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Letter to Editor
February 4, 1836
The Daily Herald
New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut
What is this article about?
A letter to editors warning about house fires caused by ashes and cinders in wooden vessels, citing multiple incidents and Benjamin Franklin's quote on learning from experience. It urges property owners to ensure safety and proposes insurance policies void if fires start from such negligence.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Messrs. Editors,
I have just now read accounts of three houses burnt by means of ashes and cinders deposited in wooden vessels. Twenty such instances perhaps occur every winter, and yet warning after warning does not teach prudence to nine tenths of mankind. Dr. Franklin has written, that Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.—Why do not the owners of houses provide other places for cinders than a wooden vessel? And if tenants occupy the house, why do not the owners look to the means of safety themselves, and not trust to their tenants? Let me ask then, would it not be proper and useful for insurance companies to issue policies with the express condition, that if a building insured take fire from ashes deposited in a wooden vessel, within the building, this fact would vacate the policy?
PRUDENS.
I have just now read accounts of three houses burnt by means of ashes and cinders deposited in wooden vessels. Twenty such instances perhaps occur every winter, and yet warning after warning does not teach prudence to nine tenths of mankind. Dr. Franklin has written, that Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.—Why do not the owners of houses provide other places for cinders than a wooden vessel? And if tenants occupy the house, why do not the owners look to the means of safety themselves, and not trust to their tenants? Let me ask then, would it not be proper and useful for insurance companies to issue policies with the express condition, that if a building insured take fire from ashes deposited in a wooden vessel, within the building, this fact would vacate the policy?
PRUDENS.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Informative
What themes does it cover?
Social Issues
Commerce Trade
What keywords are associated?
Fire Prevention
Ashes Cinders
Wooden Vessels
Insurance Policies
Property Safety
Dr Franklin
Prudence
What entities or persons were involved?
Prudens.
Messrs. Editors,
Letter to Editor Details
Author
Prudens.
Recipient
Messrs. Editors,
Main Argument
property owners should ensure safe disposal of ashes and cinders instead of using wooden vessels to prevent fires, and insurance companies should void policies if fires result from such negligence.
Notable Details
References Dr. Franklin's Quote: 'Experience Keeps A Dear School, But Fools Will Learn In No Other.'
Mentions Three Recent House Fires And Estimates Twenty Such Incidents Per Winter.