IS LUMBER A CRIME? 



649 



out. There are some sprinkler failuies, 

 in both fire proof and timbered build- 

 ings, due to defects of construction or 

 to accidents which cripple the equip- 

 ment, but the actual experience of fire 

 loss in thousands of sprinklered tim- 

 bered structures, carrying hundreds of 

 millions of insurance, is below one per 

 cent. As these buildings are mainly 

 factory buildings, housing inflammable 

 materials and operating machinery, all 

 of which contribute enormously to the 

 hazard, the record is a phenomenal one, 

 and the case is proved in favor of the 

 reasonable use of wood in structural 

 work. The great majority of fires start 

 in contents or equipment not in the 

 structure. If all buildings were prop- 

 erly sprinklered, and the sprinkler 

 equipments properly maintained, there 

 would be no spreading fires, and conse- 

 quently no conflagrations. 



The fads of wired glass and metal 

 trim and furniture would be relegated 

 to the scrap heap, and buildings would 

 be livable and beautiful and economic, 

 and life and property would be safe 

 from fire. 



But that is the extreme. 



It is not necessary or desirable to go 

 that limit. It is only necessary to pro- 

 tect congested areas and values and 

 occupancies, leaving the small and mod- 

 erate hazards to the control of a fire- 

 fighting force of moderate, though 

 ample, size to subdue it. 



This condition can be established in 

 any city in a short time, and without 

 adding any burden not already borne. 

 It is what I have called "Normalizing" 

 a city that is to say, reducing its haz- 



ards to a normal size, so that any pos- 

 sible loss would fall within the limits 

 of a profitable relation between cost of 

 construction, maintenance, protection 

 and loss without disaster. 



We have no quarrel with those who 

 seek by fair means to sell competing 

 materials. We have no quarrel with 

 those who seek by fair means to en- 

 lighten the public to a due sense of its 

 responsibility for fire waste. We have 

 no quarrel with those who seek to bring 

 the public mind to a state of careful- 

 ness and caution in the matter of fire 

 hazard. 



We do not urge the exclusive use of 

 wood for all purposes. 



We do not object to reasonable re- 

 strictions upon unfit methods of con- 

 struction or use of materials. 



We do have a right to denounce a 

 false propaganda, which, to serve its 

 selfish ends, defames us and our indus- 

 try with reckless and unjustifiable mis- 

 statement of facts, and by playing upon 

 the prejudices of the uninformed and 

 gullible portion of the public. 



We perform a service to the public 

 'and to the great number of persons who 

 are engaged in collateral and related 

 industries when we do so, as well as to 

 our own great host of citizens whim 

 we are proud to call our "fellow lum- 

 bermen." 



What we need is an unbiased and 

 competent investigation and report, un- 

 der the authority of the National (iov- 

 ernment, which will ascertain and dis- 

 close the facts in an adequate and trust- 

 worthy manner. 



QUEBEC'S LUMBER RESOURCES. 



The limber resources of Quebec are enormous, thoui/h i/really diminished in past yean 

 b\ forest fires, '/'lie privately o-;^ned limber lands comprise about 6,000,000 acres ami are 

 able to supply 500,000 to l.ooo.ooo cords of ivood per unnnm for years to The Island 



of Antic OSti alone is able to produce SO.OOO to 1 OO.OOO cords per annum for years, a good 

 portion of winch. Inwerer. in'// probably he concerted into pulp in the ;ttnre. as a hi r tie 



mill is now in process of erection there. I'nlp mills are also in process OJ construction in 

 other parts of Ihis district, so that the pulp industry, especially in //i/> listri i. [S bound to 

 -.(.'it ness a great boom in the near future. 



