HomeLatest ThreadsGreatest ThreadsForums & GroupsMy SubscriptionsMy Posts
DU Home » Latest Threads » Forums & Groups » Main » General Discussion (Forum) » Ben Franklin on the surve... » Reply #16

Response to graham4anything (Reply #1)

Wed Jun 19, 2013, 06:42 PM

16. Apparently, he was talking aobut fires:

http://whenthealarmsounds.blogspot.com/2011/08/ben-franklins-ounce-of-prevention-led.html

"In the first place, as an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I would advise how they suffer living brands-ends or coals in a full shovel to be carried out of one room into another or up or down stairs, unless in a warming-pan and shut; for scraps of fire may fall into chinks and make no appearance until mid-night; when your stairs being in flames, you may be forced, (as I once was) to leap out of your window and hazard your necks to avoid being over-raosted

If chimneys were more frequently and more carefully clean'd some fires might thereby be prevented. I have known foul chimneys to burn furiously a few days after they are swept; people in confidence that they are clean, making large fires. Everybody among us is allow'd to sweep chimneys that please to undertake that business; and if chimney fires thro' fault of the sweeper goes free. This thing is not right.

Those who undertake sweeping of chimneys and employ servants for that purpose, ought to be licensed by the Mayor; and if any chimney fires and flames out 15 days after sweeping, the fine should be paid by the sweeper; for it is his fault".

According to the book "Franklin and Fire" published in 1906, "one result of this paper seems to have been the founding of the Union Fire Company in 1736 by Franklin and four of his friends." They formed their fire company "for preserving our own and our fellow citizens' houses, goods, and effects in case of fire"



Reply to this post

Back to OP Alert abuse Link to post in-thread

Always highlight: 10 newest replies | Replies posted after I mark a forum
Replies to this discussion thread
Arrow 21 replies Author Time Post
Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 OP
graham4anything Jun 2013 #1
premium Jun 2013 #4
Orrex Jun 2013 #9
premium Jun 2013 #10
Orrex Jun 2013 #14
corkhead Jun 2013 #6
Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #7
corkhead Jun 2013 #12
hobbit709 Jun 2013 #8
hobbit709 Jun 2013 #11
LineLineNew Reply Apparently, he was talking aobut fires:
Luminous Animal Jun 2013 #16
Fla_Democrat Jun 2013 #20
Catherina Jun 2013 #2
MannyGoldstein Jun 2013 #3
corkhead Jun 2013 #5
maxrandb Jun 2013 #13
hobbit709 Jun 2013 #15
maxrandb Jun 2013 #17
KittyWampus Jun 2013 #19
KittyWampus Jun 2013 #18
maxrandb Jun 2013 #21
Please login to view edit histories.