Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-03
CLEANUP DRIVE
TOPREvENT FIRE
WiImingtonians Are Busy This
Week In AboIIshlng
Fire Hazards.

with the formal ushering In Of Fire
Prevention Week. taking place yester-
day. houscholdcrs all over the city
are now busily engaged In transform
ing their homes into spotless places
where there is not the least danger Of
the little fire demon finding refuge.
Cleanliness, sclf-protection and self
respect are words that are closely re-
lated. Accordingly when some one
conceived tho idea OF having a week
set aside In Wilmington for fire pre-
vention. II was only natural that the
idea OF having a clean and respect
able city. as we'll as a safe one. free
from rubbish piles and other fire haz-
ards. was introduced.
Ono of the most important features
Of "clcantng-up" is having all the
woodwork I'm house painted. At a
comparatively small price, house,
holders can do much to beautify their
homes by having the woodwork re-
painted. both inside and out.
According to persons who make a
speciality OF psychology. the condition.
furniture, wallpaper. etc. in home
has a great affect on the occupants.
This affect can be either for good or
evil. Fer instance when a tired man
returns from his days work in the
evening, he does not want to find
everything in disorder. dishes unwash-
ed, furniture disarranged, etc. and IL
such conditions exist he Is very likely
TO be in a bad humor.
What the Fire Department wishes
80 bring home especially to the people
Of Wilmington Ia the necessity for
having no rubbish piles. or imam
mable material, collect about a house
or yard. These are the principal IRE
hazards in all cities at the present
cine. Frequently a ire OF this kind
results in the burning OF several build
angs at one time
The cleaning OF chimneys Is a fall
duty--a disagreeable one at that--and
now is the time to attend TO this I'M
,fortant piece OF work. As each fall
rolls. around the newspapers In all
cities carry stories reporting fires that
have been caused by chimneys full OF
eoot. Before people are aware Of II
the weather becomes cold enough to
ACANnS hhSs AhN ~ OANSa HeRPohs
shat tho blaze Ia started without even
. thought OF whether or not the chin
0ey is free from SCOT.
Fall housekeeping affords a splen-
hid opportunity for the thrifty house.
Keeper to abolish fire hazards. BY
taking UP the rugs, she can see L
1t that no matches are lodged beneath
chem. 1t often happens in house,
fwhere gas is used for lighting and
heating purposes that matches vii
In some manner drop to the floor ant
then get swept over to the space be
tween the wall and the rug.
Fire hazards are usually plentiful II
Abe average cellar. There is bound I.
be a mass OF rubbish collect in tn
cellar. II one is not extremely watch
ful. II one OF the kitchen chairs sud
denly gives way, 1t IL consigned I'm
mediately-and most likely per
manently-to the cellar. The sam
disposition is made OF other thing
which outlive their uselessness, an
the result IL a fine collection of in
dammable material in the cellar
"We,l burn It UP when 1t comes tim
to start the furnace" is the usual ex
cuse given. but oftentimes II finds
way OF Ats own to burn before tina
time.
Practically all residents OF the cit,
ere using this week as a time to clea,
up as the preparatory step to the pre-
vention OF fires. One can't be don
without the other. for no home tina
has pile OF rubbish or dirt in tn
backyard can be called safe frou
IRE.