Oxford Democrat., 1921-10-18
SOUTH PARIS MAINE, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1921
To Reduce Farm Flre Losses.

Farm -Hres cost about SzO,OU,VVU
year-$18. 168, ITO In 1918. or the fire
that year 33 per cent were from cause
olsssed as preventable, 81 per cent from
partly preventsble causes, and so pc
cent unknown but believed to have beeI
largely preventable. With inadequst,
If1re-fghting equipment on farms, fire.
are hard to control. Prevention ID thl
best way to deal with them.
Defective chimueys and fues took toll
to the extent of 1892 ,031; sparks or
roofs, $1,1S1, Ill; careless use OF matcheI
by smokers and others, 81 OIL 1857; petro
leum and its products, 1882, ,067; and
stoves, furnaces, boilers, and their pipes
$674, 1888.
The largest item listed as partly pre-.
ventable is lightning, $S,933, $50.
Gasoline has come to play such an i'm.
portant part In farm life that special
care should be taken to see that 1t is not
stored In inflammable buildings, and is
never opened In the presence Of uncov.
cred fame.
Numerous disastrous fires are caused
by threshing machines, both by scattered
sparks and embers and by dust explo-
sions In The separators. All smoke
stacks should have spark arresters, and
the ground around the boiler should be
kept clear and wet down If necessary.
Grain dust explosions are largely pre-
ventable. The United States Depart
ment of Agriculture has made exhaust
i've studies of the subject and Is pre-
pared to recommend adequate safe
guards.
Serious losses are caused by sparks
from locomotives, which ignite wooden
shingle roofs aud start many fires 10
straw, stubble, and grass during dry sea-
sons. II q railroad runs through the
farm, It will pay to plow few burrows
along the right OF way as fire break.
Kerosene lamps should be examined
to see that the burners are In good con-
diti0n, and should never be left where
they may be upset. Kerosene and gaso.
line receptacles should be kept apart and
should be 80 different "a to avoid pos
sibility Of q mistake.
Ordinary friction matches should be
Kept In safe receptaoles, away from chill
dren, and never carried loose. Smoking
In barns and garages never should be
permitted. Fire marshals OF western
states report greater fire losses In grain
and straw the past season from careless.
ly thrown matches, engine sparks and
and tractor bsckflre, than
ever before.
Buildings may be made safer by seeing
that the ohimneys are without cracks
and free OF. SCOT, which may take fire
and scatter sparks on dry roofs. Flues
which may become hot should be GOV.
cred with asbestos and any nearby walls
and ceilings protected. There should
be sheet OF metal under every stove.
Out Of ell the losses by lightning, not
one was on building protected by light
ming rods. II is now definitely known
that lightning rods afford protection.
II installed intelligently they reduce the
risk from lightning almost to the vanish
ing point.
Public schools may we'll devote an
hour or afternoon to special fire pre-
vention program. Some prominent citi-
zen could be called in for talk. Essays
and perhaps playlet by the children
would help impress the matter on their
minds. Some schools already have q
weekly 10 minute lesson on fire preven-
tion. The plan is admirable.
Meetings Of farm organizations are
proper occasions for fire
prevention programs. These organiza-
tions frequently have q fire insurance
and every fire loss means larger
premiums for the mutual insurance asso-
Citations.
The lesson of fire prevention should
be taken to every rural home and COM
munity. Precautionary measures will
do much to cut down q loss that takes
of dollars out of the possession
of rural Americans every year and leaves
nothing In its place. Prevention Is bet
ter than regret.