Milford chronicle., 1957-10-11
TIME FOR FIRES

With cold weather approaching, it is well
to remind readers that notwithstanding
homes and property-will soon be occurring
much more frequently than during the sum-
mer months.
The loss of life and property from fires
in the United States is still staggering one,
and the average reader would be surprised
to know how many people who suffer dis
aster from fire do not have insurance to pro-
tect them from loss.
Speaking of rural citizens, it is often diff
cult to get adequate insurance of the farm
home at reasonable rates and, therefore,
many rural homes are not insured against
fire. And if a fire starts and gets out of
hand, the home is completely destroyed, as
there is usually not sufficient time to bring
In needed fire-fighting equipment.
Many fires are started by cigarettes If
you are a smoker, keep this in mind in the
coming months. Another major cause Of
fires consists of faulty chimneys, flues and
stoves. Faulty electrical wiring is also the
cause of many fires.
The main thing to remember, in seeking
to avoid a costly fire, is that one should be
careful with electricity, matches, stoves and
SO on. A few thoughts about this matter in
the next few months might prevent a do
mestic tragedy.
And, turning our attention to the forests
Of the United States, the monetary loss in
Cured from forest fires is tremendous each
year. These fires are sometimes started by
lightning as the reader knows, but more
often they are started by the same thing
which is responsible for most fires-care-
leSSneSS.
So whether you are in your own home
or in the woods this fall and winter, exer-
else great care and save your home, some
ones life, or perhaps millions of dollars in
natural resources.
&%@&S
EXCISE TAXES YIELD BILLIONS
Although there has been a constant and
persistant demand that excise taxes, levied
as a special war measure, be lowered, or
abolished altogether, it is interesting to
learn that these taxes netted the Federal
Treasury more than $10500, 100000 in the
1857 fiscal year, which ended June 80.
Nearly half of the total amount came
from whiskey, beer and cigarettes, but num-
erous other items accounted for szeable
shares. The biggest single revenue producer
was the excise tax on distilled spirits which
brought into the Golfers of Uncle Sam total
of $2,121, ,411,00O during the year. The tax
on beer netted another $763, 100000 and wine
was good for S88, 900 more.
Total tobacco taxes accounted for ST.
67405O,000 Most of this ,61O,9 908, ,00O-
was the tax on cigarettes. Surprising also is
the fact that snuff users contributed more
than 3500, 900 in taxes, while cigar smokers
kicked in early $45,000,000
Other items contributing to the huge
total included the tax matches, which put
nearly S6,000,00O in the Government TILL
while the sale of cameras, film and lenses
added almost S20,000,00O. The retailers ex-
else taxes on luggage, jewelry, furs and toilet
preparations brought in third of billion
dollars, with jewelry alone accounting for
56,6O4 900, or nearly half the total in that
category.
The tax on theater admissions during
fiscal 1857 was worth more than STE, 900, 900
and another $54,OOOO0O was collected in
taxes on club dues and initiation fees.
These are a few of the many items on
which the Government has levied excise
taxes. When one considers the total amount
of revenue the Government receives from
this source it can be seen why Congress is
not too anxious to abolish, or even to lower,
the excise taxes. Some other source of rev.
enue would of course, have to be substituted.
O&@&&
OIL PROGRESS WEEK
You'll be hearing lot about oil during
the October 1919 period. That is when the
1857 Oil Progress Week will be observed,
and the oil men will make their report to
the nation they serve.
We live in a nation on Wheels-and oil
makes all those wheels turn. There is car
for every three Americans, and today there
are more than 181,7O0 service stations to
meet the vast needs Of motoring America
And gasoline is real bargain. Since 1925,
its cost has risen only 12.1 per cent-far
less than for most commodities. On top of
that, quality has markedly improved, to the
point where today's premium gasoline is
comparable to the aviation fuels used in
World War H.
of a revolution that has transformed the
arts of tilling the soil. A century ago, when
Oil-powered machinery didn't exist, one far
mer could produce enough to feed five peo-
pie. Now he can produce enough to feed 10.
The list of valuable products in daily use
that derive from oil literally runs into the
thousands. The gamut is extraordinarily var
ied-from cosmetics to medicines to syn
thetics and so on. New ones are constantly
being found in the research laboratories