Losses By Fire

Statistics show tbat every seventh dol lar of the nation's anuual increasc in weilth is burned -up, chitfly through gross carelessness; also, tbat "we burn up a Chicago everv two years." The great Chicago fire destroyed $100,000,000, and the average fire loss of the United States and Canada is $80,000,000 a year, so that were the Chicago calamity which shotked the country in 1871 to be repeated once in two years, it would annihilate no more property than that now consumed by the numerous flres of every two years. The fire loss of the last five years in the Un ited Sutes and Canada is $405,269700. It would appear froin the insurance statistics that liquor stcres (which we can well afford to lose) are most apt to burn, and groceries and hotels follow closely ufter, tbere being twice as many fires in these classes of buildings as in saw-mills and drug stores, which come next in the list. The existence of fire insurance corporatious is respousible fora large proportion of the losses by fire. Not only are men careless of fire when irell insured, but a great many buildings are purposely set on fire by persons who own them, or do business in them, and who have got their house or their stock of goods insured for moie than it is worth, through the cupidity of some insurance agent who cares only for his