THE DANGEROUS SHINGLE ROOF.

THE DANGEROUS SHINGLE ROOF.

No doubt exists that shingle roofs are a serious menace to communities where they are generally used. The paper read at the recent convention of the International Association of Fire Engineers by Chief T. W. Haney, of Jacksonville, on this subject, clearly showed that they are, and his recommendations that they should be abolished, where possible, meets with the hearty approval of those responsible for the safeguarding of our cities and towns from fire. The smallest fire in a wooden building, with shingle roof, may cause a conflagration envolving great loss of life and property, so that where such structures exist the people are constantly in fear that a serious fire may occur at any time and consume their property without their being able to render any assistance to save it. Every day we hear of the efforts of the firemen being directed to stop fires from reaching adjoining property. This applies first to the poor roof and then to the inferior nature of the whole structure. A correspondent from Cambridge, Mass., writes us that a fire started in the second floor of a business building in that city and that when the -firemen arrived it was a mass of flames. Three alarms were ordered, but the task the firemen had to perform was beyond their power, aS they had difficulty in stopping the fire from extending to other property, and the factory in which it occurred was doomed to complete destruction. He further says the brisk wind that prevailed caused sparks to reach a dozen roofs and many surrounding dwellings were immediately involved, while the people were driven to the streets awaiting the result of the work of extinguishment by the firemen. This is the same old story of such fires, and one that might be saved from repetition were fireproof roofs instead of shingles employed inside all fire limits. This improvement is now being rapidly carried out as will be seen in citiesa down to the third class. It follows that where such fire protection means are being adopted, we may expect to find reductions in the fire loss caused by shingle roofs when others take their place. As building construction improves, so fire losses will decrease, therefore, the aim of people interested in bringing about the reduction of fire ought to be directed towards the improvement of public and private buildings. When the wooden structures, now forming two-thirds of the dwellings in the country, are wiped out and stone and brick structures take their place, then a decided improvement in fire conditions will come about and instead of the claimed annual fire loss of a quarter of a billion dollars, that total will gradually decrease and improved fire conditions prevail. It is on account of the poor construction of buildings that the fire loss keeps up, therefore, the remedy ought to be applied and applied as soon as possible. Everyone knows that the fire losses in European countries are two-thirds less than here and that the reason for this is not so much good fire service as good fire proof buildings. II we are to arrive at a similar condition in this country we must improve our construction, which will bring about reduced fire risks and relieve the people from a constant dread of fire, besides forcing a more reasonable rate of insuring their property against loss.

No doubt exists that shingle roofs are a serious menace to communities where they are generally used. The paper read at the recent convention of the International Association of Fire Engineers by Chief T. W. Haney, of Jacksonville, on this subject, clearly showed that they are, and his recommendations that they should be abolished, where possible, meets with the hearty approval of those responsible for the safeguarding of our cities and towns from fire. The smallest fire in a wooden building, with shingle roof, may cause a conflagration envolving great loss of life and property, so that where such structures exist the people are constantly in fear that a serious fire may occur at any time and consume their property without their being able to render any assistance to save it. Every day we hear of the efforts of the firemen being directed to stop fires from reaching adjoining property. This applies first to the poor roof and then to the inferior nature of the whole structure. A correspondent from Cambridge, Mass., writes us that a fire started in the second floor of a business building in that city and that when the -firemen arrived it was a mass of flames. Three alarms were ordered, but the task the firemen had to perform was beyond their power, aS they had difficulty in stopping the fire from extending to other property, and the factory in which it occurred was doomed to complete destruction. He further says the brisk wind that prevailed caused sparks to reach a dozen roofs and many surrounding dwellings were immediately involved, while the people were driven to the streets awaiting the result of the work of extinguishment by the firemen. This is the same old story of such fires, and one that might be saved from repetition were fireproof roofs instead of shingles employed inside all fire limits. This improvement is now being rapidly carried out as will be seen in citiesa down to the third class. It follows that where such fire protection means are being adopted, we may expect to find reductions in the fire loss caused by shingle roofs when others take their place. As building construction improves, so fire losses will decrease, therefore, the aim of people interested in bringing about the reduction of fire ought to be directed towards the improvement of public and private buildings. When the wooden structures, now forming two-thirds of the dwellings in the country, are wiped out and stone and brick structures take their place, then a decided improvement in fire conditions will come about and instead of the claimed annual fire loss of a quarter of a billion dollars, that total will gradually decrease and improved fire conditions prevail. It is on account of the poor construction of buildings that the fire loss keeps up, therefore, the remedy ought to be applied and applied as soon as possible. Everyone knows that the fire losses in European countries are two-thirds less than here and that the reason for this is not so much good fire service as good fire proof buildings. II we are to arrive at a similar condition in this country we must improve our construction, which will bring about reduced fire risks and relieve the people from a constant dread of fire, besides forcing a more reasonable rate of insuring their property against loss.