PAGE SIX
THE ECHO
FEBRUARY, 19
Stofy Of How Man Leafned To Make Fit'
INTERESTING
STORY RELATED
BY RRE DEPT.
There^s Danger Unless Both
Man And Matches Use
Their Heads
The Fire Stick
It is not known just when man
first learned to make fire by fric
tion, but it may have been that
while dragging the carcass of some
wild animal over stony ground, the
hide was rubbed hard enough to
singe the bair upon it and man was
thus supplied with a hint he was
quick to seize. At any rate be
eventually learned that by rubbing
he could produce fire and so de
veloped the fire-drill, which con
sisted of a pointed stick held ver
tically and spun rapidly in a de
pression in a piece of soft wood
placed flat upon the ground.
The spinning motion was pro
duced by means of a strand or
gut, or wire, attached to a bow and
looped around the vertical stick,
which was revolved by drawing the
bow back and forth. A block of
wood held in one hand on top of
the fire stick kept it in an upright
position. There were several varie
ties of the fire-drill but all were
similar. The friction produced by
the rapidly turning stick developed
heat and fire at the point of con
tact. Tinder, or punk, was then
ignited and blown upon until it
set fire to leaves, litter, or other
combustible material kept at hand
for kindling purposes.
Flint and Steel
Then came the flint-and-steel,
one being struck against the other,
the sparks falling upon tinder in
the form of flax tow. In the olden
days every household possessed
one or more tinder boxes contain
ing these implements for making
fire.
The idea was adopted for the
flint-lock musket and pistol, the
spark generated by the hanmier in
striking against a piece of flint
igniting the powder in the “pan
and discharging the load in the
barrel—if all went well.
Destruction Of Forests By Fire
Increases The Lumber Shortage
To check the oncoming oblit
eration of our standing timber
only two methods are available:
Fire prevention and reforestation,
for in addition to the destruction
caused by fire, millions of acres
of timber are cut each year.
The forestry bureau of the fed
eral government and the depart
ments of many states are endea
voring to stem this tide of de
struction, as are the owners of
some of the private tracts of tim
ber. Every patriotic person in
America will aid them. It should
be clear to all that a forest fire
is a tragedy and that in prevent
ing it we are not only safeguarding
the present but protecting the fu
ture.
Forest fires are often caused
by campers or careless smokers,
although in many cases brush and
The First Match
After this, in 1827 to be exact,
an English druggist named John
Walker, evolved the first practical
friction matches, which were
known as “Congreves.” With every
box was provided a folded piece
of “glass-paper.” In order to ignite
one of these matches it was neces
sary to draw it quickly through
folds of the paper pressed firmly
against the head of the match
Another variety of match called
the “Promethean,” so named be
cause of the myth concerning'
Prometheus, had a thin glass bulb
at one end and breaking this pro
duced the fire. These ingenious
matches were better than the fire
stick and the flint-and-steel but
they were far from satisfactory.
There was such great need of a
sure-fire, easily ignited match, that
inventors went on experimenting
until they hit upon the sulphur-
phosphorous combination, which
eventually developed into the pres
ent types of so called “safety” and
double tipped “strike-anywhere”
matches with which we are all
familiar.
The malodorous nature of the
sulphur match, which sizzled for|
several seconds before it burst i
into flame, naturally terminated
its popularity as soon as the mod
ern match appeared on the market.
No Match Is Safe
Needless to say, no match is safe
from the standpoint of the fire
hazard. Besides the possibility of
staying lighted after it is discarded,
the head may fly off when struck
or ignition may occur by some
means other than its normal use.
Matches having sturdy sticks—the
better made strike-anywhere and
strike-on-the-box types—are safest
from the flying head hazard. The
strike-on-the-box type — including
the paper book match — has less
hazard of accidental ignition by
being stepped on, or by abrasion
in grinders, or other machinery.
Matches Start Fires
So many fires started by matches
are due to the carelessness of
smokers that the Actuarial Bureau
of the National Board of Fire Un
derwriters combined the hazards
under the twin designation, “Mat-
ches-Smoking,” and today it leads
all other causes in its resonsibility
for fire destruction, with a total
annual charge against it approxi
mating the huge sum of $30,000,-
000. Matches never should be
scattered about, nor should they
be carried loose in the pockets.
They are likely to be dropped
out of clothing and if they are of
the strike-anywhere type may be
ignited by being crushed under
foot, and thus start a fire. In the
natural course of events matches
will continue to be used in in
creasing numbers. They wifi al
ways be dangerous unless people
become careful in using them. It
has been stated that there are no
safety rules more important than
those applying to matches and the
record of fire losses indicates that
this is a moderate statement of
fact. The matter has been succint-
ly phrased in the following: “Mat
ches do not think with their heads.
When you use them your head has
to do all of the thinking. Do the
thinking! Put them out!” |
FIRES ON ROOFS
There was once an elderly wom
an who attended church regularly,
but who was seen always to bow
when Satan’s name was mention
ed. When asked why she did so
she replied, “Being nolite costs
me nothing—and you never can
tell what may happen.” That is the
way with fire—It is never possible
to tell about it—when it will
break out or how long a hazard
will remain quiescent. The sleep
ing danger awakens without warn
ing and usually at a most incon
venient time.
The National Board of Fire Un
derwriters, in their report on fire
causes, reports that “sparks on
roofs” take an annual toll of over
$10,000,000, which indicates how
widely inflammable materials are
grass fires started by farmers to
clear acreage for tilling have
spread to wooded areas.
While in the woods or fields
or on roads adjacent to timber-
lands, one should be careful never
to drop matches, lighted cigarettes,
pipe tobacco, or anything holding
a spark or flame. Such firebrands
should be put out by stamping
them well into the soil or-should
be disposed of by some other
safe means. Open fires should ne
ver be built in the woods or near
by fields when they are dry and
never against a tree, alive or
dead, or against a log. Stones or
open soil areas are reasonably safe
as surfaces upon which to build
camp-fires if the fires are watch
ed. When leaving a camp-fire it
should be thoroughly drenched
with water or smothered with
sand or soiL
If you should happen to en
counter a small fire in a forest
put it out yourself or send a call
to the fire warden, if help is not
available nearby. Fire always tra
vels before the wind and it is best
to try to fight its advance, which
may sometimes be accomplished
by digging a trench across its
path. Sand or soil will help smo
ther it and beating will occasion
ally suffice, but for the timber
blaze water is the best extinguish
ing agent.
E. BURCH,
Fire Inspector.
BLOCKING GAB
Hello, Operator Sheppard,
is Blocking calling to give you
latest.
Our girls reported a fine tiff*
at the President’s ball. We belief
in helping the crippled as well
having a good time.
Does Lucille H. still have
voice? It’s a wonder after g
out on so many bond rallies.
If anyone passes through
department I guess they think -
is a radio shop with all statio®*
on at once. A woman’s
should last a lifetime but
afraid there are going to be so^!
blockers left speechless in
old days.
Has Edith W. ever got any
roses from Ireland?
We had two of our blockers -
to see us last week, Jessie
and Lucille M.
Sylvia Smith seemed to be ^
smiles last week. Her husband
up from Ft. Jackson.
Irene Me. is taking another
down Florida way. She must
some little moron spied
there.
Lulu C. must have a travcH^
heart. It’s now in Sheppard
Texas.
We are glad to have one of
old blockers with us, Margaret
Looks at if Ruth would get
eating oranges. Does Reid
them by the dozen or bushel? .
Frances P. thinks she will ^
to sleep downstairs better than ^
stairs. She has recently gotten^
apartment in the Patterson
Estelle, how did you like
Moore General Hospital band?
saw you were all ears and ef
for music. You have it there,
they really had a grand pvog^
Saturday. ,
Lost, one man, four feet and J
inches tall, two brown eyes,
hair. When last seen was dreS®
in blue and in the Blocking',n
partment or Hand Booklet. ^
answer to name of Elmer or
Eyes. If anyone sees him,
him to the Blockers in care of ^
Irene and Reba.
used as roof coverings. They
report that, in Alabama, IndifJJ
Iowa, Missouri, North CaroUj
and South Carolina a noor
of wooden shingles one year
this hazard responsible for
greatest amount of destruction
to a contributing cause. In
states soft coal is widely empl^^j
and since certain types of soft
"0?
give off considerable soot,
ing particles of which often
out of chimney tops, many
on combustible roofs occur
this cause. «
Poor grades of wooden
when subjected to changing j.
ther conditions and alternate
ting and drying, eventually j{^
come like tinder, ready to i^
from a chance spark. Their
surface retains embers
would roll off a pitched ro^
smoother material. Such
have been called “stepping stoK
for the fire demon,” since
have been responsible for ^
spread of numerous confl^^y
tions, or sweeping fires. You
are planning to build a hom® i
the “post war era,” should
consider the most suitable tyP^>
roofing. The Ecusta fire depjjj
ment will gladly advise as J'
grades of roofing material as ^
ed by the National Fire
tion Association. Feel free to ^
to us at any time.