FIRE NArtsuALs. Finally, it is largely due to the agitation carried on by insurance companies that States and municipalities have adopted vari ous measures for the purpose of preventing loss by lire. The more common forms of public action for this purpose are the maintenance of fire extinguishing organizations, and the adoption of regulations concerning the storage' of explosives and other dangerous commodities, and regula tions as to the character of material to be•used in the construction of buildings. A more recent movement in the same direction is the adoption of laws for the appointment of State fire mar shals. Local fire marshals or other similar offi cers have long been maintained in the larger cities. The first State fire marshals were au thorized by Massachusetts and Maryland in 1394. Three other States have followed their example— Ohio (1900), Connecticut (1901), and Washing ton (1901). In 1902 Massachusetts transferred the duties of the fire marshal to the district police. In Mississippi the insurance commission er acts as fire marshal. Along with the estab
lishment of the office of fire marshal has gone the adoption of laws requiring investigation into the origin of fires. Maine and Pennsylvania, as well as the States mentioned above, require such official investigation. Much light will undoubt edly be thrown upon the causes of fires by these investigations, and more intelligent action will be possible for the purpose of diminishing their number and destructiveness.
The duty of State and municipality to adopt regulations for the purpose of minimizing fire losses is too obvious to need discussion. When the carelessness or misconduct of one individual may result in irreparable losses to others who have themselves taken all due precautions, the State is clearly justified in doing all in its power to ward off the danger. What municipalities have done is hut a small part of what they might properly do, and what they may be expected to do as more enlightened views of their responsi bility in the matter come to prevail.