New York Consumed by Fire Once in Twelve Years.

New York Consumed by Fire Once in Twelve Years.

The astonishing fact that all New York consumed by fire once in every 12 years has just been brought to light here by the compilation of figures covering the losses by conflagration during the last 26 years—that is since 1883. While it is not true that the entire city is simultaneously consumed by fire during each twelve year period, it is true that the fire losses in 12 years equals the total value of all the city's new buildings. Even on this basis, however, the burning of Rome was a mere trifle compared to that which goes on here every year. Since 1883 the value of property by fire has exceeded $125,000,000. As 125,496 fires go to make up this total, the average annual loss is almost $5,000,000, which docs not include the expense to the city of 300,000 false alarms. The figures show that a fire alarm is received every 23 minutes and that an actual fire occurs on an average of less than every two hours, or at the rate of 13 a day, or 4,746 each year. The annual loss has shown variations to an extent which would seem conclusively to prove that there is no law of fire averages. Thus, though the city grew rapidly in the 14 years from 1883 to 1897, the loss by fire in the latter year was less than in 1883 and smaller than in any previous year except 1886. The fire loss in 1891 was $6,900,000, and in 1886 it was only $3,300,000—a difference of $3,600,000. That this city should sacrifice annually one-twelfth of the value of its new' buildings is a record calculated not only to make Nero, who is popularly supposed to have enjoyed the burning of Rome, turn in his grave, but one which is causing Father Knickerbocker a considerable amount of worry.

The astonishing fact that all New York consumed by fire once in every 12 years has just been brought to light here by the compilation of figures covering the losses by conflagration during the last 26 years—that is since 1883. While it is not true that the entire city is simultaneously consumed by fire during each twelve year period, it is true that the fire losses in 12 years equals the total value of all the city's new buildings. Even on this basis, however, the burning of Rome was a mere trifle compared to that which goes on here every year. Since 1883 the value of property by fire has exceeded $125,000,000. As 125,496 fires go to make up this total, the average annual loss is almost $5,000,000, which docs not include the expense to the city of 300,000 false alarms. The figures show that a fire alarm is received every 23 minutes and that an actual fire occurs on an average of less than every two hours, or at the rate of 13 a day, or 4,746 each year. The annual loss has shown variations to an extent which would seem conclusively to prove that there is no law of fire averages. Thus, though the city grew rapidly in the 14 years from 1883 to 1897, the loss by fire in the latter year was less than in 1883 and smaller than in any previous year except 1886. The fire loss in 1891 was $6,900,000, and in 1886 it was only $3,300,000—a difference of $3,600,000. That this city should sacrifice annually one-twelfth of the value of its new' buildings is a record calculated not only to make Nero, who is popularly supposed to have enjoyed the burning of Rome, turn in his grave, but one which is causing Father Knickerbocker a considerable amount of worry.