Year: 1874

such slender walls, and such gaping
creyices in chimney and hue, that
the wonder only is that the fire
comes so seldom when it is so con-
stantly invited. This evil is by no
means confined to the humber class
Of structures. In some respects, and
these such as reasonable caution
and trivisl outlay expansion of
towns in preparation for a popula-
ton and a prosperity which has neY-
er come, or coming has departed.
Buildings in such localities, usually
heavily mortgaged, and either badly
occupied or not occupied at al, are
not desirable property, and often the
usurer is the only cash purchaser
available.


The haste with which new towns
spring up and grow into cities pre-
vents on the part Of the underwater
that thorough knowledge Of both the
character of the risks and of the ap-
plicants, which is an essential safe
guard against the unwitting offer Of
a premium on incendiarism. This
one fact places our underwriters at
great disadvantage as compared with
those of other countries, and the
disadvantage of the underwater is
here, to a greater or less extent the
peril Of the community.


The greater difficulty in this eOun-
try in detecting and Furnishing the
crime of arson than exists under the
police systems of the old world, con
tributes in no small degree to make
life and property insecure. In some
countries Of Europe the cause Of eV-
cry fire is investigated, and the un-
derwriter is prohibited from paying
until the fire Is shown to have been
an honest one. The rule being i'm
partial, the rule damages neither
the reputation nor the business Of
the insured. In this country, close
investigation into the cause Of fire
is seldom made, iuries regard them
with disfavor. This indirect but
powerful encouragement Of incendi-
arism much increases the frequency,
and much more the destructiveness
of fires; for when the origin Of the
fire is ineendiary, the material is ex-
pressly prepared not only to kindle,
but to burn. The remedy for this
prolific source of loss by fire is clear
ly within our reach.


The readiness with which new in
ventions and discoveries are adopted
into general use in this country, Is
not without its measure Of influence
in increasing the hazard Of fire.
Steam has come into almost uniVer-
sal use. Railways shoot along our
thoroughfares, and engine fires burn
day and night beneath stately struc
ture and open street. Patent heat
ing and lightning eontriyances are in
constant use by people who have nei-
ther the sense to regulate nor to fear
them. Lueifer matches Vindicate
t-eir title by playing the deVil' in
improper places and careless hands
New chemical products and com
0inations, the properties and posi-
bilities of which are but little known,
enter into every process Of manu-
facture and make our teeming fac
tories and towering warehouses
magazines Of combustibles-Often
in the midst of crowded cities, the
quicker to spread desOlation when
the fire ignites.


And worst of all, petroleum, its
products and their adulteratiOns, add
their innumerable perils to the exist
ing dangers. Its transportation
costs the frequent loss of railway
trains, depots and docks; its storage
endangers every warehouse where it
is harbored; and its use entails an
annual loss of millions. As a true
"demon of the land" it has entered
more than half the households in
the country, to put them and the
roof that covers them in continual
Jeopardy.


Such are few of the more prom
inent reasons for that excessive an
nual loss by fire with which the pro-
ductive industries Of this country
are, to q large extent unnecessarily
burdened.