Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-25
CARE Of CHIMNEY
FLUES IMPORTANT
As FIRE CAUTION
"Fireman" Says Fire Fight
erS Lost a Good Friend
in Passing of the 0Id-time
Chimney Sweep
BY THE FIREMAN

Bl LIE IlAAIA4NtA-N
The fire departments Of the
nation lost genuine friend
some years ago. when the old
time chimney sweep passed out
Of the picture. His passing was
due to various causes but the
only point of interest to the fire.
man is that he follows his call
ing no more.
The old-time chimney sweep
was indeed n picturesque fig
ure. How the urchlns used to
watch him with awe, as they saw
him at work on a chimney on
top OF residence How they
envied him the privilege of
climbing atop the slanting roof,
with no stern parental "nay!'
And how that awe was increased
rs they saw him working on top
Of the highest buildings-then
four or five stories high.
The sounding of his shrill
whistle or his vibrant "Ye Ho"
eall was the signal for children
10 troop from their homes to
follow the black clad figure, with
a black hat three feet high
perched jauntily atop his thatch.
The black hat tapered TO a point
MT the top, after the fashion of
he Ounce cap" used in the
schools of that day to punish
pupils who had failed to learn
their lessons.
How the children would follow
him as he proceeded on his
rounds! Then they would gaze
open-mouthed as he worked his
long pole up and down, or
manipulated the pulley and rope,
with an old sack on the end,
which he used for the high"
buildings.
But the chimney sweep lives
only in the memories of those
who were children in his time.
The picturesque figure, the little
cart with two or three old lad
ders and the other necessary Bp-
purtanences of his trade are but
Il misty memory-as memories of
even the picturesque from child
hood become misty to the
''grown-ups."
The figure of the chimney
sweep was a picturesque one-to
the children. But his occupation
was q messy one. And with his
passing chlmneys IRE often neg
iected. For the householder
does not relish the task of hand
ling SCOT.
Yet keeping the chimney clean
is essential in fire protection and
prevention. Flues should be
cleaned at least twice a year and
oftener If the stove begins TO
throw back smoke or does not
draw we'll. Smoke coming back
or a bad draft is a certain indi-
cation of a dirty flue and the
lone cure is to clean the flue out.
The best method of cleaning
1s TO take down the stove pipes,
where there are pipes, and clean
the pipes out if they need clean
ing. Close all the flue holes
tightly so no SCOT can escape
through crevices. Then take al
long pole, long enough to reach
from the roof to the flue. tie an
old sack or bundle of rags on
The end and swab up and down
until all SCOT has been freed
from the sides. The chimney may
he cleaned in this manner in a
surprisingly short space of time.
The SCOT which is not gathered
on the swab win drop to the
bottom.
In case the building is one of
more than one story the best
method is TO place a number OF
stones in a canvas sack, a double
gunny sack or something similar
which will stand both wear and
weight Tie a rope OF the re-
quired length on this sack and
then work it up and down the
chimney from top to bottom.
After finishing be sure none
of the bricks have loosened or
fallen out Of the chimney.
After the chimney has been
cleaned care should be exer-
cised in opening the flue at the
bottom. This should be done
gradually, so that all the SCOT
and dirt will not come out at
once. Finally, the dirt should
all be carefully removed from
the bottom.
Burning out a flue is far easier
than this method, But 1t is pro-
portionately more dangerous.
Many fires have been caused by
The burning out of flues and the
= fire loss of one is frequently far
more costly than the value of
lime and labor expended in
dozen years of the slower, but
far safer, method of cleaning.
it is almost a physical impos-
sibility to determine the condi-
lion of flue excepting for one
who has seen the flue built or
knows its construction. Even
then only an estimate may be
formed. And even the best are
not built for fires inside them.
Their function is to carry smoke
out Of the building and if there
is the slightest crack in brick or
cement it is only question of
time until the heat will so ex-
panded that the flame in burning
out of flues licks through to
start serious fire.
Fire danger does not exist
solely for the building in which
The flue is built. There is the
grave danger of sparks, especial
~ in W dry climate. The sparks
may drop to the roof of the
building whence they come or
may be carried on the wind to
other buildings. Several Of the
largest fires in the United States
during the past five years have
been caused in this manner and
in them entire residential dis
tricts have been wiped out.
DEER HUNTER SHOT
Marshfield, Ore. Dec. "a
While hunting deer near here last
night M. Martin saw the spotlight