New Britain herald., 1924-09-30
PAINTS PICTURE
 0F LOSS BY FIRE
T. Alfred Fleming Speaks to
 Combined Civic Societies


 States last year you could pave a roadway running 400 miles west from New Britain, at a cost of l s25,000 a mile, divide 1t into 50 foot building lots, put house cost ing s5,oOo on each lot on both sides of he street, equip 1t with furn- ture costing s2.500, build garage on the same lot for $500 and place therein an automobile costing s1,- 900, take $2,b00 for each family fora years running expenses and $500 for vacation and you'd still have s1s,742,oO0 left" ..- The foregoing statement was made at joint meeting of the Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis clubs and the Chamber of Commerce at the Burritt hotel today, by T. Alfred Fleming, chairman of the commit tee on fire prevention week, of the National Fire Protective association, chairman of the national fire waste council of the United States Cham Der of Commerce and a member of the national board of fire under writers. N
 He told his hearers that when he stood in front of the Colingwood school and saw 173 children and three teachers burned to death he began his personal fight against fire waste.
 MT. Fleming began his address by paying a glowing tribute to two local officials. He said Miss Mary E. Curtin, was the only woman Chamber of Commerce secretary in the country and that he as a mem Der of the United States Chamber of Commerce had heard her and her activities spoken of all over the United States and in at least two places In Canada. He also stated that at a recent convention of fire chiefs, the man among 1,400 who seemed the most keenly interested in securing fire protection for his own city was Chief William J. No- ble, of New Britain. T never saw a man as much interested as Chief Noble" he said. The official re- ferred to occupied an adjoining seat at the speakers table.
 Speaking of the fire situation he said Seventy y-eight schools in California burned this year. six burned during the last week. In the last year 14,542 people were burned to death and 16,212 were injured, putting out of commission or in their graves a city of SO,754 persons because of carelessness or | ignorance in not knowing the things that go to make for safety. "Eighty-three per cent of these persons were mothers, little chill dren under the school age and old people in homes and institutions, those whom we have been pledged to protect. Nineteen babies were burned in one year in one city be- fore open fireplaces because the people didn't know hreplaces are dangerous without screens,
 Eighty-seven per cent of the property loss and 92 per cent of the fires where loss of life occurs are preventable.
 Last year there was in this country & s5oS,s4o.ooo fire loss. You say the insurance companies pay for this. Yes, but they make ] you pay for 1t tomorrow. It is the man who buys food to eat shoes for his feet and clothes fo. 's back that pays the cost of fire loss eventually.
 "Our fire tax is 14 times greater than all the countries of Europe, because we are just fearing how to build. If we had learned years ago more about fire prevention Chief Noble wouldn't be troubled so much now with chimney fires, shingle roofs and careless wiring"
 The speaker advocated a personal liability law in this country and Canada such as exists in Europe. Where fire occurs from causes 1 known to be Carelessness after the | fire officials have warned the pro- perty owner, then the latter is H. able for his neighbours fire loss. He quoted a verse from the Bible in which he said the old law of Moses spoke about the man who set fire to his neighbours wheat field and concluded with the statement, "He ! that kindleth the fire must make ] restitution"
 When the United States and , Canada make up their minds to hold [ an owner responsible for fire losses due to conditions he has known to exist, then our insurance rates will so down." he said.
 lover S1 per cent of the losses from business fires last year were due to unprotected vertical and hori- | zontal openings, and elevator shafts. Seventy-six per cent of the fires start { in the basement and are scattered throughout the buildings by open elevator shafts Wire screen glass and metal shaft would prevent this"
 He showed how 6 fire gets rapid headway through a one story frame factory building and explained how fire doors would prevent it. He ad- vocated each man present taking 30 minutes to show members of his family what policy to pursue in case of a fire, how to turn In an alarm by box or phone. He spoke of the frame house with shingle roof as a fire hazard" waiting for a Nagrant spark to put the little family out of existence. "Ninety-two per cent Of the schools in the United States are in the same physical condition for fire prevention that the Collingwood school was," he said,
 He explained how some houses are built so that the chimney forms part of the support of the house, joist resting on the chimney. The change of seasons causes the plaster