Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-09-26
FIRES IN U. S.
EVERY MINUTE
Due to CareIessness of Men Who
Heed Neither Warnings Nor
Experience
FIRE BELL CLANGS CONSTANTLY
Each cIang Announces That Useless
Waste Is Being Added to Burr
dens OF COMMUNICATIVE
Prevention Campaigns.

NIltdSV.-A1OIt tId1l tNO pJit-
half centuries have passed since the
great London fire. This fire was con-
sidered to have been an ''aet of God"
and lawyers have since drawn con-
tracts to relieve contracting parties of
any obligation that could not be full
filled because of an ''act of God"
No longer. however, do we charge
the Diety with causing CONGREGATIONS.
Humanity has progressed far enough
away from superstition to place the
blame where il belongs; that is, on the
carelessness, thoughtlessness or penny.
wise-pound foolish" policy of men who
haed neither warnings nor experience.
But humanity has not progressed far
enough to prevent recurrence of dis
astrous and death dealing fires.
In spite Of national, state and local
fire prevention campaigns and more or
less pointed legislation, fires rage in
the United States at the rate of one
every minute of every hour of every
day. The -clang of the fire bell never
ceases, sand each. elang announces that
useless waste is being added to the
burdens of the community.
$50 Losses Increase Yearly.
OF course, Il reason can readily be
found for the never ending Increase in
yearly fire losses. Each year more
buildings are constructed, contents in
crease, there are more people, and
both buildings and contents are worth
more in dollars and cents. But people
are no more careful.
The National Fire Protection asso-
citation devotes 365 days ont of the
year to fire prevention. Chambers of
Commerce, WOmens clubs and other
civic organizations give portion OF
their time to educating the public to
form those simple habits which in the
aggregate would greatly reduce the
innumerable number of small fires.
While all of this work is important
and valuable, experience has demon
strated beyond shadow of doubt
that these fires will continue and that
at any time one Of them may develop
into confagratiOn unless the one
great safety consideration becomes
general; namely, the construction OF
buildings that won't burn.
The pessimistic say there is no
such thing as a freproOf building
and cite az proof some flreproof build
Ing that has suffered fire damage.
What might have happened had the
Building not been freproof, or II
nsishbering buildings likewise had no
been freproof, Is left unanswered.
Ii can no more be expected that q
perfectly healthy tree will remain
healthy in an orchard of diseased trees
than that fireproof building will pass
through heavy fires in its cOmbustible
neighbors without damage. The fire
hazard of a fireproof building is found
almost entirely in combustible build
ings adjoining it.
Stops Spread of Fire.
This fact was driven home in 2
startling manner in the fire which de
stroyed an entire block near the site
Of the new Union station in Chicago
last spring. The Burlington Office
building was fireproof building but
the Six-story building across the street
was not. When the walls of the Aus
rim building, opposite the Burlington
building, fell into roaring inferno
the entire eastern side of the Burling
ton building above the ninth floor was
smOthered in a wave of gases of blast
furnace temperatures which melted.
wire glass and instantly ignited ever,
bit of combustible. material in the toI
six, stories of the building.
Building ordinances in cite,
throughout the country are being re-
vised, and an opportunity is thus af
forded to prevent The construction o.
anything but fireproof buildings with
in the main business district of ouI
cities and towns. Those who have
needed the warnings of fire prevention
experts, and who have sufficient re.
gard for protection of their own in
vestment and that of their neighbori
to build tireproof structures for them
selves have right to the protcstior
of laws prohibiting the construction
OF fire traps next to their fireprooi
buildings