The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-08-31
| ARES REFLECT
DEPRESSED TIMES
Fire Marshals Report
Shows Arson Is De-
creasing
|rIRB OVER INSURANCE
ryery Citizen Responsible for
Care of His Own
Property

VI
OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 3o--A
.rycy Of economic conditions In
0,ahuma is contained in the annual
t4por' of John Connally, state fire
rarshal, made public here today.
s1ce business depression and eco
.1mie conditions generally are re-
,,cici In the work of the depart
-,rt Mr. Connally says. His report
s IN the hands of the printer.
Business conditions In 1920 were
sShtly more depressing than in
AL according to the report which
4olsa total fire loss In oklahoma
IA s5,S03,S0s.S0 for 1920, compared
TtS g. 9ST,O26.9i in 1919. The most
Ssp-es. ing period in oklahoma since
Ss,ehnpd, according TO the fire
usrshais comparisons, was in 1917,
wb,ch Sb,55b.656.67 represented the
fire loss in the state.
Tho OutlCsk for the year Is bright,
,,sording TO Connally, who stated
IA, the number OF arson cases so
.r Is much less than in the same
beriod last year.
f@Ths entire business OF reflection
a, hard times can be shown moro
clearly in reports Of arson and
,hlnk eventually the state can be ria
~ -hp man who hurrs his home 70
collect the insurance. COnrolly says
IN his report. "When time get hard
no continues, "thc unprinctpled man
bsrins Immediately to think or a
ga, easy to make money, seemingly,
snd he burns his home or his busi,
ss- house to the ground to collect
the insurance. 49,
boma who attempted to burn their
bornes and were prosecuted for ar
son In 1920. the report shows. There
Ueref. wer cases in 1919, but in 1917
spproximatcly 1l5 arson prosecu-
tons were made.
Limit the Insurance.
"All Of these fire causes may be
checked" Conually says, and one
N the most effective means is by an
educational campaign. Textbooks are
being placed in Oklahoma schools by
This deuartment. in cooperation with
Inc board of education, and the fTe
departments Of the state are Wing
.trained now so that their principal
,STnrk is that OF inspection and pre-
vention."
The work OF tho tirebug is being
checked materially by the insurance
departmont of the state. according
TO Connally who says that this de-
partmcnt, by seeing that a building
* not insured beyond its true value,
eliminates the cause for fires by the
owners.
"The community should he anxious
to rid Itself OF tho insurance agent
who attempts to swell his commits
sion by accepting heavy risks and
oyer-insuring buildings, for he is
one cause OF arson attempts Con-
nolly says
There were 1913 fires In Okla
hona in 1920. which were of enough
import to be called to the attention
Of the state fire marshal, his re-
port says. sixty per cent OF these
were caused by personal careless
ness, the report states. There were
l02 deaths, many of which could
have been prevented, according TO
Connally. who SAYS he believes they
will be prevented this year because
ot the more complete knowledge be-
Ing gained from fire prevention.
A The Carelcssly thrown cigar or
haret Is given credit for starting 76
yes Of the 1913, while defective
,kes were credited as the cause for
" fires; y,,o,, vo,. o,,, ,,,os
III people would pay more atten-
ton TO safeguarding their own homes
instead of decrying the mcnaccs
they sec in the homes OF their neigh
bors, or in the way their neighbor
lights his pipe, | believe more fires
would be prevented" Connallv said.
not that it isn't good thing TO
have people checking up on each
Nher's risks, however" he said.
oil and gas fires were third on
t'e list Of causes totaling lO6 Two
hNdred siXty-scvcn fires wero
started from unknown causes.
Fireworks no longer are the men
ace they once were, only three fires
oeing started in 1920 from this
cause
People fear lightning. but only
less than one Of every 100 fires was
started hy lighting in oklahoma.
Twelve from this cause were re-
ported
One foundry fire was reported in
the year while $40 dwellings, l43
store buildings, and 35 banks were
consumed in flames.
stone and concrete buildings
seemed 10 afford the best protection,
~ tras being reported from such
telNdings, while 40 were reported
rom corrugated iron, 23o from
SSi.eN' and S29 from frame buildings.
'"'y were Of mixed construction.
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