The Topeka state journal., 1921-12-31

'Topeka. in 1920 was $73,322.91.
-ITp to December 1, there had been
paid out in insurance during the year.
a total of $1O9,075.80. This leaves
loss uncovered, up to the same date,
OF s35,3S9.75.
Most Alarms This Month.
There were turned in during the
wear. up to noon on December 80, a
total of G42 alarms. December had
already broken the record for the
wear. with 9S alarms. The nearest ap-
proach to the December record was
that Of October, during which there
were 81 alarms.
The number of alarms turned in, by
months was: January, 81; February.
60: March. As; April, 40; May, 81 ;
June 27; July. 2S; August, Al; Sep
-reDber. 43: October 81; November,
December Cup to noon December
sg) 9S.
The heaviest losses will occur in
December and August, with December
leading on account of the fire at the
Rose Trunk factory-the heaviest loss
OF the year. The peak reached in
August was due to the 100000 loss
on the First Methodist church.
The lowest first loss for any one
month was that which occurred dur
ing July-$1, ,01S.25. The total
amount of property endangered by
fire during the year was valued at
S1,S36.96S.
Sparks Lead Among Causes.
Among the causes Of fires, the
sparks from chimneys lead with a
tatal Of 81 blazes up to December 80
False alarms came neXt-forty of
them. Trash and rubbish fires and
short circuits tied for third place with
rhirty-cicht fires each. Many of the
short circuits were in motor cars.
Fires resulted from unknown causes
Iu thirty six cases during the yea.
C-rlessncss was directly charg 81
= tsn starting fires to the number of
ser nteen during the year.
EAiidren and matches form a bad
combination. which caused a total of
T uctee1 fires during the year. The
la"st extra ordinary source of a blaze
a. ed in the records of the city fire
sEel was Grow and matches"
fire which the crow was instru
u.- tai in starting occurred on the
Irorniug of August so, in the home of
Au@ustin Alba at 400 Monroe street,
ih resulting damage of S35 to the
co teuts of the house.
Fireworks Caused Only One Fire.
There was but one fire as a result
Of fireworks I'm Topeka during 1921.
And this fire. instead Of occurring on
July 4 occurred on July 3, and caused
CamaEe 10 the amount of $1S. The
cigar and cigarette butts which fur
Tish forth so convenient an alibi.
sand charged with haXing started
Cuty-twu fires during the year. Two
of the fires occurred on the street
cr~ brid ge across the Kaw river.
There were g. tx fires OF incendiary
origin during the year. according to
tho records in the office of the fire
marshal. Defective wiring is charged
W. p seventeen fires and defective
chimueys and flues with fifteen.
J.! mining caused three fires.
The total loss will not be exactly
l-I WIN for some months It some
times requires six months for the
'.-ner7 and the insurance adjusters
agree ON the damage done by Il
Iirp
The fires caused by sparks from
cHimneys occurred in far greater
numbers during the cold months, than
during the summer. The explanation,
of course. is in the larger number of
stoves and furnaces which are going
during the winter months. and in the
fact that the roofs have been dry
thru the past fan.
Tho heaviest days work done by the
49, par,ment during the year was on
y rember "a. when total of thirteen
Alarms were received at the fire sta
ton.
There were 532 alarms turned fr.
during 1920 which shows a gain Of
no alarms for this year, over the rec