Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-10-02
ENORMOUS LOSS
FROM FLAMES
Many Millions Could Be Saved BY
Carefulness and Caution

Seldom does the editorial g e
scoop the news columns. This is
an exception. A tremendous disas-
ter occurred today. Property valued
at s1,466.744.44 was wiped out and
Al persons lost their lives by fire.
The destruction proceeded continu-
uosly through the "a hours; every
lhour SCI lis. 00-every minute. ST.
01S.59-every second, $16.97 was
wiped out.
This is another way of stating what
the National Board OF Fire Under
writer's, the highest authority on the
subject. tells us-namely, that our
national annual fire loss is $535,372,-
1872.
What this means may be compre-
hended from few comparisons. Our
annual production of gold and silver
is $103,119, 741-less than one-flfth |
of our annual fire loss. AS a people,
we produce the wealth of 81 ,90O,2S7,-
900 in our 1922 corn crop; but we
wasted more than % per cent of that
amount by fire. Our 1922 cotton
crop amounted to $1.192, 461, 900; |
our fire loss was A per cent of that
sum- In 1923 we paid our govern
ment internal revenues, excluding in
come and inheritance taxes totaling
1850. We wasted by fire the
same year more than half again as
much as Uncle Sam collected in these
revenues.
What is the cause of this loss? Fire
department chiefs, insurance actua-
ries and other experts tell us that rs
per cent of our fires are partly or
wholly preventable, the results of one
form or another of carelessness.
Carelessness is certainly to be de-
nounced. But it is a delusion to
: think that the time ever will come
when it will not be necessary to fore
stall the results of carelessness.
The fundamental cause of combus-
ton is combustibility. And the way
is to build fire-safe. We must either
admit that we build to burn" or
accept the challenge of the new slo-
gan, Build Fire-safe."
1t is possible for the average home
builder to accept this challenge. The
development of modern building ma
terials makes it possible for even the
most modest home to be built fire.
! safe. For instance, fireproof gypsum
wallboard may be used in place of
; highly inflammable pulp. paper or
fibre wallboards. A fireproof sheath
! ing of non-metallic mineral may be
used as a sheathing or stucco backing
to protect the wood studding of the
frame. A fireproof gypsum lath may
! be substituted for tinder-like wood
lath.
These are only examples of the pro-
lection offered the home builder by
the modern materials manufacturer.
Gypsum is only one Of several nom
metallic minerals that may be used
to encase and protect the wooden
parts of building Portland cement
! concrete, asbestos, slate terra Gotta,
lime and other mineral compositions
also make it possible to build fire.
economically.
: This is the lesson of National Fire
Prevention Week. The National
Conference on Home Building, which
met recently in Chicago. went on
record as according preference to
fire-resistant methods and materials
in the construction of American
homes and dwellings," What the ex-
Iperts advise the public can adopt.
Build Fire-Safe" not only means a
reduction of our S535,372,7S2 an
nual fire loss; 1t means fundamental
and economical insurance to the life
and property of every home builder.