fa ANY BABIES COMING
Great Interest in Better Babies Con
test at the State Fair. ,
There' twice as much interest
shown in the better babies contest this
year as there was last year, according
to a statement just riven out by the
State Board of Health. Last year a
rreat many mothers were afraid that
the better babies contest would be a
"baby show". There wasn't bit of
"show about it. Pretty dresses and
ribbons didn't count one bit because
they were all taken off a few minutes
after I the babies got there, and the
Judges didn't even know they were
there.-Besides, the judges were not a
bit interested in such things. The doctor-judges
put the babies on the
scales measured their height, their
chest, their abdomen," etc., and then
examined every particle of baby from
the crown of his head to the sole of
his foot. They looked at baby's hair,
scalp, face, neck, shape and size of
head, shape of chest, shape of his
neck, shape of his abdomen, his arms,
hands, fingers, nails, skin, feet, legs,
muscles, general nutrition, and in fact
everything that a well organized baby
ever had and many things neither ba
by nor mother knew he had. Not only
did they examine all this, but they
learned from the mothers just how
they were feeding and caring for the
babies, and whenever any defects of
any kind, even the slightest, were
found the mother was told in simple
language just how to remedy thes.
defects.
This year all this will be done and
more. After the doctors get through
examining the babies for physical de
fects, they will be turned over to den
tists who will carefully exanmine ba
by's mouth, teeth and gums, and from
these they will go to specialists who
will examine baby's eyes, ears, nose
and throat. Each set of examiners
will record his findings on a score card
and after the final examination is
made, the score will be counted up
and the mother will be sent a copy of
the score card.
At no place in the contest will the
babies be "shown" or exposed publicly
or the mother embarrasse i in any
way. The entire affair will be like a
private interview between the mother,
her baby and each of the examining
physicians and specialists in turn.
Entries are coming rapidly, and
those wishing to enter their babies
shouM do so at once to insure a place,
as the number examined must, of
course, be limited. Applications should
be made to the State Board of Health,
at Raleigh, giving the name, sex and
age of the baby and the day on which
it is expected to attend the Fair. The
age limits are between six and forty
eieht months.
Colored babies will be entered for
the colored better babies contest the
week following by Maggie L. Cape
hart, 310 E. Davie Street, Raleigh.
HARVESTS ROT IN FIELDS
Plows 'Left Standing in the Furrows
Country Sacked and Pillaged by
War.
Paris Dispatch.
Rural France is today a sacked and
pilliaged country. This year's crop
has broadly speaking all been lost.
Next .year's crop cannot be planted.
The men who could save the one and
plant the other are wearing blue
coats and tramping toward the front
France's agricultural ruin for the mo
ment is complete.
"I have 40 acres in cut grain lying
there rotting," said a crippled man
near Dreux. "My son has gone to the
war. There are no men left in the
country. The government has taken
my horses and cattle. This winter we
will starve."
It was not far from Druex that the
.writer saw an old woman swinging a
-'cradle throught the standing grain.
Her white hair glistened, in the un
As she recovered from each slow and
painful swing she rested a moment
and placed a hand upon her aching
, back.
Ten days before the order came for
mobilization this old. woman of The
cradle was one of the happiest in
Normandy. She had five great sons
who lived with her upon the farm
that had been in her family name
since William the Conqueror. The
five sons and their men had been
called to the colors. Because their
'horses were good they were seized by
the government.
The writer just returned from
' 600-mile tour by automobile and rail
through Normand, one of the fairest
.distrusts of pleasant France. Every
where it was the same story. The
year's crop had been a bumper one,
but it win prove almost a total loss
Not one-twentieth of it had been
put in 3taclc when the mobilization
. order stopped the harvest. In every
mile of 500, ploughs are standing in
the furrow or empty carts in the field.
Pathetic little black clumps were
scattered through green fields. They
marked the rotting grain.
HOTEL FIRES
"Carelessness with matches and the
careless smoker are the two chief
sources of aTl hotel fires," said the fire
marshal. "The way for proprietors to
protect their property is for them to
guard in every way against fire. In
some hotels rubbish is left lying
about. Employes are often permitted
to smoke, and other hazards to the
lives of the occupants are allowed to
exist. It is such carelessness that
causes the greater part of all Indiana
hotel fires."
WHEN YOU ARE NERVOUS
you have the first symptom of a run-down
system, and nervous people too often con
ceal their aches and pains and suffer in
6ilence, while, if ttegfected, this condition
often foreruns more serious trouble.
If those so afflicted would stop taking
medicine containing alcohol or drugs
which menace the foundations of health,
and just take the pure, strengthening
nourishment, in S?ott's E:.mlsion , it would
create new Lkxxi to rt'lva-. i tl'.rciKrli the
organs, refresh their Ivxu-.v buildup
the whole nervous system, it is ncu,
sustaining nourishment, free from wines,
alcohols or drugs. . Shun substitutes.
THE STA'IFH BEST FRIES D .
The best friend which North Caro
lina has or ever has had, is the Dem-
cratic party
The arrest nroirress made by this
State has been made with the Demo
cratic party in charge.
I his has been so because Democra
cy stands for good government.
In the party there may be differ
ences as to this matter and that mat
ter, but there is a union of all in the
determination that there shall be good
government in the state.
Therein lies the strength of the
Democraic party.
It is a party which seeks to build ud
and not to tear down. The growth of
this state in affairs material has been
because there has been . the utmost
confidence in the Democratic party,
and for good reasons. In the great ed
ucational and moral growth of the
state there can be seen the work of
Democracy.
That again this year Democracy
will be returned to power goes with
out saying. The only question is as
to the size of the majority.
That tnls is an off vear as to na
tional affairs should not have any ef
fect upon the vote. The Democracy
of North Carolina should show to the
nation its strongest endorsement of
splendid work being done in Washing
ton by the Democratic administration,
and the vote should be such as to ap
plaud the great service being render
ed in this country by President Wil
son. Democracy is not alone1 the state's
best friend, but it is the nation's best
friend. That this is recognized in
North Carolina needs no argument. It
should be emphasized by such a vote
for the Democratic state ticket and
for the Congressional tickets as will
impress this upon the country. And
every man who votes the Democratic
ticket can feel that his vote is one
cast in the service of the stats and
the nation. It is the only party by
which the rule of the people can be
made effective.
TEN DRY STATES
New York World.
Virginia's adoption of the State
wide prohibition of the manufacture
and sale of intoxicants brings the
number of such commonwealths up to
ten. The others are Maine, Kansas,
Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Tennessee and West
Virginia.
In Virginia, as elsewhere, the issue
was decided by the vote of the coun
try districts, but of the seventeen cit
ies having a population of more than
5,000, only four, Alexandria, Norfolk,
Danville and Richmond, voted against
the amendment. Of the 91,000,000
of people in the continental United
States at the last census, approxi
mately 6,500,000 are now subject to
State-wide prohibitory laws.
While sentiment hostile to the liquor
traffic has been politically effective
mainly in the South, it exists power
fully in many Northern states. At the
South prohibition has religious and
racial inspiration, and in some cases
has been carried by the whites solely
for the purpose of depriving negroes
of strong drink. At the North it is
urged now chiefly in resentment
the dominance and corruption of sa
loons in political management.
Probably there are more saloons in
New York or Chicago than ever exist
ed in half a dozen Southern states.
The influence that thev have exerted
in public affairs in all large Northern
cities has been and still is prodigious
If the movement should gain further
headway m this section, it will be di
rected as sharply against' the bever
ages which it dispenses.
WELL! WELL! WELL!
Baltimore Sun.
And so Virginia has gone "dry" by
over 30,000. This is .indeed, the age
of miracles. Nothing need surprise
us any more. We may expect to hear
that the Czar of Russia has declared
for a republic, that Mr. Cannon has
become an uplifter and a progressive,
and to see the Free Lance denouncing
the Germans. What is this world
coming to anyhow ? Is the millennium
really knocking at our front door, and
are we all sprouting wings in spite.or
ourselves? And if these things nave
come to pass in Virginia and West
Virginia, what will happen to the
wicked "wets in our own state next 7
Will the "dry" despot's heel be on thy
shore, Maryland, my Maryland? Well,
if that hardens we shall still have the
Eastern Shore left, which solved the
nroblem of beine "dry" and "wet at
the same time. But these J'dry" mis
sionaries are certainly "going some."
CONTEST FOR A PARTY
Tin Ynn Know "Cate?"
Try this: -it has been sucessfully
used:
1 Cate never tells the exact truth
Prevaricate.
2 Cate 19 frail and irentle. Delicate
3 Cate kindly points out the way.
indicate.
A C.nte has. a twin. Dunlicate.
5. Cate seizes the property of
others, connscate.
6 Cate leads a country life. Rusti
.ofo
7 Cate brings others into trouble.
8 Cate adds to the difficulty of
many a case, complicate.
9 Cate takes lea"1. Vacate.
10 Cate makes things run smooth
1w TjihriMh.'
11 Cate on occasions denies church
nrivilocA Fvnmmunirate.
. 12 Cate settles on a particular
spot. Locate.
13 Cate is an eloquent pleader.
14 Cate imDarts much informa
tion rWnmnnimtp.
15 Cate offers, a perplexing prob
lem. Intricate.
16 Cate develops mental and phys
ical powers. Educate.
Providencfl hns r.othinir bisrh or
in et-nrn fnr (inn '"Vin flops not
resolutely aim at something high or
good. A purpose is tne eternal con
dition of success. T. T. Munger.
PARAGftAlfiSr OF ALL SORTS
PICKED. UP HERE AND THERE
. Germany's "place in the sun" will
be slippery with blood if she wins it
Louisville Courier-Journal.
i
However, we suppose it will be as
easy to toss bombs into Petrograd as
it was in St Petersburg. Manchester
Union.
If Europe had invested a little mon
ey in1 watchful waiting it would have
had more to spend on other modern
improvements. Chicago News,
j .
The story of Mr. Depew riding in a
cattle car out of France is confirmed.
He even sat on a keg and let his feet
hang out of the door in the rain part
of the time. And he was glad to be
in it, even at his age. Springfield Re
publican. Care is taken that the trees do not
grow into the sky. Goethe.
Mexico is wondering whether Car
ranza is going to be only a new man
getting the same old results. Wash
ington Star.
Nature never stands still, nor souls
either; they ever go up or down Jul
ia Dorr. '
There is no rest from labor on earth
There are always duties to perform,
functions to exercise, functions which
are ever enlarging and extending in
proportion to the growth of our mor
al and mental station. Man is born
to work, and he must work while it
13 day. "Have I not," said a great
worker, "an eternity to rest in?"
There is a period of life when we go
back as we advance. Rosseau.
Queen Wilhelmina asked her people
to spend no money celebrating her
birthday, but to use the fund for the
Red Cross. The other monarchs have
seen to it that the Red Cross ehall
need the money. Detroit Journal.
V V
How different it is from the good
old times when a President of the
United States passes through New
York to and from New England with
out a splashy military guard in the
streets and a prearranged reception to
celebrate his appearance. New York
World.
What is worth doing at all is worth
doing well, unless you happen to be
the one who is being done.
www
Of course, changing the name from
St. Petersburg to Petrograd is a tart,
but just wait till the changes get to
going good all around, and watch the
mapmakers jumping through hoops!--Indianapolis
News.
www
In a South Dakota town water that
flows from an artesian well at a tem
perature of 100 degrees is used for
heating purposes.
When a woman marries for spite
she usually spites herself more than
her husband.
www
Umbrella ribs will last longer if
their joints are oiled occasionally.
!
The man who wants the earth
shouldn't kick if other people throw
a little dust in his eyes.
In proportion to its area, Belgium
has more railroads than any other
country.
For just experience
tells
every
soil,
That those who think must govern
those who toil. Goldsmith.
Though the people support the gov
ernment, the government should not
support the people. Grover Cleve
land.
Life is a series of lessons which
must be lived to be understood. Em
erson.
It is the unexpected that happens,
and even then there is generally some:
body to say: "I told you so."
www
You can never tell. Many a fellow
forms a very deep attachment for a
very shallow girl.
Lead pencil manufacture in the
United States is consuming 73,000,000
feet of lumber annually, of which
about one-half is estimated to be
wasted in sharpening or throwing a
way short ends.
www
A German spy captured in the allies'
lines was brought before the court
martial, where the following dialogue
ensued:
"You shall be shot at sunrise."
"I dond eot un dot early."
"We'll get you up in time all right."
"Oh, veil, vat effer's de rule."
To Preserve Baby's Shoes: Teach
the dear creature to walk on its, his
or her hands I call the baby 'its"
because I don't know whether it is a
boy or a mere girl.
A man must suffer frightfully from
insomnia when he can't sleep even in
church.
It may be permissible to call a girl
a live wire when she is always shock
ing some one.
To Dry Lamp Chimneys: Take a
common rag and rub like H . The
"H" here meaning Hercules.
Wijre Rather intelligent, isn't she?
Wagg I should say so. Why that
woman can tell you the exact cause of
the European war.
"John, dear, does my petticoat
show?"
SVio mnrmurofl tvYien rrrirlv to en
As they should long since have been
gone,
John answered, impatient'yt "No.
Then she blushsd a deep pink,
For she happened to think
That she had no petticoat on.
Judge.
NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
Wise men are big listeners.
Fools
are big talkers.
Just what is the difference between
the bloodthirst of a king and of a
Harry Thaw ?
The rulers of Europe are all linked
together by marriage, which is proof
positive that a family jar is about
the worst brand of scrap on record.
The rarest creature on earth is the
man who keeps his romance at home.
If the crowned heads of 5urope ever
get to heaven they will stir up a scrap
among the angels.
President of the United States of
Eorope wouldn't sound so bad, and is
quite within the possibilties.
If Turkey gets too promiscuous in
this international wallop she will find
herself furnshing the spread for some
other nation's Thanksgiving dinner.
Make it American gold for Amer
ican people and hand us our share.
www
Timbuctoo is yet to be heard from
but we have hopes.
The longer they fight the less we
will have too lick when our time
comes. Whoop it up!
www
A modern battle line beats even an
American football game.
www
Huerta thinks he should be canon
ized, in the light of recent events.
WWW
No matter who started it, its going.
One way too stop the high cost cf
living is to stop living.
They say everythng Rockefeller
touches turns to gold. Shake, old boy,
both hands!
General Villa is quietly biding his
time. But just wait until he let3 out
a "whoop!"
The nerson who writes most elo-
ouently of marriages is the one who
has never been married.
w
"Small hot bullets cause little pain,
comes the word from the front. Make
ours a bird shot.
If the international sporting bout
over in Eup. doesn't stop soon some
one will get hurt.
www
Germany says the French use dum
dum bullets. The French say they
don't. "Another one" take your
choice.
A treaty of peace in a good thing
and highly desirable, but a long range
gun has a heap bigger effect upon the
other fellow.
'What kind of a girl makes the
best wife?" Inquires a demure, dainty
and dimpling young damsel. That's
easy. One with sense.
www
The Germans say the allies are cru
el and bloodthirsty ,and the allies say
the Germans are not human, and each
call the other very naughty names,
and we are just sick of trying to make
head or tail out of the whole dinged
business We d rather chop wood.
If the kings and emperors would
just consent to do the fighting them
selves and leave their armies out of
it, the world would join hands and
yell "Go to it!"
Crowns of autum hats are high and
pert looking," is the word from fash'
ion headquarters. No mention is made
of the wearers.
A scientist says women can talk
more than men with less fatigue be
cause their throats are smaller and
they tax their lungs and vocal cords
less. Is this a solution of the world's
greatest mystery?
w
German scientists think this pinna-
nacle of military science has been
reached. That's consoling. Now we
can slide down again.
"Made in
and is good.
American" sounds good,
Push it along.
War has had its effect. Women's
dresses this fall ate to be distinctly
military. There will be military hats,
military collars, military vests, mill
tary jackets, military sleeves, military
belts, military trimmings, military
buttons, military lines and military
airs. Of course nothing less than the
regalia if a general will do for Ashe-
boro.
The king of the Belgians received
a slight scratch on one of his hands
and the distressing intelligence was
promptly cabled to the four winds.
And if we sneezed it wouldn't even be
'phoned to the next town. Which con
firms us in the sad belief that the
world takes slight heed of real great
ness.
Secretary Bryan hopes to have thir
ty treaties of peace ratified by Christ
mas, "thus asuring the peace of the
United States with all the world," as
he expresses it. Good enough if they
stick, liut treaties of peace are easi
ly torn asunder, as witness the little
unpleasantness of our neighbors
across the pond.
ENGAGEMENT OF MISS WILSON
RUMORED
From Washington comes the rumor
that Miss Margaret Wilson, the only
unmarried daughter of President Wil
son, will be married this fall to James
McReyuolds, formerly attorney gen'
eral and recently appointed justice of
the supreme court.
It is stated that the wedding was
to have taken place early in October,
but vss postponed on account ol Mrs
vVilson s i ath.
Miss Wilson Is the. oldest daughter
of the TrcsiJcnt, being 2( years of
age, and Mr. McReynoKla, who is a
bachelor, is 45 years of age.
HELP FIRE INVESTIGATIONS
In the investigation of the cause of
suspicious fires the Insurance Depart
ment is severely handicapped because
people who are able to throw some
light on the conditions existing before
and after the fire absolutely refuse to
furnish the information, basing this
refusal on the ground that they are
not interested and do not care to get
mixed up in the case.
The firebug is one of the most dan
gerous of criminals; nevertheless, un
less he is caught red-handed in the
act, or confesses to his crime, it is
almost impossible to secure a convic
tion. The sympathy of the public, to
a greater or less extent, is with the
man accused, as the people go on the
theory that, as the loss comes out of
the insurance companies, nobody is
damaged, forgetting the fact that the
insurance companies base their pre
miums upon losses, and that every
crooked fire loss is, in the last analy
sis, paid by the honest insurer. Fire
Marshal Keller of Minnesota.
WHY GOOD TIMES MUST COME
Here are some of the reasons why
good times should soon come to the
United States.
Because we are at peace, while all,
the other great powers are at war.
Those countries must have the prod
ucts of our farms, factories and mines.
We shall gain much of the commerce
they are losing.
Because we shall soon have sounder
system of money and banking than
ever before; a system which guards
againsts sudden panics.
Because we have vast quantities of
wheat and other cereals for sale,while
the world's crops are short this year.
Because the many millions of dol
lars which Americans have been ac
customed every year to spend in
Europe will now be spent at home.
ROOSEVELT OPPOSES FUSION
Col. Roosevelt, in a long letter
which he made public, declares him
self' opposed to fusion or union with
the Republican party in any state.
"I am very sorry to say," says Col.
Roosevelt, "that I do not think any
thing whatever can be done through
the Republican party as now organiz
ed; in any event as far as I am con
corned. In all the big states
the Republican party is more reaction
ary, more under the control of the
bosses, than it was two years ago."
Under these circumstances, says
the Colonel, a victory this fall by
means of fusion with the Republican
party would be worse than useless
from the Progressive point of view.
Children Cry
FOR FLETCHER'S
CASTORIA
AMERICA
My country 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee 1 sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the Pilgrim s pride,
From every mountain side
Let freedom ring.
My native country thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills,
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
sweet freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake,
Let all that breathe partake,
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!
Children Cry
FOR FLETCHER'S
CASTORIA
VIRGINIA BLACK FRUIT CAKE
3 pounds Sultana raisins,
1 pound citron,
1 pound candied pineapple,
One-half wineglass cognac,
Wz pounds of butter,
2 pounds loaf sugar (crushed).
3 pounds dark seeded raisins,
1 pound candied cherries,
1 wineglass rosewater,
9 eggs,
l2 teaspoonful cloves,
2 pounds flour.
1 teaspoonful each of allspice, cin
namon, mace and nutmeg.
To the creamed butter and sugar
add the beaten eggs separately. Flour
well the chopped fruit, mix in all the
other ingredients and bake in a very
slow oven for six hours.
U. S. PROTESTS TO TURKEY
Secretary Bryan has notified the
Turkish government that the United
States cannot agree to the action of
Turkey in taking away from Ameri
can citizens in that country the "
tra-territorial rights" which they have
enjoyed.
Great Britain, France, ' Russia and
Italy have sent similar notices to the
Sultan's eovernment.
Secretary Bryan takes the ground
that as the rights of Americans are
guaranteed by treaty, they cannot be
set aside by Turkey alone.
President Wilson was displeased by
the stories published in some news'
papers, to the effect that American
battleships were needed in Turkey
He issued a denial.
If Germany ever does invade the
United States, there'll be some com
pensation for living in the Middle
West which even Boston can appreci
ate. Lowell Courier-Citizen.
TRAINING BOYS FOR REAL LIFE
By Frank Parer Stockbrlgde, in the
October Number of Popular Me
chanics Magazine.
A group of log buildings on the
edge of the woods, built by the boys
themselves, houses the school whose
motto is: "To teach boys how to live."
Here, on the shores of a beautiful lit
tle lake in Northern Indiana, a hund
red and fifty city boys are gaining the
sort of education that can be had only
through intimate personal contact
with nature and raw materials and the
primitive processes of the handicrafts
the education that the farm boys ab
sorbs without realizing it, but for
which the city school offers no substi
tute. Life at the school is almost primi
tive in its simplicty and freedom
from irksome restraints. Not only
have the boys actually constructed the
buildings, many of them quite large
but the care and maintenance of the
school premises are entirely in their
hands. Many of the older boys live in
pairs in little cabins built by them
selves along a path by the lake with
a kennel for a pet dog at the back of
most of the cabins. The "housekeep
ing" of these cabins as well as of the
dormitory where the smaller boys
live, the schoolrooms, offices, shops,
and laboratories, is entirely in the
hands of the pupils. Except for a
fireman or two in the power house and
the Chinese cooks in the kitchen, there
are no paid servants at the school.
Winter and summer the boys, both
i wor': end play, spend more time out
of doovs than under roof. There is
the farm wor! of a 200-acre farm to
be attended to, for one thing, besides
the policing and care of the grounds
and walks, road building, and the con
struction of new school buildings of
logs and concrete beginning with the
felling of the trees in the 500-acre
woodland across the lake. In all their
labors the boys work in squads, each
group under the direction on one boy
who is held responsible for results and
disripline. In this way qualities of
leadership are developed, which is one
of the principal aims of the school,
since most of the pupils are the sons
of business men, and many of them
will be called upon later in life to as
sume the management and direction
of large affairs.
Besides the large activities of the
farm, there are shops for working in
metals and in wood, the products of
which are utilized in the school or sold
outside. All the furniture for the
buildings is designed and made by the
boy carpenters; much of the art metal
work is sold by one of the Chicago
stores at good prices.
Academic instruction goes hand in
hand with the practical work of farm
gardens, and shops. Many of the boys
have individual gardens, and the lay
ing out of these, calculating the
amount of seed required for the dif
ferent vegetables and flowers, and the
working of other details, provide ap
plications for instruction in surveying,
drawing and mathematics. The pure
ly classroom courses are similar to
those of other preparatory schools,
but the shop and farm work the close
contact at all times with nature s pro
cesses and products, and the free out
door life give these boys in addition a
valuable store of experience and ener
gy. A WORTHY INSTITUTION
It is a pleasure to the many friends
of Elon College in this town to know
that this college had one of the lar
gest enrollments at its opening last
week that it has ever had.
This college is fast growing in the
esteem of the public throughout this
section, and is taking its nlace and
being recognized as one of the best
co-educational institutions in the
South.
We have watched the growth of this
college with much interest and we
have noted the character of its work,
the kind ox students attending, and
we have been impressed with the cul
ture and refinement of its student
body; the high standard maintained in i
its teaching force, and we have known
that the college must grow and pros
per. We have known that its-merits
would be recognized and appreciated.
Under the directorship of Dr. Har
per the college has grown rapidly
since his election. He is one of the
most practical school men we have
ever known. An untiring worker, a
believer in printer's ink, a hard stu
dent, a deep thinker, he is just the
man to be at the head of a thorough
ly deserving institution of this kind,
and we predict that before many
years pass this will be one of the most
heavily endowed, best patronized col
leges in this whole section of the
South.
We are further delighted to know
that the attendance from this county
is increasing each year. Without re
gard to denomination, we can fully
recommend this college to the people
of our county as a place where their
sons and daughters will receive the
best that can be given in education.
Burlington news.
THE CAUSE-OF FIRES
Edward F. Croker, formerly chief
of the New York fire department, and
at present engaged m other lines of
fire prevention, declares that if the
New York Fire Department had full
authority to make inspections of all
sorts of buildings, to enforce a stand
ard set of fire regulations and to make
arrests when its orders against fire
perils were disobeyed, the annual fire
loss of New York City would be cut
down 40 per cent by that single de
partment alone. In fifteen years the
records show that approximately $2,
000,000,000 and 20,000 lives have been
sacrificed to fire in the United States.
The figures are steadily growing. The
fire loss in fifteen years vonld run the
United States government two years.
The fire tax in $271. Jn Germany it
is 49 cents. Fi-o depp.;'tm"n; cannot
stop the loss of live? rnd money, but
prevention in advance adequate laws,
and rigid inspection can and will re
duce it.