the cellar. 1t would seem
as though every occupant in that
building. with an arm. box or basket
full Of rubbish would walk half way
down the stairs and then throw the
rubbish into one huge pile. The at
tention of the owner of the building
was called to the conditions and he
had agreed upon several occasions to
remedy the trouble. but the fact re-
manned that up to the time of my
inspection no relief had been afforded.
1 Immediately called upon the owner,
who happened to be one Of the largest
real estate owners in that especial
locality. and 1 gave him 4S hours in
which to clean up all the buildings
owned by him or else l would request
a cancellation of his fire insurance
policies. This had the desired effect
and the chief of the fire department
telephoned me the next day that a
thorough renovating and house clean
ing had been done by the owner. In
another city l had occasion to visit
the basement of a large department
store and the almost criminal condi-
tions that l found existing OF packing
boxes, shavings, excelsior and other
inflammable conditions situated as it
was within the very heart Of the
business district was appalling in the
extreme. I Immediately informed the
merchant that such a state of affairs
should not be permitted to exist. not
only from a standpoint of violation
was imposed upon men in his station
of life that should be recognized and
regarded. How often these things
are repeated and how largely they
exist is question easily to be deter
mined by illustration of this sort
The Insurance Department of Maine
is preparing at the present time for
its annual Fire Prevention Day cam
paign and it asks the earnest support
of the newspapers. the pulpit. the
schools and various organizations OF
civic life, chambers of commerce, Ro-
tary and kiwanis Clubs, to fully eX-
plot and give as much publicity as
possible to this especial move.
Fire Prevention Day offers a pecu.
liarly valuable opportunity for EN-.
phasizing this fact. while fire in its
/ oCi WV ~ may SCdnO IOl
| much that is good. fire in it's destruc-
| tive capacity is an almost perfect
| symbol of evil. 1t is self-propagating
and starts with swiftness wherever
| it finds fuel and leaves ugliness, il
| finds usefulness and reduces it to bar.
rem waste, with foothold once
gained its extinguishment is = matter
IF ham I'd nd
| it's prevention is almost ridiculously
simple. its laws are we'll understood
and safety is invariably assured
| where vigilance is combined with un-
derstanding.
The general public doubtless does
Of the United States helps to advance
| the price of the necessities of life
| There have been enormous losses OF
our common staples through fire.
Carelessness plays the most impor.
tant part in this great destruction
Other causes are spontaneous com
busion. dust explosion and lightning
which are partly preventable. Care
lessness should be placed in the
strictly preventable class and each in.
dividual should be held accountable
for conditions on his property which
through carelessness. are conducive
to Are. Proper inspections and sys-
tematic Clean Up Days combined
with proper installation of lightning
rods. will do much to eliminate the
partly preventable fires.
! Preparedness for the prevention OF
fires is Of much more Importance thar
preparedness for fighting fires, fol
the, fire prevented means the saving
of time and money. not only to the
owner of the property. but to the
workers therein who. in case of fire
would be thrown out Of work anc
lose weeks or months in wages, caus.