REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL OF MASSACHUSETTS.

REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Fire Marshal Whitcombe of the State of Massachusetts, in his fourth annual report says that the number of fires throughout the State during the past year was 4,030; the loss was $4,369,428. The sound value of property damaged by fire was $35,666,179, amount of insurance at risk on the same, $30 131,592; insurance less paid on the same, $3,575,965. Of the fires, 337 were of incendiary origin, 409 of unknown origin. The total number of fires in Boston was $1,069. Of these thirty-eight were incendiary. The causes of sixty-two Boston fires were unknown. During the year there were fifty-six arrests and forty-one convictions^ with four arrested parties awaiting trial. Before the establishment of the office less than eighteen per cent of the number of arrests resulted in convictions. Last year over seventy three per cent, were convicted, whi e the proportion of convictions to the total number of incendiaries was increased tenfold. The percentage of incendiary fires in Boston, which under the fire marshal system has been reduced to a normal average of about five per cent., has been for the past year still further reduced to three and one-half per cent.—a record probably not reached or even approximated in any other large city in the country. The percentage of incendiary and unknown fires in the State outside of Boston has been gradually lowered, since the establishing nt of a State fire marshal’s office, from a former average of thirty-five per cent, to less than eighteen per cent. Thirty-three per cent, of the total number of incendiary fires were set to defraud insurance companies; one per cent.was the result of pyromania; nine per cent., revenge, and two per cent., insanity. In sixteen per cent, of the insurance-defrauding fires the insured parties have had more than one fire and in one instance seven fires. The proportion of loss to the valuation of property damaged has been greater outside the city of Boston than in that city, and the proportion of loss to the valuation of incendiary fires outside of Boston has been one-third greater than in that city.

Fire Marshal Whitcombe of the State of Massachusetts, in his fourth annual report says that the number of fires throughout the State during the past year was 4,030; the loss was $4,369,428. The sound value of property damaged by fire was $35,666,179, amount of insurance at risk on the same, $30 131,592; insurance less paid on the same, $3,575,965. Of the fires, 337 were of incendiary origin, 409 of unknown origin. The total number of fires in Boston was $1,069. Of these thirty-eight were incendiary. The causes of sixty-two Boston fires were unknown. During the year there were fifty-six arrests and forty-one convictions^ with four arrested parties awaiting trial. Before the establishment of the office less than eighteen per cent of the number of arrests resulted in convictions. Last year over seventy three per cent, were convicted, whi e the proportion of convictions to the total number of incendiaries was increased tenfold. The percentage of incendiary fires in Boston, which under the fire marshal system has been reduced to a normal average of about five per cent., has been for the past year still further reduced to three and one-half per cent.—a record probably not reached or even approximated in any other large city in the country. The percentage of incendiary and unknown fires in the State outside of Boston has been gradually lowered, since the establishing nt of a State fire marshal’s office, from a former average of thirty-five per cent, to less than eighteen per cent. Thirty-three per cent, of the total number of incendiary fires were set to defraud insurance companies; one per cent.was the result of pyromania; nine per cent., revenge, and two per cent., insanity. In sixteen per cent, of the insurance-defrauding fires the insured parties have had more than one fire and in one instance seven fires. The proportion of loss to the valuation of property damaged has been greater outside the city of Boston than in that city, and the proportion of loss to the valuation of incendiary fires outside of Boston has been one-third greater than in that city.