The Washington herald., 1922-07-02
ENORMOUS Loss
BY FIRES SHOWN
In BOARD SURVEY
Housing Destroyed Woul
Care for 100000 Per-
sons, Report Says.
CRUSADE BEGUN
Fire-Resisting Roofing De-
clared AS Being Good
Preventive.
CRUSADE BEGUN

During the f1ve years, 1916 to 1920
Americans have been burning UP
property at the rate Of ss34,544.535
a year, says the National Board of
Fire Underwriters, which has been
making a study of more than 3.000.-
900 fires occurring within that time.
The total loss for the period OF
n,672.722. ST. would. according to
engineering authorities, be sufi-
Client to build $4,000 dwellings at
$4,000 each-enough housing to care
for 100000 persons. This is
equivalent to the combined popula-
tion of Connecticut, Nevada and
Wyoming.
The figures show that the value
OF property destroyed by fire COM
municated through the roof was
s223,OO0,O00. Study of these and
similar figures are leading to dras-
tic changes in fire regulations IN
many cities of the country. Roof
fires are among those considered
easily preventable and steps are
being taken with that end in view.
49, department records in many
cities show that about 40 per cent
of all confagrations have resulted
from sparks and flaming embers
carried by high winds to the roofs
or nearby buildings. 1t is declared
that II proper care had been exer-
cised and fire-resistant roofing ma
terials used when these buildiAgs
were erected most OF the losses
would have been averted.
In the early part of last year the
citizens of indianapolis began a
campaign of fire prevention. Be
fore the campaign was launched
city officials Joined with represen-
tatives of the Indianapolis Chamber
Of Commerce in gathering informa-
tion. A fire prevention campaign
has been conducted in Cincinnati,
where IL was found there had been
l.s72 fires during 1920. Indianap-
oils had suffered 3.465 conhagra-
tions the same year. notwithstand-
Ing that the Hoosier Capital was
then only half as large as Cincin-
natl and had approximately only
one-halt her property valuation. Gin
Cinnati had only Sc roof fires that
year. while indianapolis had 1.4oO.
The net results of the Indianapoll,
campaign for fire-safe roofs was !,
reduction in 1921 of s55O,OOO in
losses and $50 in the number OF
fires. of 1.199 fires in INDIANAPOLIS
reported by Fire Chief O'Brten. of
shat city. in 1922, $50 were still
directly chargeable to infammable
roofing. New York City and Chi
Ca=o were the only cities leading
Ind annapolis in the number Of fires
In the year 1911" says Fire Chief
OBrien, Indianapolis had a fire loss
Of somewhat over 100000 and a
total OF less than 100 nre alarms
This fire loss has increased by leans
and bounds year after year, until
we reached a loss Of more than
sl.SOO.00O in 1920. with a grand total
Of 3,465 fires" The increasa in fires
he says, necessitated the constant
enlargement of the fire department.
until the cost of maintenance
reached s1.00o,O0o a year. An ordi-
nance has been introduced In the
Indianapolis City Council providing
for the elimination of all wooden
shingle roofs within eight years.
Fire-resistant shingles are usu-
ally manufactured of rag felt. thor
oughly saturated with asphalt On
top of this Is placed q heavy coat
Ing OF harder asphalt. which thor
Oughly waterproofs the shfnele and
Into which is rolled mineral matter
such as crushed slate or feldspar
colored green. gray. red or brown
as desired. This roofing Is much
less infiammable than the wooden
shingle and its use is now permitted
On restricted districts in which