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fl» .V—r—A Things to Know and Do 133 __ Fire—Servant or Master? FIRE IS A GREAT SERVANT BUT A TERRIBLE MASTER Fire Prevention Condensed from Fire Commissioner Robert Admson’ s Pamphlet Why should America sufier five times as much fire loss per head as any European country? Chiefiy because we are so careless. Just think that every year about 2,000 lives are lost in fires, and 6,000 persons injured. The money loss to this country is about _$500, 000 ,000, which means that every family of five persons 'is paying $12. 50 a year as their share of this loss—$2. 50 apiece. In Europe the people are so careful about fires that fire loss is only about fifty cents apiece. Taking no account of the sufier- ing and misery, our cash fire loss in America is $600,000 a day, $2 5,000 an hour, $416 a minute. In other Words, we lose each year through fire more than enough to build the Panama Canal. During rgr 3, in New York City alone, 588 fires were caused by children playing with matches, with a loss of $32,000. It has been calculated that more people have been killed in recent years on the Fourth of July celebration than were killed in the whole original Revolution that it celebrates Nearly 40,000 were killed or injured in Fourth of July fires in the ten years, 1904 to 1914. This is why sensible people have risen up and demanded a safe and sane Fourth. Fireworks and bonfires should be absolutely forbidden. I ' never yet saw the time or place where a bonfire was not a curse. However safe it may seem, there is sure to be some risk, and it is wasting valuable wood. A true Woodcraft Boy or Girl never makes a bonfire. Let us express our patriotism without ruin- ing our neighbors’ property or our own. Fires would be practically unknown if we followed the advice of Commissioner Adamson of New York City, and practised the TWENTY-THREE DON’TS Don’t allow children to play with matches. Don’t block the fire escapes. Don’t fail to inspect your own home, or the place where you work, so as to know where all exits are. Don’ t throw away lighted matches, cigars, or cigarettes. Don’ t go into dark closets, bedrooms, or cellars, with lighted candles or matches.