The prevention of fires must in greater measure proceed from the
efficiency of the supervision exercised over the property in the order
of the buildings, heed to probable causes of fire, and attention to the
fire-apparatus.
In a manufactory there is a wide distinction to be made between to-day's
dirt and yesterday's dirt; valuable results may be obtained by an
inspection of the whole property made on Saturday afternoon by two men,
such as foremen or overseers of rooms, who may be appointed to serve
four weeks, their assignment terminating on alternate fortnights. The
report should be made on a sheet of paper, divided so as to include all
features of order and fire-apparatus in every room.
As property should be watched during the day Sunday, as well as at
night, it is under the care of watchmen about five-eighths of the time,
and the measure of this responsibility should be clearly understood.
The patrol should be recorded on a watchman's clock, not merely to show
that he was not unfaithful, but also to prove that he was faithful.
Especially in districts liable to disorder and lawlessness, it is
desirable to have a district-messenger signal-box in the works, visited
once an hour, with the understanding that if the call is not made within
fifteen minutes of the appointed time, it will be assumed that there is
trouble and help sent at once.
Safety requires that the lanterns should be securely guarded; that the
handle and sustaining parts of the lantern be connected together by
rivets or by locking the metals together without relying on soldered
joints; and thirdly, that the lamp should be put in from above, and
never from the bottom.