Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-16
NERVES COST THE
TAXPAYERS $500
PER MONTH IN 1921
Ordinance, Shifting Cost to
Citizens Responsible for
Fire Alarms, Cure.

Shaky nerves of some citizens Of In
dianapolis cost the taxpayers $500 per
month during the first five months CT
1921
Here are figures to prove It Assist
ant Fire Chief S. C. Hoyle estimates
that it costs the city an average of $50
every time the fire department responds
to an alarm. During January, February
March, April and May the department an
swered an average of ten alarms per
month the causes for which are listed in
reports of captains and Heutenants in
command of companies which responded
as scare" The cost probably is much
higher than these figures show because
the department answers a number of
other alarms which might be classified
under the same heading.
FIRES ORIGINATE
FROM FOOLISH CAUSES.
The reports show that the city Is COM
PEELED to spend thousands Of dollars an.
nually to send fire apparatus in answer
to calls which either are wholly unneces.
sary or to put out fires the causes OK
which are so foolish as to cause amuse.
ment were the possibilities for damages
in such blazes not so serious.
man was locked out of his apart
ment He turned in a fire alarm SO he
could get a ladder to climb into a win-
dow. The taxpayers paid $50 because ha
had forgotten his key.
Seven companies and the headquarters
squad dashed madly to a frebox only to
find that an automobile in a garage was
smoking. Somebody thought the place
was on fire. The taxpayers footed the
bill, which in this case was more than
$50 because this figure is based upon a
run of two bumpers and one ladder
truck, the number which usually responds
to an alarm.
A can of strip on a stove caught on
fire and the taxpayers paid $50 to put it
out. N
INEXCUsABLE
eau 5ES GIVEN.
The list could be extended indefinitely
but here are some Of the most inexcur-
able causes listed in the fire report:
Rags on muffler, smoking furnace.
gasoline in street, back fire in auto meat
burning in gas oven, gas jet near Taper,
gas stove near bed, pan of greese on
stove paper over flue hole, pot of pruncs
on stove, smoking meat smoking stove,
coal oil poured on stove, burning greese
in range. fire box pulled when police
wanted, paper near stove, shingles laying
on furnace, bag Of nuts set near furnace,
basket of walnuts on furnace pipes, cleo
trio iron, furnace. pipe fell down.. kindling
near furnace, paper on furnace, smoking
CRATE. smoking fue. smoking furnace,
stove fell down, thawing pipe fumigating
gasoline and bed bugs, lighted match in
closet, lighted match while filing auto
tank, pot of glue, ice box leaking caus-
ing short circuit, smoking in bed, smok-
ing lice in hen house, tarpaulin near
smoke pipe, towel on gas stove, electric
globe in bed, explosion of energine, In
on hat and Iirht Dicfura sore
Jacob H. Hilkene, chief of the division
of fire prevention, said he is in favor OF
city ordinance compelling citizens to
pay the cost of putting fire out when It
is clearly proven that it was due to their
negligence. A number of cities have sucss
a law and the number of fires caused oy
carelessness has been diminished he said.