Not to dwell longer on the symbolic and superstitious uses of fire, we pass to a con sideration of it in its relations to the destruction by it of life and property. History is full of accounts of its ravages in all parts of the civilized world. The following list embraces the more memorable of the great fires of which records have been preserved: The causes of the conflagrations above recorded, and the reasons why many of them were so extensive, are not far to seek. Wooden buildings crowded together upon nar row streets and filled with combustible materials, radical faults of construction, an insufficient supply of water, the lack of proper engines and other appliances, and the want of organization, are sufficient to account for such calamities. When, however, a conflagration has passed certain limits, there appear to be no agencies of human fore thought or application which can control it. The Chicago fire, driven by a gale which was almost a hurricane, raged for a day through wide streets, consuming buildings of the best material, erected with the greatest care, in the most substantial manner. The wind carried great masses of burning brands skirmishing far in advance of the grand army of destruction, and constantly starting new fires, which the combined fire brigades of the chief cities of the land could not have prevented or extinguished. It should be remembered, moreover, that these and other similar tables record only a small proportion of the losses by fre. The great conflagrations make a strong impression upon the public, while no record whatever is made of the vast number of smaller fires which in the aggregate are still more destructive. The value of the insured property destroyed annually by fire in the whole world has been estimated at from one hundred and twenty to two hundred millions of dollars. If we add to this the losses from the destruction of property uninsured, the figures will be startling indeed. The property slowly accumulated by the labor of thousands and tens of thousands of men may, for want of care, perish in a night, and the loss to the community would in no way be alleviated if the whole were insured. The question how fires may be most effectually prevented, and, when they occur, how they may be most surely and rapidly extinguished, is of the highest importance to mankind; and some light may be thrown upon the subject by considering the actual causes or occasions of fires, so far as they are known. The following abstract of the results deduced froni about 30,000 fires occurring in London within a period of 33 years (1833-63), is of general interest. The percentages of causes were: candles, 11.07; children playing, 1.59; defective flues, 7.80; friction matches, 1.41; smoking tobacco, 1.40; sparks of fire, 4.47; spontaneous igni tion, 0.95; stoves, 1.67; other known causes, 19.40; unknown causes, 32.88. Incen diarism would doubtless be found upon inquiry to account for a large proportion of the fires whose causes are here marked " unknown." The following statistics of fires occurring in the city of New York in 1876-79 are taken from the reports of the fire department: The study of this table will show in what a vast proportion of cases fires are the result of preventable causes—in other words, of carelessness that ought to be avoided. The general diffusion of information such as this would no doubt diminish in some degree the number of fires, while the use of incombustible building materials would have a still more powerful effect. But so long as the present modes of building prevail, the main dependence for preventing or diminishing losses by fire must be upon efficient organization and the use of the best means and appliances for the sure and quick extin guishment of fires when once they have been kindled. In this respect there have been
great improvements in the last few years, and doubtless others will be made in the future. By means of the electric fire-alarm the knowledge of the existence of a fire and of its precise location is diffused with a rapidity formerly unknown. The fire depart ments in our large cities and towns are so organized as to respond instantly to an alarm. Engines worked by steam-power are ready to move at once, and they are conveyed to the desired spot by horses trained to move swiftly and with almost human intelli gence. The firemen are systematically and thoroughly trained, and led by men selected for their experience, energy, and courage. The best appliances that science can suggest are ever at command; above all, the supply of water is abundant. The firemen seek first to extinguish the fire and save the building in which it broke out; if that be found impossible, they direct their efforts towards its circumscription or limitation. When a building is filled with flame there is no use in trying to save it ; the thing to be done is to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings. The use of gunpowder and other means of breaking connection with neighboring buildings is sometimes necessary.
The New York fire department is thoroughly organized. A military spirit pervades all its regulations and movements. It is under the direction of a board of three com missioners, appointed by the mayor. The active force, divided into battalions and sub divided into companies—in all about 800 men—is under the command of a chief of department, supported by an assistant and chiefs of battalion. Each engine and ladder company is provided with a house of its own where the men live and their horses and apparatus are kept. The whole force is required to be constantly on duty and in the houses, except such of the number as are on street parole or at their meals. The horses are kept in stalls facing the engine, and are loosened by an automatic electric arrange ment upon the instant that an alarm is struck. The moment they hear the sound of the gong they advance without further order to their places at the pole of the engine, the harness drops at a touch from its place of suspension and is fastened upon them in a second, the men leap to their places, and the carriage is driven at high speed to its destination. The engine is at all times kept supplied with water at a boiling point from stationary engines, and a fire is lighted under the boiler the instant it leaves the house, so that when it reaches the scene of danger a full pressure of steam is provided. So quickly is 411 this done, that in from three to five minutes after•an alarm, streams of water are usually in full play upon the fire. The city is divided into battalion districts of small area, and the signal boxes of the fire-alarm telegraph are so placed as to afford the means of giving an alarm the moment a fire is discovered. The first alarm, calls out only a small force in the neighborhood where it is needed ; if additional force is required, other alarms are given. The firemen are carefully trained, and acquire a high degree of skill in the performance of their duties. In ordinary circumstances they are able to extinguish a fire before it can, do much damage; it is only when it has gained great headway before discovery, or when there are obstructions preventing ready access thereto, or when the supply of water fails, that they are unable to get it under quick control. See FIEE-ENGncE. From Ency. Brit., 9th ed.]