The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-10-10
Twenty Million Dollars Year Goes
Up in Smoke From Fires
That Might Have Been
-. Avoided With Proper
Care.

National Fire Prevention Week is
to be observed October 2-9. .
:. It's object is to call attention to
the vast annual loss by fires which
might have been prevented, and to
emphasize the necessity Of safe
guards against future fires. The Ma.
tion's total fire loss is estimated ct
$4,000 lives and $50o,oo0,ooo in
property each year.
According to the statistics Of the
National Board of Fire Underwrit-
;ers, there were 1926 fires on farms
Ia a single year-1918-and the es-
timated loss was $1s,166,710. That
means that 1926 rural families in
1918 suffered loss in degrees varying
from slight damage to the loss OF
home, live stock and, in many cases,
human life.
Farmers, and all persons in rural
communities, we'll may join in the
observance of fire prevention week,
both individually and in public ga
therings, such as schools, churches,
and farm organizations, says Henry
&c, Wallaefi secretary of agriculture.
Farm fires cost about s2o,00o,000
a year-s1s,1ss,71o in, 1913. OF the
fires that year, 33 per cent. were
from causes classed as preventable,
81 per cent. from partly preventable
causes, and 80 per cent, unknown
but believed to have been largely
preventable. With Inadequate IRE
fighting equipment ON farms, fires
are hard to control. Prevention is the
best way to deal with them.
Defective chimneys and fues took
toll to the extent of $1,962,031; {;
sparks on roofs, S1,1s1,171; careless
use of matches by smokers and 9th
ers, s1,o71,ss7; petroleum and its
products, s7s2,o67; and stoves, fur
naces, boilers, and their pipes
ss74, 1868.
The largest item listed as partly
preventabfe is lightning, $3,933.950.
Fire Prevention Week should be
made a special time for looking over
the premises to see that the buildings
are in the best practicable shape to
prevent and resist fire; that infam-
:nable rubbish is cleared away; and
that habits of safety are instilled in
the handling of matches, lamps,
stoves, and kerosene and gasoline.
z Gasoline has come to play such an
part in farm life That spe-
'cial care should be taken to see that
il is not stored in infammable build
2ings, and is never opened in the pres
.enceu of uncovered fame.
+. Fire Prevention Week ends on the
semi-centennial Of the great Chica-
go fire. While occurring in a great
city, the traditional cause of this fire
as one which is liable to occur in the
3country-the upsetting of lantern
IN stable. If lanterns must be used
in barns, they should be kept in good
condition, set or hung in a safe place
and never filled, or lighted in the
barn.
Numerous disastrous fires arg
tsused by thrashing machines, both
by scattered sparks and embers and
by dust explosions in the separators.
All smokestacks should. have spark
arresters, and the ground around the
boiler should be kept clear and wet
down if necessary. Grain dust .explo-
sions are largely preventable. The
United States Department of Agri-
culture has made exhaustive studies
Of the subject and is prepared to re-
command adequate safeguards.
& Serious losses are caused by
sparks from locomotives, which ig-
mite dry wooden shingle roofs and
start many fires in straw, stubble
and grass during dry seasons. If
railroad runs through the farm, it
will pay to plow few burrows along
the right of way as a fire break.
Kerosene lamps should be exam
ined to see that the burners are in
good condition, and should never be
left where they may be upset. Kero-
sene and gasoline receptacles should
be kept apart and should be so diff
farent as to avoid nossibility of