After a fire ravaged Philadelphia in 1730, Benjamin Franklin enlisted volunteers for an organized fire brigade. His Union Fire Company, incorporated in 1736, provided a vital municipal service for a city of densely packed wooden buildings. In 1752, Franklin founded the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire. Today the Philadelphia Contributionship is the oldest continuously operating property insurance company in the United States.
Which breed of dog traditionally accompanied horse-drawn fire wagons?
A) Corgi
B) Dalmatian
C) Gordon Setter
D) Portuguese Water Dog
Previous answer: In the field of chaos theory, the “butterfly effect” described by Edward Lorenz illustrates the idea that infinitesimal changes in a system can have monumental consequences.
TRIVIA FANS: Leslie Elman is the author of “Weird But True: 200 Astounding, Outrageous and Totally Off the Wall Facts.” Contact her at [email protected]
